Helen O. Petrauskas Vice President Environmental and Safety Engineering

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Helen PetrauskasVice PresidentEnvironmental
Safety Engineering
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Actions We Have Taken

• Replaced tires in Middle East (July 1999),
  Southeast Asia (Feb 2000), and Venezuela and
  adjacent countries (May 2000)
• At the same time took action to determine if same
  issue existed in North America
• Requested Firestone to check U.S. database and
  perform tire testing
• Reviewed NHTSA hot line, as well as all internal
  Ford databases
• With Firestone, undertook study of worn tires
  from U.S. Southwest
• Found no evidence of tread separation

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Actions We Have Taken

• Requested and analyzed data from Firestone
• Supported Firestone recall decision

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Actions We Have Taken

• The tire industry is increasing production of
  15-inch tires by more than 250,000 tires per
  month by the end of September
• Engaged 3,100 Ford and Lincoln-Mercury dealers to
  perform tire replacements
• Suspended Explorer and Ranger production at three
  assembly plants Edison, St. Louis, and Twin
  Cities
• Looking at increased use of 16-inch tires to free
  up 15-inch tires

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Actions We Have Taken

• Major effort to communicate with customers
• Opened additional call center
• Website
• Series of newspaper ads
• Full cooperation and disclosure to NHTSA

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Tom BaughmanEngineering DirectorNorth American
Truck
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Claims for Firestone Tires by Tire Size
Firestone Property Damage and Injury Claims and
Lawsuits Submitted Pursuant to NHTSA Inquiry Tire
Sizes with More Than 30 Claims Tires with Ford
Original Equipment Application Noted
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Claims for Firestone P235/75R15 ATX and
Wilderness Tires by Type of Claim
Firestone Claims Data
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Tread Separation Claims for Firestone Tires by
Tire Size
Firestone Claims Data Tire Sizes with at least 5
Tread Separation Claims Tires with Ford Original
Equipment Application Noted
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Tread Separation Claims for Firestone P235/75R15
ATX and Wilderness Tires by State
Firestone Claims Data
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Tread Separation Claims Rate for Firestone
P235/75R15ATX and Wilderness Tires for 1996 Tire
Production Year
Firestone Claims and Production Data
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Tread Separation Claims Rate for Firestone
P235/75R15 Wilderness Tires by Tire Production
Year and Plant
Firestone Claims and Production Data
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Tread Separation Claims Rate for Firestone
P235/75R15 ATXby Time in Service at Claim, Tire
Production Year, and Plant
Firestone Claims and Production Data
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Tread Separation Claims Rate for Firestone
P235/75R15 Wildernessby Time in Service at
Claim, Tire Production Year, and Plant
Firestone Claims and Production Data
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Tread Separation Claims Rate for Firestone
P235/75R15 Wildernessby Time in Service at
Claim, Tire Production Year, and Plant
Firestone Claims and Production Data
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Tread Separation Claims Rate for Firestone
15-inch and 16-inch Tires Production Years
1995-1999 and Claims Years 1995-1999
P235/75R15 Wilderness AT 15-inch production
began in 1996
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Competitive SUVs and Pickup Trucksat 26 psi
Recommended Inflation Pressure
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Passenger Car and Light TruckOccupant Fatality
Rates
Source Department of Transportation Data
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Fatality Rate Comparison
Source Department of Transportation Data
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Fatalities by Crash Mode
Passenger Cars
Compact SUVs
Source Department of Transportation Data
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Ford Internal Safety Guidelines

• Frontal and Offset Frontal Impact
• Resistance to Rollover
• Occupant Restraints
• Interior Side Impact Protection
• Side Intrusion
• Dynamic Side Impact
• Rear Impact
• Roof Crush Resistance
• ABS
• Fuel System Performance

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Fatality Rate Comparison
Source Department of Transportation Data
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Fatality Rate Comparison
Source Department of Transportation Data
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Tire Capacity Explorer 4x4 5.0L, P235/75R15 Tire
at 26 psi
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Load Carrying Capacity by AxleExplorer 4x4 5.0L,
P235/75R15 Tire at 26 psi
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Explorer Shock Damping
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Tire Design Tradeoffs
Higher
B
Implications / Desirability
C
A
Lower
Pressure (psi)
A High speed durability, load capacity, fuel
economy traction seat on rim B Ride,
comfort, noise, vibration harshness C
Stability handling P235/75 R15