|
3:09 PM October 05, 2000
Originally aired August 2nd
You saw it exclusively on 11 News, allegations
that a popular SUV may sometimes have tire
trouble and sometimes with deadly results. In
February, 11 News Investigative Reporter Anna
Werner first told us about allegations that
some Ford Explorers with Firestone ATX tires
might crash. The reason, tread separation, but
now it appears its not just Americans who have
been complaining.
In February, 11 News told you about Cathy
and Jim Taylor's 14-year-old daughter, Jessica
LeAnn Taylor. She was on her way to a pep
rally.
Cathy Taylor: “She loved to see people
happy.”
The Ford Explorer she was riding in crashed
on the highway, killing her. The reason,
police say the tread separated from the cars,
Firestone ATX tire, original manufacturers
equipment on many Ford Explorers.
And this week 11 News told you, that while
the U.S. government started investigating the
tire, Ford recalled Explorers in Venezuela,
replacing Firestone tires for free and also
setting up similar programs for Columbia and
Ecuador.
But now the Defenders has learned that
across the sea, Ford did similar
"customer satisfaction recalls" in
Thailand, Malaysia and as early as Fall of
1999, Saudi Arabia and five other Arab
countries.
But what about the US? Ford says that
first, they're doing a vigorous investigation.
Vice President of Ford Safety, Helen
Petrauskas said, “We don’t have all the
facts yet. But one thing I can say yet with a
certainty, if we find that there’s some
common cause to these accidents that have been
reported to us, Ford is going to take care of
its customers. And, that’s a promise.”
And what does Firestone say? In a written
statement, they maintain that the "..ATX,
ATX 2, and Wilderness AT tires are among the
safest tires on the road.."
But they also "encourage any owner of
these tires to.." visit a Firestone
Service Center "..for a free inspection
of the tire." and state: "The safety
and comfort of our customers is our top
priority."
Originally aired July 31st
Jackson: “Even after three years it’s
pretty hard.”
Remember Cynthia Jackson. She was one of
many car crash victims we talked to who all
claimed something in common.
Jackson: “As I went to the change lanes I
heard a pop.”
While driving their Ford Explorer, the
tread simply came off the tire of the car. And
the tire, a Firestone ATX, original
manufacturers equipment that came with the SUV...
Jackson: “Next thing I remember waking up
in the hospital.”
And we found similar stories across the
United States.
Then in May, this federal agency announced
a safety investigation into the ATX.
But now, the Defenders have discovered that
the U.S. is not the only country that may be
having problems with the tire, Why?
Because weeks after the U.S. started its
investigation, in the country of Venezuela,
Ford started replacing Firestone ATX tires on
Ford Explorers, free of charge.
That means as many as 25,000 vehicles
according to published reports, like this
Venezualan auto website and similar offers,
might be in the works for Explorer owners in
Ecuador and Columbia....
Claybrook: “I find it shocking..
Certainly American consumers are at much at
danger as ones in Venezuela.”
And that makes some U.S. safety experts
mad. Joan Claybrook is the president of Public
Citizen, a national consumer watchdog group.
Claybrook: “If they’re doing this
recall in Venezuela, Columbia and Ecuador,
they shouldn’t certainly do it in the USA as
well and do it right now.”
And other groups are reacting to the news.
Sean Kane is the head of a safety research
firm that often works for personal injury
lawyers.
Kane: “We find it unconscionable that a
company would go ahead and recall products in
one country and not another.”
In fact, Kane put out a press release
demanding Ford and Firestone do a voluntary
recall of ATX tires in the U.S.
But both Ford and Firestone reacted Monday
to Kane's allegations and calls from the
Defenders, with their own releases.
Ford states that.
Venezuelan media reported accidents in that
country and claimed
"These incidents are tied to tread
separation.
And Ford says that in fact "a variety
of external factors contributed to those
accidents" such as under-inflated tires
and "driving at speeds in excess of 100
miles an hour" for long hours in extreme
heat.
And what about Firestone?
They called Sean Kane’s news release
"misleading" and claim "There
is no connection between the decision by Ford
in Venezuela to the incidents that
prompted." the federal governments
"preliminary evaluation here in the
United States."
Now we were able to talk to a Ford
representative today. She told us that quote
"we could call it what we wanted,” but
that the company recalled the tires not for
safety reasons but as quote- "a customer
satisfaction initiative.
Back to Top
|
