I think Paul may be referencing the fact that under-inflation on the owners’ part (rather than some sort of tire defect) was the real cause of many of the Explorer rollovers.
The history of automotive recalls is truly fascinating. The number of actual manufacturing defects (vs. operator error) is pretty miniscule, but no manufacturer can afford a PR disaster in this day and age.
I actually read somewhere recently that the perception of automotive recalls has shifted from a symbol of inferior quality to one of proactive action by manufacturers. Some owners express gratefulness that the makers are addressing issues before they get out of hand instead of them being damage control. I suppose the truth is probably somewhere in the middle as usual. Except for the Toyota floor mat thing, recalls don’t seem to get much press these days even though according to NTHSA there were 14.7 million vehicles covered by recalls last year.
Umm, it’s a 96/97 model with a blacked out grill, and a flat tire. Picture this in red with the squared off 91-95 roof rack, and you have mine from a couple weeks ago with a nail in the tire. Saturday night it was the couch for a drive-in movie night.
Since we had a Firestone store, we saw many of the so called “separated” tires on Explorers. They were all, to a one, worn out. Ford specifying 26 psi was the real culprit but there is now way Firestone should have approved the use of their tires on a swing axle 4X4, which had the highest unsprung weight one can imagine.
Canuck..
Did you find the business decrease in Firestone tire sales after this? I only ask because I still see quite a few Firestone tires on pickups in the work parking lot.
BTW…these exploreres didn’t have the swing axle front ends (at least not the one pictured)
I worked for Firestone at the time, and our volume of non-recall work didn’t seem to suffer. It was a circus to have to schedule the recall tire replacements and not have them disrupt the high volume of paying work.
I’m still astonished any manufacturer would specify 26 psi for tire pressure on a truck.
Yeah, wasn’t that in response to people complaining about the stiff ride? Even though these things were always mushier than their Cherokee rivals. The American love of “big car feel” summoned zombie-broughams to rise from the grave, at fat margins that would have made Henry II smile.
Fortunately for Ford buyers here The Ford Territory was developed and these awful POS faded away good thing too as there is very little parts backup for Exploders everything comes used from the States Ford here wants nothing to do with Exploders cant blame them really they were crap from day 1.
This is the truck that almost brought down Ford in my opinion. These were roomy, comfortable, good looking, powerful, affordable vehicles that made a lot of sense for a lot of families. They were easy to like. I bought a 2 door Sport and it fit my needs at the time pretty much perfectly. It took me places no CUV could and handled everything I threw at it.
However it was horribly unreliable. Rear end, suspension parts, Control Trac 4×4 system, cam chain tensioner, door locks, instrument cluster, general electrical gremlins. Then of course there was the whole Firestone affair. It really took me by surprise as my dad had owned two Rangers and they were solid. I sold mine after just 3 years of ownership because I was so frustrated with it and swore off Fords for life (at the time anyway, my current F-150 has been the most reliable vehicle I’ve ever owned – go figure).
One thing I will say though, and that is that as unreliable as it was, at least it never left me stranded. I can’t say that about the 4Runner that replaced it.
They are still all over the place in Central Florida, a lot of them in pretty good condition, at least as can be observed in traffic. I notice some of them seem to have under-inflated rear tires, but I see that on a lot of vehicles on the road.
My Wife had a 98 Sport with the 4.0 that we drove for 3 years. It never saw the inside of a shop except for oil changes. It had Firestones but during the recall, IIRC, we were told ours were not made at the suspect Firestone Plant.
And it’s on the driver’s side at that. The problems were never the Explorer’s fault. I bet that if you waited long enough to see the driver it would be some woman with a cellphone tacked to her head or she would be looking down at it in her hand, never even glancing at the vehicle. Just drive and put gas in it and go, they always say. I do a walk-around every time I get in my Civic.
On the other hand, a lot of those same cell-phone-yapping-clueless people were driving Suburbans and Cherokees and Grand Caravans with a significantly different result. Too many “stupid customers” is often a sign of deficient engineering or design.
What stereotype ?: That the Exploder has a flat tire ?
Wouldn’t it have to be upside down to reinforce the stereotype?
(F-O-R-D: Flip Over, Read Directions)
FORD. Fixed Or Repaired Daily, for flat tires that is!
Also, Ford: Found On Road Dead.
Fouled Out Rebuilt Dodge
Let’s not forget First On Race Day
Or the arcane: Ferric Oxide Research & Development
Ha! My new favorite! Even better than Fire Or Rust Dilemma.
I hope that this has something to do with the Firestone tire issue. Could have Photoshopped a little bit of tread sitting on the road behind it… 😉
I think Paul may be referencing the fact that under-inflation on the owners’ part (rather than some sort of tire defect) was the real cause of many of the Explorer rollovers.
The history of automotive recalls is truly fascinating. The number of actual manufacturing defects (vs. operator error) is pretty miniscule, but no manufacturer can afford a PR disaster in this day and age.
I actually read somewhere recently that the perception of automotive recalls has shifted from a symbol of inferior quality to one of proactive action by manufacturers. Some owners express gratefulness that the makers are addressing issues before they get out of hand instead of them being damage control. I suppose the truth is probably somewhere in the middle as usual. Except for the Toyota floor mat thing, recalls don’t seem to get much press these days even though according to NTHSA there were 14.7 million vehicles covered by recalls last year.
Old Coots should recall the Firestone 500 fiasco.
I remember it well, but….Old coot? Ouch.
Coots of the world – Unite! 🙂
OK funs over everyone can go back down to their underground bunkers now…
The Firestone 500 debacle was in the 70s! Had them on my Mustang II Ghia,.
Was that before or after the Firestone 721 debacle?
I still remember those TV ads from when I was growing up, showing 7 cords of something wrapped around another two with one down the middle . . .
Umm, it’s a 96/97 model with a blacked out grill, and a flat tire. Picture this in red with the squared off 91-95 roof rack, and you have mine from a couple weeks ago with a nail in the tire. Saturday night it was the couch for a drive-in movie night.
Since we had a Firestone store, we saw many of the so called “separated” tires on Explorers. They were all, to a one, worn out. Ford specifying 26 psi was the real culprit but there is now way Firestone should have approved the use of their tires on a swing axle 4X4, which had the highest unsprung weight one can imagine.
Canuck..
Did you find the business decrease in Firestone tire sales after this? I only ask because I still see quite a few Firestone tires on pickups in the work parking lot.
BTW…these exploreres didn’t have the swing axle front ends (at least not the one pictured)
I worked for Firestone at the time, and our volume of non-recall work didn’t seem to suffer. It was a circus to have to schedule the recall tire replacements and not have them disrupt the high volume of paying work.
I’m still astonished any manufacturer would specify 26 psi for tire pressure on a truck.
“Ford specifying 26 psi was the real culprit…”
Yeah, wasn’t that in response to people complaining about the stiff ride? Even though these things were always mushier than their Cherokee rivals. The American love of “big car feel” summoned zombie-broughams to rise from the grave, at fat margins that would have made Henry II smile.
That depended on the model. My ’98 Sport was harsh. Not really sporty, just harsh.
my 95 is harsh as well, at 26 or 32 psi.
Fortunately for Ford buyers here The Ford Territory was developed and these awful POS faded away good thing too as there is very little parts backup for Exploders everything comes used from the States Ford here wants nothing to do with Exploders cant blame them really they were crap from day 1.
The late model ‘lincoln’ ones at least looked good though.
Still no English skills, huh Bryce?
that was the best selling SUV in America for years? Dang, we are stupid…
Cheer up it’s only flat at the bottom
This is the truck that almost brought down Ford in my opinion. These were roomy, comfortable, good looking, powerful, affordable vehicles that made a lot of sense for a lot of families. They were easy to like. I bought a 2 door Sport and it fit my needs at the time pretty much perfectly. It took me places no CUV could and handled everything I threw at it.
However it was horribly unreliable. Rear end, suspension parts, Control Trac 4×4 system, cam chain tensioner, door locks, instrument cluster, general electrical gremlins. Then of course there was the whole Firestone affair. It really took me by surprise as my dad had owned two Rangers and they were solid. I sold mine after just 3 years of ownership because I was so frustrated with it and swore off Fords for life (at the time anyway, my current F-150 has been the most reliable vehicle I’ve ever owned – go figure).
One thing I will say though, and that is that as unreliable as it was, at least it never left me stranded. I can’t say that about the 4Runner that replaced it.
That’s the best looking ’90s Explorer I’ve seen in ages, most of them around me are beat and rusty.
They are still all over the place in Central Florida, a lot of them in pretty good condition, at least as can be observed in traffic. I notice some of them seem to have under-inflated rear tires, but I see that on a lot of vehicles on the road.
My Wife had a 98 Sport with the 4.0 that we drove for 3 years. It never saw the inside of a shop except for oil changes. It had Firestones but during the recall, IIRC, we were told ours were not made at the suspect Firestone Plant.
And it’s on the driver’s side at that. The problems were never the Explorer’s fault. I bet that if you waited long enough to see the driver it would be some woman with a cellphone tacked to her head or she would be looking down at it in her hand, never even glancing at the vehicle. Just drive and put gas in it and go, they always say. I do a walk-around every time I get in my Civic.
On the other hand, a lot of those same cell-phone-yapping-clueless people were driving Suburbans and Cherokees and Grand Caravans with a significantly different result. Too many “stupid customers” is often a sign of deficient engineering or design.