By NORIHIKO SHIROUZU
                    Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

                    DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co., trying to control damage on its Explorer
                    sport-utility vehicle from the Firestone tire recall, said it is in discussions
                    with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. over supplying tires for the 2002
                    model of the popular SUV.

                                         Ford spokesman Della DiPietro said the auto
                                         maker is "looking at the possibility of extending
                                         the sourcing beyond the two that we have
                                         already identified -- Michelin and Firestone -- to
                                         include other manufacturers including
                    Goodyear." No final decision has been made, she added. She couldn't
                    say when Ford and Goodyear began talking.

                    Ford has said the new Explorer, whose production is due to start later
                    this year, would go on sale next year with two tire options: Michelin and
                    Firestone. It would be a blow to the Nashville unit of Japan's
                    Bridgestone Corp. if Ford moved to name a third tire supplier for the
                    Explorer and eroded Firestone's grip on the Explorer business.

                    The long and storied relationship between Ford and Firestone has
                    shown strain since Firestone announced a recall of 6.5 million 15-inch
                    ATX, ATX II and Wilderness AT tires on Aug. 9. Last week, Ford Chief
                    Executive Jacques Nasser told reporters that he is disappointed in
                    Firestone and is taking his company's ties with the tire maker "a day at
                    a time."

                    Goodyear last month boosted output of 15-inch SUV tires at its
                    manufacturing facilities to help Firestone meet demand for replacement
                    tires for the recall, in part because of Ford's request. Ford has said the
                    current Explorer uses both 15- and 16-inch tires, but the new model
                    will use only 16-inch tires.