NPR's Mary Ann Akers reports that the Bridgestone/Firestone company is blaming a faulty tire design and manufacturing processes at an Illinois factory for defective tires linked to 148 traffic deaths. After a four-month investigation, the tire maker cited the design of the 15-inch ATX tires and the unique way the rubber was processed at its Decatur, Illinois, plant. But the report also puts some blame on the Ford Explorer. Many of the accidents involved Explorers fitted with the Firestone tires. The report says Ford's recommended pressure for the tires was too low.
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