Word: treading
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There is mounting evidence that it may. According to an internal Ford memo in the hands of congressional investigators, the company concluded after looking into accidents in Venezuela that "the high incidence [of] vehicle rollover after a tire blowout or tread loss has not been detected for other vehicle brands," such as Toyota, GM or Chrysler. Last May, according to a confidential Firestone document obtained by TIME, Firestone officials suggested to their colleagues at Ford in Venezuela that the Explorer's suspension was a factor. Ford disagreed, as it still does...
...sentiment of safety advocates, Lampe stressed that Ford had created a "low safety margin" by recommending a low pressure for tires on the Explorer--26 p.s.i. vs. Firestone's 30. Though Ford picked that level to improve the vehicle's handling, a low pressure can also increase chances of tread separation...
...some Goodyear tires on the Explorer (and has been tapping them for replacement tires since the Firestone recall); indeed, the apparently trouble-free performance of Goodyear's tires has been the company's main defense against Bridgestone/Firestone's persistent contentions that Ford-ordered underinflation was at the base of tread-separation problems. It's also talking to Continental General Tire, a German firm. But according to the Journal, the France-based Michelin company will be a main supplier...
...other words, the ongoing Firestone mess may have made a new car's tires something they weren't before: a deal-breaker. Ford's next Explorer will be courting customers more educated about things like tread separation than they ever wanted to be. With road conditions like that, Ford isn't taking any chances...
...unfortunately, still has nowhere to hide. Senator John McCain is scheduled to hold additional hearings this week, and Ono is supposed to give a deposition in a tread-separation case in Texas. His company, meanwhile, will try to do a better job of communicating how it's going to fix the problem. "The public is very forgiving for those institutions that will admit their shortcomings and really level with them all the way," says Harold Burson, CEO of p.r. pioneer Burson-Marsteller. If Firestone is going to remain on the road long after the recall, Ono has to make sure...