phil1336 Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 Seems to me that the relationship between Ford and Bridgestone/Firestone went sour a few decades ago when the Law Suits exploded on issues with the Ford Explorer. Ford alleged that the accidents that were being reported related to the Explorer were due to a defective OEM Tire procured from Firestone. Firestone obviously claimed that their Tires were (not) the cause of the incidents but defective Product design of the Ford Explorer. Since neither Corporation would admit or share responsibility responding to the the many Law Suits, Ford ended its relationship with Firestone an switched to every other Tire Manufacturer but Bridgestone/Firestone. So much for the ancient friendship between Harry Firestone an Henry Ford. The close up pictures of the 2018 Ford EcoSport being built in India for the North American market clearly indicate that the Vehicle is be equipped with Bridgestone OEM Tires. They finally kissed an made up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twintornados Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 Bridgestone Duelers were seen on the Ranger mules running around... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pioneer Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 I won't sign papers to buy a car if it has Bridgestone or Firestone tires on it. Somebodies paying for different tires, and it's not me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanh Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 Bridgestomes were on the Fiesta ST orig equip, weren't bad tires at all, little noisy, but they lasted pretty well....Michelins now, seem quieter and ride a tad better... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 (edited) Seems to me that the relationship between Ford and Bridgestone/Firestone went sour a few decades ago when the Law Suits exploded on issues with the Ford Explorer. Ford alleged that the accidents that were being reported related to the Explorer were due to a defective OEM Tire procured from Firestone. Firestone obviously claimed that their Tires were (not) the cause of the incidents but defective Product design of the Ford Explorer. Since neither Corporation would admit or share responsibility responding to the the many Law Suits, Ford ended its relationship with Firestone an switched to every other Tire Manufacturer but Bridgestone/Firestone. So much for the ancient friendship between Harry Firestone an Henry Ford. The close up pictures of the 2018 Ford EcoSport being built in India for the North American market clearly indicate that the Vehicle is be equipped with Bridgestone OEM Tires. They finally kissed an made up? The argument precipitated over Firestone recalling 6.5 million tires as defective but declared the Firestone wilderness AT tires safe. Nasser could not let this ride and chose to call out Firestone but interestingly was going to switch to Bridgestone tires in 2001. There was no ill feeling to Bridgestone, just the Firestone subdivision that wouldn't fess up that something was causing their tires to delaminate and cause rollovers... It was those attacks on Firestone that ultimately cost Nasser his job, at least he got to walk away with $20 million. Edited January 12, 2018 by jpd80 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twintornados Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 ..It was those attacks on Firestone that ultimately cost Nasser his job, at least he got to walk away with $20 million. . Chump change compared to what Fields walked away with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rperez817 Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 (edited) The close up pictures of the 2018 Ford EcoSport being built in India for the North American market clearly indicate that the Vehicle is be equipped with Bridgestone OEM Tires. They finally kissed an made up? Yes sir. In the U.S. market, Ford resumed using Bridgestone OE tires in 2013. Potenza RE050A on 2014 Fiesta ST (as deanh mentioned). Dueler H/L Alenza on 2013 F-150. Edited January 13, 2018 by rperez817 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 . Chump change compared to what Fields walked away with. Nasser set his own compensation package, given that was 2001 I'd say that they are comparable... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spudz64 Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 Don’t forget that Bill Ford’s “other” great grandfather was “the” Mr Firestone! Lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzcat Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 Ford never stopped using Bridgestone outside of US 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil1336 Posted January 13, 2018 Author Share Posted January 13, 2018 Interesting update on the Tire dilemma. Bridgestone was acceptable (but) Firestone, not so much? All the Semi-Trailers hauling Tires to Firestone Stores are given Bridgestone Branding, go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted January 13, 2018 Share Posted January 13, 2018 Interesting update on the Tire dilemma. Bridgestone was acceptable (but) Firestone, not so much? All the Semi-Trailers hauling Tires to Firestone Stores are given Bridgestone Branding, go figure. It was only one particular tire that Ford had an issue with, possibly form one plant, Nasser was directing Ford towards Bridgestone tires in 2001 so he wasn't opposed to them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sevensecondsuv Posted January 13, 2018 Share Posted January 13, 2018 (edited) I'll just say that the issue with certain Firestone light truck tires from that era are real. I found a super clean 2000 Excursion a few years back with only 52,000 miles on it. Naturally I couldn't pass that one up. It still had the original Load Range D Firestones on it, they even had some tread left. I figured I'd run them that summer and get new tires that fall. Well, one blew out on the way home from the dealership that night. I figured it was a fluke and stuck an extra tire off a superduty I had laying around on it. Then a couple months later coming home from family vacation, the right rear blew out while my wife was doing 75 on the interstate. She nearly lost it and I had to grab the wheel from the passenger seat to avoid rolling. I put a new set of coopers on it as soon as we got home. While researching tires for it I found out there was a recall on those Load Range D Firestones they were using on the 2000 model year truck for the same tread separation issue the explorers were experiencing. I've never had tires just come apart like that. Edited January 13, 2018 by Sevensecondsuv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snooter Posted January 13, 2018 Share Posted January 13, 2018 The only tire firstone is 100% responsible for was the 721..ford is still petrified of having burnt bodies show up in the press...i do not ever want to rehash the nasser era..complete utter disaster for ford.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Rosadini Posted January 13, 2018 Share Posted January 13, 2018 The argument precipitated over Firestone recalling 6.5 million tires as defective but declared the Firestone wilderness AT tires safe. Nasser could not let this ride and chose to call out Firestone but interestingly was going to switch to Bridgestone tires in 2001. There was no ill feeling to Bridgestone, just the Firestone subdivision that wouldn't fess up that something was causing their tires to delaminate and cause rollovers... It was those attacks on Firestone that ultimately cost Nasser his job, at least he got to walk away with $20 million. JP- I thought it was all of his other brilliant moves- like the "junk yards", the car parts deal in Europe etc etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted January 13, 2018 Share Posted January 13, 2018 JP- I thought it was all of his other brilliant moves- like the "junk yards", the car parts deal in Europe etc etc. While there was that, going to war with Firestone on national TV was the last straw, once that happened, Nasser was in the departure lounge... Without Nasser to run the company, Bill Ford put operations into "auto" until it almost ran out of cash., focusing on nice flowery projects for the future, like that other dickhead that replaced Fields. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Rosadini Posted January 13, 2018 Share Posted January 13, 2018 While there was that, going to war with Firestone on national TV was the last straw, once that happened, Nasser was in the departure lounge... Without Nasser to run the company, Bill Ford put operations into "auto" until it almost ran out of cash., focusing on nice flowery projects for the future, like that other dickhead that replaced Fields. "Dickhead"?...but he was the AD at Michigan! And he saved Steelcase! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 (edited) "Dickhead"?...but he was the AD at Michigan! And he saved Steelcase! Probably a bit harsh from me but, He has never run a P & L anything close to the size of one of Ford's divisions. All of his MBA hype leaves me cold and tells me he's way out of his depth..... Frankly, he saw an opportunity to run Ford and thought, this can't be hard to do And if he keeps diverting product funding away from renewing vehicles and into projects that make Wall Street and Investors feel warm and fuzzy, he's doing a great disservice to the operational side and vehicles paying those checks. Edited January 14, 2018 by jpd80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzymoomoo Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 Probably a bit harsh from me but, He has never run a P & L anything close to the size of one of Ford's divisions. All of his MBA hype leaves me cold and tells me he's way out of his depth..... Frankly, he saw an opportunity to run Ford and thought, this can't be hard to do And if he keeps diverting product funding away from renewing vehicles and into projects that make Wall Street and Investors feel warm and fuzzy, he's doing a great disservice to the operational side and vehicles paying those checks. But he hired football jesus Jim Harbaugh! [/sarcasm] 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 But he hired football jesus Jim Harbaugh! [/sarcasm] LOL.....All the right moves, show me da money..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Rosadini Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 But he hired football jesus Jim Harbaugh! [/sarcasm] LOL.....All the right moves, show me da money..... But you guys forget. Silicon Valley loves the guy. And everyone in Detroit is tripping over themselves to to trump the other guy in the race to electrify and take us out of the driver's seat. As I've said before- perhaps in due time and at a measured pace, but IMO in the foreseeable future the only winners will be the lawyers. It amazes me how Bill Ford could have been so correct in landing Big Al from Boeing and gets it so wrong with this guy. Read "Once Upon a Car". If you're a Ford guy, you will feel good about Bill Ford's mission to land Mulaly and Farley. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 We have to separate perception form reality, the push for automation is not coming from car owner and buyers, it's all being lead by as you say, Silicon valley and Wall Street and all the feel good to encourage investment... If you want a real behind the scenes look at Ford leading up to and after Mulally's arrival at Ford, Bryce Hoffman's American Icon should be required reading.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazerdude20 Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 Bridgestone is the premium tire for firestone. We have a set on our explorer and they are so much better than the previous Michelins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rperez817 Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 2018 U.S. market EcoSport uses Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus tires. It is a grand touring all season tire with low rolling resistance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyle Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 I'll just say that the issue with certain Firestone light truck tires from that era are real. I found a super clean 2000 Excursion a few years back with only 52,000 miles on it. Naturally I couldn't pass that one up. It still had the original Load Range D Firestones on it, they even had some tread left. I figured I'd run them that summer and get new tires that fall. Well, one blew out on the way home from the dealership that night. I figured it was a fluke and stuck an extra tire off a superduty I had laying around on it. Then a couple months later coming home from family vacation, the right rear blew out while my wife was doing 75 on the interstate. She nearly lost it and I had to grab the wheel from the passenger seat to avoid rolling. I put a new set of coopers on it as soon as we got home. While researching tires for it I found out there was a recall on those Load Range D Firestones they were using on the 2000 model year truck for the same tread separation issue the explorers were experiencing. I've never had tires just come apart like that. Did you get any help with the recall towards your new tires and How many years ago was "a few years back?" Reason why I ask is on a 2000 model truck those tires are way to old (unless you tell me it was in 2005). I personally would never drive on original tires any where near 10 years old-not sure when you had your issue though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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