31.   Firestone also reportedly continues to insist that the lower inflation pressure recommended by Ford Motor Co. played a role in the tire failures.

32.   Ford Motor Co. collected data on Firestone tire failures and determined it needed to replace them.

33.   Govindjee refused to discuss whether Ford shared in the responsibility for the tire failures.

34.   Initially, Rodriguez blamed the tire failure on a broken axle.

35.   Most of the accidents were Explorer rollovers that occurred after a tire failure.

36.   Most of the reported accidents were Ford Explorer rollovers that occurred after a tire failure.

37.   Officials from both companies have exchanged blame for the tire failures, but had said they thought the recall was adequate to cover all defective tires.

38.   Smith believes the tire failures more likely came from overall design problems and more significantly from the lower inflation pressure recommended by Ford.

39.   The company faces hundreds of lawsuits over the tire failures, and dozens have already been settled.

40.   The data suggest that only a small percentage of the rollovers were triggered by tire failure.