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NHTSA may probe Explorer
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June 19, 2001: 1:33 p.m. ET
Firestone chairman's letter requests federal agency investigation of Ford SUV
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WASHINGTON (CNN) - A letter sent two weeks ago by Firestone's top executive is now being treated as a formal petition to open an investigation into possible defects in the Ford Explorer, sources at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration told CNN Tuesday.
A formal petition requires the NHTSA to announce whether it will open an investigation. It has 120 days to determine if an investigation is warranted, but Deputy Transportation Secretary Michael Jackson is expected to make public the decision at a House Commerce Committee hearing Tuesday.
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NHTSA may probe possible defects in Ford's Explorer sport/utility vehicle. | |
The letter, dated May 31, was sent by Firestone Chairman and CEO John Lampe to Robert Shelton, acting administrator of NHTSA.
It cites testing, done by Ohio State University associate professor Dennis Guenther, which Lampe says "shows that certain of the Explorer models will experience an 'oversteer' condition in most circumstances following a tread separation on a left rear tire, an event which is clearly foreseeable."
The letter also says, "Based on his initial finding as reported to Firestone, Dr. Guenther has concluded that the Explorers as tested are defectively designed in that they have an inadequate margin of control (due to insufficient understeer) to permit control by average drivers in the foreseeable events of tread separation during normal highway driving in most load and turning circumstances.
"This can make the Explorer's handling imprecise and unpredictable in foreseeable circumstances, such as tread separation, where precise and predictable handling is essential to safe vehicle control," the letter continues.
Special Report: Firestone-Ford recall
NHTSA this year began testing and posting rollover resistance ratings for passenger vehicles, sport/utility vehicles and pickup trucks, using a rating that give one star to vehicles with the highest risk of rollover and five stars to those with the least risk.
Those tests give the two stars to both the Ford Explorer 4x2 and 4x4. That means they have a 30 percent to 40 percent risk of rollover.
A two-star rating was about average for all the SUVs tested. Three stars was the highest rating for any SUV, while the Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Jimmy 4x2 received just one star.
In general, taller, more narrow vehicles are more likely to roll over once they go off the road than lower, wider vehicles.
In testimony before the House Commerce Committee, Jackson said the tire investigation and the Explorer investigation would be treated two separate cases.
He said NHTSA expects to finish its analysis of the Firestone tire investigation by next week and announce the findings by the end of next month.
Jackson said he applauds Ford for its action to replace Firestone tires to maintain customer confidence, but he added, "it is necessary to reiterate that NHTSA has not yet completed its investigation nor has NHTSA made a formal determination about the necessity of a further recall. Ford's decision does not render NHTSA's investigation moot." 
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