2000 Ford Excursion

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD EXCURSION EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE STEELTEX TIRES, SIZE: 385/65-R18 (NA). WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE TREAD ON THE TIRES SEPARATED AND THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, A CRASH OCCURRED AND THREE OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED MAJOR AND MINOR INJURIES. ONE INJURY WAS FATAL. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND DOT NUMBER WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000 AND THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.

AIRBAGS FAILED TO WORK IN 35 MPH CRASH. *AK

A DRIVERS FRONT FIRESTONE STEELTEX AT TIRE, ON A 2000 FORD EXCURSION EXPLODED ON JULY 7, 2002 ON I-95 IN WALTERBORO, SC. MY GIRLFRIEND AGNES AND A GOOD FRIEND DAVE WERE KILLED, DAVES 11 YR OLD SON MAX SUFFERED A SEVERLY BROKEN RIGHT FEMER, DAVES WIFE, CHERYL HAD SEVERAL DEEP CUTS AND SCRAPES I HAVE A SEVERLY BROKEN LEFT FEMER AND KNEE DAMAGE. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THE TIRE WAS GOING TO FAIL.

IT WILL NOT PULL 10,000 POUNDS. IT HAS A STABILITY PROBLEM. PULING 5000 POUND CAUSE ROLLOVER. *AK

LOUISE SUDDUTH HAD DRIVEN HER 2000 FORD EXCURSION TO SUDDUTH FARMS IN MAYO, S.C. SHE HAD PARKED THE VEHICLE, AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE IT WAS NOT RUNNING. MRS. SUDDUTH RECEIVED SERIOUS AND ULTIMATELY FATAL BURNS. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD EXCURSION. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE SPUN OUT OF CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO THE HIGHWAY RAILING. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER WERE TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL WITH MINOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AN IMPOUND YARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 187,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD EXCURSION. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH SHE EXPERIENCED A FRONTAL VEHICLE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT SECURE HER INTO THE SEAT. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED WHEN HER BODY SLAMMED INTO THE STEERING COLUMN AND WINDSHIELD. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 187,000.

HEAD ON CRASH, AND AIRBAGS DID NOT OPEN. *TR

WHILE TRAVELING SOUTH IN THE OUTSIDE LANE OF INTERSTATE 380 AT APPROXIMATELY 1:00 P.M. CDT ON SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2006, 1/2 MILE NORTH OF MILE MARKER 29, THE LEFT FRONT TIRE OF MY 2000 FORD EXCURSION LIMITED SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION. THE TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE STEELTEX R4S LT265/75R16D, SERIAL NUMBER 31350 EX BM20118-4. TIRE IS IN THE CUSTODY OF CERNY & IVEY ENGINEERING, ATTN: MR. STEVE SMITH, 5650 PEACHTREE PARKWAY, NORCROSS, GA 30092. CERNY & IVEY ANALYZED THE TIRE AND HAVE DETERMINED THAT THE TIRE FAILED DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT HAD WORSENED OVER TIME UNTIL THE TIRE FAILED. ACCIDENT REPORT IS ON FILE WITH THE LINN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE; REPORT NUMBER 06-13921. *NM

WHILE DRIVING MY FORD EXCURSION, THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE, A FIRESTONE STEELTEX R4S, SUFFERED A TREAD SEPARATION. AS A RESULT OF THE SEPARATION, THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER. *JB

MY 2000 FORD EXCURSION INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION - EXCURSION REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE - AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY ON 8/3/05. EXCURSION WAS TRAVELING 60 MPH AND THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED FROM A FORD DEALER. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY 8/9/05 TO REQUEST AN INVESTIGATION IN TO WHY THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE INSURANCE IS GOING TO TOTAL OUT THE VEHICLE. I WOULD LIKE THE AIR BAG FAILURE TO BE INVESTIGATED BEFORE I LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE BY SETTLING WITH THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS THAT THE AIR BAGS WERE DEFECTIVE. I CAN PROVIDE PICTURES IF NEEDED.

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE VEHICLE HIT A TELEPHONE POLE HEAD ON. UPON IMPACT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. *AK THE DRIVER'S CHEST HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND HIS CHIN HIT THE WINDSHIELD CRACKING IT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *NM

MY VEHICLE, A FORD EXCURSION, SUFFERED A TREAD SEPARATION. AS A RESULT OF THE SEPARATION, THE VEHICLE BECAME INVOLVED IN A ROLLOVER. DURING THE ROLLOVER, MY WIFE AND I AND OUR TWO PASSENGERS, MY SON AND HIS WIFE, RECEIVED SEVERE INJURIES.*AK

FIRESTONE TIRE DEFECT - STEELTEX -- LAST WEEK MY SON AND TWO FRIENDS WAS DRIVING MY EXCURSION AT ABOUT 75 MPH WHEN THE TREAD ON THE LEFT FRONT TIRE SEPARATED. THIS WAS WITNESSED BY AN ON-COMING DRIVER. MY VEHICLE RAN OFF THE ROAD HIT A CULVERT AND FLIPPED END-TO-END. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE BOTH FRONT TOP AND REAR. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ONE PASSENGER WAS LIFE-FLIGHTED FROM THE ACCIDENT SCENE. VERY FORTUNATELY ALL OF THE PASSENGERS WERE WEARING SEATBELTS -- ALL WERE INJURED BUT NONE SERIOUSLY -- THE INJURIES OF THE PASSENGER THAT WAS LIFE-FLIGHTED WAS NOT AS SERIOUS AS INITIALLY BELIEVED.

MY FOOT BECAME STUCK BETWEEN THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ACCELERATOR, BECAUSE IT WAS DARK AND THERE WAS NO LIGHTING I COULDN'T SEE HOW TO REMOVE MY FOOT AND THE CAR DESTROYED A MOTEL. *AK

WE WERE RUN OFF THE ROAD ON I-70 TRAVELING THROUGH MOAB, UTAH WHEN OUR EXCURSION SMASHED HEAD ON INTO THE SIDE OF A FROZEN SOLID ROCK HILL TRAVELING 80 MPH. WE WERE THEN LAUNCHED INTO THE AIR AND PROCEEDED TO FLIP END OVER END SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE COMING TO A HALT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE RAVINE UPSIDE DOWN. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE IS GONE ALONG WITH THE TOP AND BACK END. AT NO TIME DID THE AIRBAGS DEPLOY. WE CONTACTED FORD TO REPORT THIS PROBLEM AND AFTER FINISHING THEIR INVESTIGATION WE WERE TOLD THAT THE IMPACT TO THE FRONT END OF OUR VEHICLE WAS NOT SUBSTANTIAL ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. WE HAVE SEVERAL PICTURES OF THIS VEHICLE AFTER THE CRASH AND IT IS CLEAR THAT THE IMPACT WAS HARD ENOUGH. MY HUSBAND SUFFERED A SEVERED TONGUE, CHEST AND NECK INJURIES AND VARIOUS ABRASIONS. I SUFFERED A CUT ABOVE MY LEFT EYE, CHEST INJURIES, AND ABRASIONS. OUR DAUGHTER ONLY SUFFERED FROM SEVERAL ABRASIONS. NO ONE WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED, HOWEVER, MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH STILL SUFFER FROM ONGOING CHEST PAIN. FORD HAS BEEN COMPLETELY UNCOOPERATIVE WITH OUR EFFORTS IN PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION. I HOPE THE INFORMATION PROVIDED WILL REQUIRE FORD TO, ONCE AGAIN, RE EVALUATE THEIR SAFETY FEATURES AND EQUIPMENT. THANK YOU. SINCERELY, [XXX]. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WHEN CONSUMER'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF A 92 MERCURY AT ABOUT 45 MPH THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS. FRONT END WAS MORE THAN 25%. DAMAGED.TRUCK WILL BE REPAIRED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

SWERVED TO MISS A SQUIREL, PURSE FELL FROM CONSOLE AREA, REACHED WITH R HAND TO RETRIEVE, HEADON INTO TELEPHONE POLE TRAVELING APPROX 34MPH, AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *TR

ON OCTOBER 11, 2010, I WAS DRIVING MYSELF AND MY TWO CHILDREN; MASON 10 AND PRESTON 8, TO THEIR KARATE LESSONS. I WAS TRAVELING DOWN INTERSTATE 20 JUST WEST OF FORT WORTH, WHEN I EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC TIRE FAILURE ON OUR 2000 FORD EXCURSION. I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND THE NEXT THING I KNEW WE HAD HIT AN EIGHTEEN WHEELER, STARTED ROLLING AND LANDED UPSIDE DOWN ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. BY THE GRACE OF GOD NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THIS ACCIDENT! HOWEVER, THE EVENTS THAT LED UP TO THIS ACCIDENT, AND THE BEHAVIOR OF THE COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUALS RESPONSIBLE FOR IT ARE EXTREME EXAMPLES OF THE WORST IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR. APPROXIMATELY 4 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT WE SUFFERED A FLAT TIRE ON OUR VEHICLE. MY HUSBAND PLACED THE SPARE TIRE ON THE VEHICLE. THE RUNNING TIRE WAS GOING TO REQUIRE A REPLACEMENT AND A TIRE WAS ORDERED FROM OUR LOCAL TIRE SHOP. WHEN MY HUSBAND PLACED THE SPARE TIRE ON THE VEHICLE HE CHECKED FOR PROPER INFLATION AND MADE THE NECESSARY CORRECTIONS. IN FACT, ALL OF THE TIRES WERE CHECKED AGAIN FOR PROPER INFLATION, PRIOR TO US LEAVING ON THE ABOVE MENTIONED TRIP. AFTER THE ACCIDENT MY HUSBAND NOTICED THE WAY THAT THE TIRE HAD FAILED. ALL OF THE TREAD SEPARATED AND THE AIR PRESSURE WAS LOST INSTANTANEOUSLY. SINCE THAT DAY WE HAVE DISCOVERED THE FOLLOWING: OUR 2000 FORD EXCURSION WAS ORIGINALLY EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE STEELTEX A/T LT265/75R16 TIRES, WHICH INCLUDED THE FULL SIZE SPARE TIRE. THIS TIRE WAS THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL BY THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION ON FEBRUARY 26, 2004. RECALL NUMBER 04T003000 THIS RECALL WAS THE RESULT OF A HIGH NUMBER OF CATASTROPHIC TIRE TREAD SEPARATION FAILURES ON THE AFFECTED TIRES. AN INTERNAL E-MAIL FROM FORD WAS SENT TO DEALERS TO ADVISE THEM OF THE APPROPRIATE MEASURES THEY NEEDED TO TAKE TO HELP IN FACILITATING IN THE RECALL. NOTHING WAS DONE!

HAVING JUST MADE IT OVER THE MOUNTAIN PASS WITH NO PREVIOUS TROUBLE, WE STOPPED AT GAS STATION FOR MORE WIPER FLUID. WHEN STARTING UP OUR 2000 FORD EXCURSION A LOUD BOOM CAME FROM THE TRUCK. THIS STARTLED US AND OTHERS OUTSIDE OF VEHICLE INCLUDING A SHERIFF THAT HEARD IT AND CAME NEXT TO US TO SEE WHAT IS WAS. WE IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF VEHICLE - SHERIFF AND PASSER BYS THOUGHT MAYBE EXHAUST?? WE MADE IT HOME BUT TRUCK NOW SOUNDS LIKE A LOUD PUTT PUTT TRUCK. WE SMELLED FUEL ALL THE WAY HOME. AS IT TURNS OUT #10 SPARKPLUG BLEW OUT HITTING FIREWALL. FROM TWO REPAIR SHOPS IT IS IN A VERY DIFFICULT SPOT AND IS NOT LIKELY WILL HOLD. SO, WE TOOK IT TO FORD DEALERSHIP TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY FORD DEALERSHIP THAT A "BANDAGE FIX" WILL PROBABLY NOT HOLD AND OTHER PLUGS COULD ALSO BLOW OR MAY NOT - APPARENTLY THIS IS NOT NEW NEWS TO FORD OR THE OTHER REPAIR SHOPS WE SPOKE WITH. SO TO REPLACE JUST ONE SIDE OF HEAD WE ARE LOOKING AT $3680 OR $5900 + FOR NEW ENGINE. VEHICLE IS NOT WORTH THAT IN TRADE IN PER FORD DEALERSHIP - EVEN BEFORE BLOWOUT . NEEDLES TO SAY, WE COULD HAVE BEEN ON FREEWAY AND BEEN FORCED OFF ROAD (IT WAS SNOWING BADLY AND A BANG THAT LOUD COULD HAVE SPOOKED MANY.) SO THAT IS WHY I STATED THERE WAS A CRASH AS THERE COULD HAVE BEEN IF WE HAD BEEN DRIVING. ALSO, NOT SURE IF THE FUMES WERE CAUSE OF ILLNESS WE HAD THAT EVENING AND NEXT DAY. WE SMELLED FUEL AND SMOKE/EXHAUST ALL THE WAY HOME. ALSO, PLUG WAS NOT FOUND AND MAY HAVE DAMAGED OR INJURED SOMEONE OR SOMETHING ELSE. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS AND IRRESPONSIBLE OF FORD TO NOT RECALL THIS PROBLEM. ONLY TO WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE TRAGICALLY IS INJURED OR DIES. IT WILL HAPPEN. THERE IS NO CONTROL OVER WHERE PLUG BLOWS AND WHAT IT WILL TAKE OUT IN ITS PATH. IT SEEMS THIS IS AND HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH VARIOUS MODEL FORDS FROM 1999 TO 2004. WAITING FOR RECALL... OR FORD TO STEP UP AND REPAIR THIS PROBLEM AT THEIR COST. THIS IS NOT MY DESIGN FLAW! THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. *TR