Ford versus Firestone
...s related to tread separation in Venezuela and other Latin American countries Ford acted very slow to report to the NHTSA. According to Ford documentation, the tires used by Ford trucks would be able to handle speeds of more than 106 miles per hour but the tires were only safe to be drive at a speed of 100 miles per hour for a very short time. Ford failed to fully test the tires that it put on its trucks. Another problem that Ford caused is that it may have overstated the weight the truck can safely handle. According to Consumer Reports magazine, the typical Explorer can safely carry slightly less weight than a Ford Taurus. Most consumers, when buying an Explorer, expect it to carry more weight than a regular sedan. Firestone can also be directly blamed for the accidents that took place. Over 6.5 million Firestone tires are linked to the accidents. The main problem that the tires have been having is that the two steel belts inside the tires have been separating. This could have been caused by many factors. One reason could have been that the glue that held the steel together was not strong enough. Another reason the tires may have been separating because the tires were not safe enough to handle the high speeds, increase weight, and the rough demands of the tires used on these trucks. The rough riding ma...