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The 8 most infamous car recalls in history

Bridgestone-Firestone tires on 2000 Ford SUVs
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Bridgestone/Firestone tires on 2000 Ford SUVs

The Bridgestone-Firestone recall technically applied only to the tires, but the public uproar over a rash of rollover deaths also hurt Ford, who used the tires on their SUVs. The problem started when Firestone tires rolled off assembly lines with tire treads that separated from the steel belts inside them. Owners spooked by the sudden blowout tended to jerk the wheel of the top-heavy Explorer, causing it to flip.

A media firestorm ensued, and Bridgestone-Firestone scrambled for a fix, recalling 6.5 million tires. Ford, pointing to the the defective tires, went further, offering to replace 13 million Firestone tires on its SUVs.


 

 

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