What was the Firestone tire scandal?

The Firestone tire scandal refers to massive tire defect controversy in late 1990s and early 2000s involving Firestone tires causing deadly rollover accidents, particularly on Ford Explorer SUVs, leading to recall of 6.5 million tires and over 200 deaths. The scandal centered on Firestone ATX, ATX II, and Wilderness AT tires that had tread separation problems, where tread would peel off at highway speeds causing loss of control and rollover, especially on Ford Explorer which had high center of gravity. Reports of accidents increased in late 1990s, with many in Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, and US states with hot climates where heat worsened defects. Investigations revealed Firestone knew about defects but failed to recall, and Ford knew Explorer was prone to rollover. In 2000, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened investigation, and Firestone recalled 6.5 million tires, one of largest recalls in history, costing over 1 billion dollars in settlements and lawsuits. The scandal led to breakup of nearly 100-year partnership between Ford and Firestone, with Ford dropping Firestone as supplier. It also led to TREAD Act requiring better tire tracking. The scandal damaged Firestone reputation severely, though brand recovered under Bridgestone ownership after improving quality control. So Firestone tire scandal was defective tires causing rollovers and deaths leading to massive recall and lawsuits.