Ford announces Japanese Wilderness recall

TOKYO (June 7)—About 14,000 Ford Explorers sold in Japan will have their Firestone Wilderness AT tires replaced, according to Ford Motor Co. The company announced a worldwide recall of 13 million Firestone Wilderness tires May 22, and later said about 23,000 Ford vehicles in Europe—mostly Explorers—also would be subject to the recall. Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. has held all along that the tires Ford is recalling are safe, and that the auto maker's action is unnecessary.