Tires: tread/belt (Ford and Firestone)
Tire safety improvement campaign 01X-001. NHTSA received FORD MOTOR COMPANY’s report on May 22, 2001.
- NHTSA: a safety improvement campaign, not a safety recall
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The short answer
NHTSA received FORD MOTOR COMPANY’s report on May 22, 2001. Copied from NHTSA on Oct 28, 2026.
Every line below is in NHTSA’s own words, with its source beside it.
What’s wrong with it?
NHTSA files this as a safety improvement campaign, not a safety recall.
NHTSA’s records of these campaigns say each is “not a safety recall”, but is “deemed a safety improvement campaign by the agency”. What’s wrong and the fix are below, in NHTSA’s words.
NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated daily.
SHOULD THE TREAD SEPARATE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH.
THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY ACT.
HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY.
EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION: FORD IS REPLACING ALL FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT 15, 16, AND 17 INCH TIRES MOUNTED ON FORD TRUCKS AND SUVS.
FORD REPORTS TREAD SEPARATION CAN OCCUR DUE TO A COMBINATION OF THE SENSITIVITY OF THE TIRE DESIGN TO STRESS, AGING, AND MANUFACTURING DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PLANTS.
FORD IS REPLACING THESE TIRES TO PREVENT POSSIBLE PREMATURE TIRE FAILURE.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: THE VEHICLES LISTED BELOW MAY HAVE BEEN ORIGINALLY EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES OR MAY HAVE HAD WILDERNESS AT TIRES INSTALLED DURING THE FIRESTONE RECALL LAUNCHED IN AUGUST 2000.
CERTAIN 1991 THROUGHT 2002 FORD EXPLORER CERTAIN 2001 THROUGHT 2002 EXPLORER SPORT, AND SPORT TRAC CERTAIN 1997 THROUGH 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER CERTAIN 1991 THROUGH 2001 RANGER CERTAIN 1999 THROUGH 2001 EXPEDITION CERTAIN 1991 THROUGH 1994, AND 1997 MODEL YEAR F-SERIES CERTAIN 1991 THROUGH 1994 BRONCO NOTE: BOTH ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AND REPLACEMENT TIRES ARE AFFECTED.
NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated daily.
- NHTSA’s part: Tires: tread/belt.
What should you do?
THE REPLACEMENT/REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM FOR THIS CAMPAIGN EXPIRED ON MARCH 31, 2002. HOWEVER, CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT FORD AT 1-877-917-3673 OR GO ON-LINE TO WWW.FORD.COM FOR POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE.
NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated daily.
Which ones does it cover?
NHTSA counts 13,000,000 tires potentially involved, across everything this recall names.
NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated daily.
- Ford F-350NHTSA gives no dates made
- Ford MountaineerNHTSA gives no dates made
- Ford Explorer Sport TracNHTSA gives no dates made
- Ford Explorer SportNHTSA gives no dates made
- Ford ExplorerNHTSA gives no dates made
- Ford F-450 SDNHTSA gives no dates made
- Ford F-150NHTSA gives no dates made
- Ford F-250NHTSA gives no dates made
- Firestone Wilderness ATNHTSA gives no dates made
- Ford ExpeditionNHTSA gives no dates made
- Ford RangerNHTSA gives no dates made
- Ford BroncoNHTSA gives no dates made
Who is running it?
- Made by FORD MOTOR COMPANY.
NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated daily.
What the record doesn’t say
- NHTSA’s recall file doesn’t say whether anyone was hurt.
- Which tires, by their DOT codes: the range is in the recall’s report on NHTSA’s site, not in this file. Check the code on your tire’s sidewall against it.
- How many have been returned or fixed isn’t in the notice.
Hearth Record wrote these lines.
Sources
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National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Recalls flat file before 2010 (FLAT_RCL_PRE_2010).
Released Oct 28, 2026 and checked Oct 28, 2026. Updated daily. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
Vehicle, car seat, tire and vehicle equipment recalls, owner complaints and crash ratings are from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Copied on Oct 28, 2026.