Firestone Steeltex tire recall for 2000-2003 Excursions.My truck has them on it!

Firestone recalling 490,000 tires
Steeltex radial tires linked to 14 SUV crashes, 5 deathsThe Associated Press
Updated: 6:48 p.m. ET Feb. 26, 2004NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Bridgestone/Firestone announced a recall Thursday of about 490,000 Steeltex tires linked to sport utility vehicle crashes that killed five people.

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The move heads off an in-depth investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration into the Steeltex Radial A/T LT265/75R16 Load Range D tires, which have been linked to six crashes, three of which involved fatalities.

The tires — manufactured in Joliette, Quebec — were made for use on Ford Excursions from 2000 to 2002 and some early 2003 models.

Bridgestone/Firestone estimates about 297,000 of the recalled tires are still on the vehicles in the United States, and another 20,000 are in use internationally. The company said the others have probably have already been replaced by the owners.

“We haven’t identified a specific problem with the tires,” company spokesman Dan MacDonald said. “The data suggested that there’s an issue, and the decision was made that instead of having a long drawn-out investigation to figure out if there is a problem, let’s just step up and replace the tires.”

U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta praised the company’s decision to recall the tires, saying it “shows that our system of safety standards is working.”


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Do you guys know if there is any way I can "speed up" the process to get these tires off my truck and still get the replacement money from Firestone?


I'm not trying to be cheap here as I know the tires are unsafe to run but,5 new tires for my truck will set ya back about $800 with mount and balance so I wanna be sure I do this right to get Firestone to "foot the bill"......



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1965 Falcon Sprint 1 of 3106
1966 Galaxie 500-XL 428 4 speed "CROSS RAM"
2000 Excursion LTD 444 Turbo Diesel
2004 Timber Wolf 24' "Coyote" Race Trailer

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: DynoTom on 2/29/04 12:34am ]</font>

Call your local tire dealer for the an appointment. It's my understanding that tire dealer's will be handling this recall rather than Ford dealers...
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<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>
On 2004-02-28 13:36, GregCook wrote:
My Super Duty has Load Range "E".

Guess they're okay???

</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

As of right now I guess so????? I will bet that you will be included in this same type recall in the near future though.....
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I thought Ford said they were not going to sell Firestone tires on their vehicles anymore after the Explorer/Firestone problems.
I never liked Firestone tires even before they were bought out by the Japs(Bridgstone).
My first new car '72 Merc Comet, drove straight from the Mercury dealer to the tire store and replaced the Firestones with Goodyears.

I heard Ford "broke off" all ties with Firestone over all this stuff......that was a Hundred year partnership that Ole Henry himself started so that was a big deal to do I'm sure......can ya blame Ford for doing it though......lotsa people hurt and killed over those tires......


I'm a little nervous about the Firestones on my truck.....I go to pick up my new 24' race trailer a week from today and I would hate to have a tire go "FUBAR" on my 4 ton truck pulling a 2 ton trailer making it a 6 ton mess!


I gotta get those piece o' chit tires off my rig VERY soon!


I'm making some calls on Monday!
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man oh man Maybe the tires did have a problem but to believe that the tires killed all those people[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_frown.gif[/img] Friggin people drive SUVs like they are sportcars,which they are not. ENOUGH SAID

The Firestones on my Explorer were replaced as part of that recall also (eventually).

Theres a lot more to that story than just faulty tires. I like my Explorer, but seriously doubt that vehicle could remain controllable on the freeway if any tire of any brand blew out. To me, it's an issue of vehicle stability rather than tire failure. Either a passenger vehicle should be able to remain controllable with a blowout on any one tire and an idiot at the wheel; OR people should actually be trained to DRIVE cars, rather than given a rubber-stamp license to drive when they get old enough.

A license to drive is treated like an entitlement in the U.S., and very few people really know how to handle their vehicles.

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'67 Mustang fastback / 5.0 EFI &amp; AOD (for now)
2000 Explorer Sport 4x4

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: kewolfe on 3/1/04 10:29am ]</font>

I agree, the high center of gravity and vehical weight have something to do with it too.....


I took my truck over the scales at the truck stop and with me in it and a full tank of fuel it went 8124 lbs. now,couple that taller vehical with all that weight being shifted with a tire "blowout" and it's no wonder that they roll over.....

I was told by many people(not on this site)before I took delivery of my Excursion that the first thing I should buy for it was a bigger rear swaybay because they said the stocker bar made the truck practicly tip over in corners?

I'm not sure how those dudes are driving thier Excursions but, never once have I noticed excessive body roll while taking curves......I wonder if somma those guys are taking corners at way too much speed?

I guess to each his own but,I don't figure the bigger bar as as needed as I was led to believe...
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When I got my 02 superduty cc new I was disappointed to see firestones on it. Already went through 2 recalls on the wifes explorer, finally got michelins on it though.
My truck only has 21k on it now and it has the "E"'s on it.
Hopefully they will recall them, I've heard of people having problems with them too.

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69 TorinoGT FormalRoof 420W

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: torino420 on 3/2/04 3:47am ]</font>