Explorer controversy: Ford training plan gets no kudos

 

Date: 2001-08-01

Ford's plan to provide driver education programs for owners of its Explorer SUVs has brought criticism that they're trying to deflect the blame for tire blowout control loss to drivers.

Ford recently recalled all its vehicles equipped with certain Firestone tires. Firestone denies the recall was needed. Last summer, the tire maker recalled 6.5 million tires, most of them equipped on Explorers, because of tread separation and blowout problems. U.S. congressional investigators are accusing Ford of replacing Firestone tires with ones with a worse record.

In the year-long battle between the two automotive giants, Fords move to educate drivers about the eccentricities of handling SUVs is being interpreted as an attempt to shift the blame for tire blowout deaths to the drivers.

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