BRIDGESTONE TIRES Complaints

DRIVING ALONG THE FREEWAY AT 60 MPH, THE LEFT REAR TIRE HAD A BLOWOUT. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS THE INTERIOR SIDEWALL WHERE THE FAILURE OCCURRED. I NOTICED THAT IN THE SPECIFIC LOCATION OF THE FAILURE, THE SIDEWALL WAS EXTREMELY SOFT; UNLIKE THE REST OF THE SIDEWALL. THE TIRE WAS TAKEN BACK TO COSTCO; BUT THEY REFUSED TO ACCEPT THAT IT WAS A DEFECTIVE TIRE. THE TIRE HAD 25,000 MILES ON IT; DRIVEN CONSERVATIVELY. I DO STILL HAVE THE FAILED TIRE, AND TWO OTHER TIRES JUST LIKE IT ARE STILL ON THE CAR. THE TIRE IS A BRIDGESTONE POTENZA 205/55R16 91W, ULTRA HIGH PERFORMANCE. *NM

ON MARCH 3, 2006, I WAS TRAVELING THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT ON I-95 IN MARTIN COUNTY, FLORIDA IN OUR 1999 HONDA CRV. APPROXIMATELY 1-2 MILES BEFORE THE ST. LUCIE BLVD. EXIT, I NOTICED A VERY SLIGHT TREMOR OR VIBRATION? IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE TREMOR VERY GRADUALLY INCREASED. ABOUT 1-2 MILES PAST THE ST. LUCIE WEST BLVD. ENTRANCE RAMP, THERE WAS A LOUD BANG AND I SAW LARGE PIECES OF TIRE DEBRIS IN THE AIR NEAR THE REAR OF OUR VEHICLE. SEVERAL VEHICLES SWERVED SHARPLY TO AVOID OUR VEHICLE AND THE TIRE DEBRIS. I PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER AND UPON EXAMINATION FOUND THE RIGHT REAR TIRE (FACING FORWARD) HAD COMPLETELY LOST ALL OF ITS TREAD. THE TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED SO I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO A TIRE DEALERSHIP ON ST. LUCIE BLVD. AND PURCHASE A NEW TIRE, HOWEVER THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY $1,200 IN DAMAGE TO THE CRV. THE TIRE HAD APPROXIMATELY 12,000 MILES OF USE ON IT. THE TIRES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN MAINTAINED AT THE TIRE PRESSURE RECOMMENDED IN THE CRV OWNER'S MANUAL AND I CHECKED THE PRESSURE IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THIS TRIP. OUR LOCAL HONDA TECHNICAL SERVICE MANAGER, THE TIRE TECHNICIAN IN PORT ST. LUCIE AND A LOCAL FIRESTONE/BRIDGESTONE TIRE TECHNICIAN ALL AGREED UPON EXAMINATION OF THE TIRE AND THE DAMAGE TO OUR VEHICLE THAT THE TIRE TREAD SEPARATION WAS IN ALL PROBABILITY DUE TO THE SUBJECT TIRE BEING DEFECTIVE. AT BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE'S REQUEST, I RETURNED THE DAMAGED TIRE TO THEM FOR TESTING AND REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FOR DAMAGE TO MY CRV. THEY ARE CLAIMING THAT I WAS AT FAULT FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE TIRE AND THAT THE TIRE HAD BEEN "OVER OR UNDER DEFLATED" FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. DESPITE REPEATED REQUESTS, THEY HAVE FAILED TO RETURN THE SUBJECT TIRE TO ME. *JB

I HAD A BLOW OUT ON MY 2001 ISUZU RODEO, CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO GO OFF THE ROAD TO THE RIGHT RUNNING INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE SEAT BELT CAME OFF, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT WORK. I SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES CAUSING SEIZURES, A DISPLAYED SHOULDER, AND A FRACTURED JAW. DUE TO THE HEAD INJURIES I WAS UNCONSCIOUS AND UNABLE TO KEEP CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ORIGINAL REAR TIRES WERE REPLACED AT 15,000 MILES DUE TO BALDNESS TWO-THIRDS FROM THE OUTSIDE TO THE INSIDE. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE TIRES ARE BRIDGESTONE TURANZA P23545R17.

WHILE DRIVING OUR ISUZU RODEO AT FREEWAY SPEED, OUR REAR PASSENGER TIRE (BRIDGESTONE DUELER 684) STEEL BELT CAME UNRAVELED AND PROCEEDED TO DESTROY OUR REAR LIGHTS, SIDE REAR PANEL AND BUMPER. THE TIRE NEVER LOST PRESSURE, IT SIMPLY CAME UNRAVELED. LUCKILY WE WERE IN THE RIGHT LANE AND WERE ABLE TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. IF THIS HAD BEEN A FRONT TIRE WHO KNOWS WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. *NM

CONSUMER 1997 RAM 1500 FIRESTONE TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED AT OWNERS EXPENSE. *TS THE CONSUMER STATED TWO OF HIS TIRES SEPARATED WITHIN A 2 WEEK PERIOD. *JB *NM

MY CONCERN IS THAT THE TIRES ON OEM TIRES ON MY VEHICLE (2005 TOYOTA TACOMA X-RUNNER) ARE DEFECTIVE. I HAD A "SPLIT" IN MY TIRE AND I TOOK IT TO BRIDGESTONE AND THEY SAID THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND THEY REPLACED ALL OF MY TIRES, NOT JUST THE PROBLEM ONE WITH NO QUESTIONS. WHERE MY CONCERN COMES IN IS THAT I KNOW OTHER WITH THE SAME VEHICLE AS I HAVE AND THEY EXACT SAME PROBLEM, BUT THE BRIDGESTONE REP. IN THEIR AREA IS TELLING THEM THAT THEY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. IF THE TIRE IS UNSAFE AND SOME AREA KNOW ABOUT THIS AND ARE FIXING IT WHY ARE NOT ALL THE AREAS AWARE OF THIS. I FEEL THAT THEY ARE KNOWINGLY PUTTING LIVES AT RISK BY ALLOWING THIS TO GO ON WITH NO SOLUTION. *JB

SLACK ADJUSTERS HANG OUT .CRUISE CONTROL INOPERATIVE SUPENSION FALLING. BAD PROPANE LEAK. JACK WON'T HOLD COACH UP. ALL LEAK AND ONE RT FT WEALDED ON. COACH FALLS SO LOW IT HITS THE FLOOR ,TIRES GOING THROUGH THE WOOD FLOOR AND THE TOP IS STARTING TO BUCKLE.BLOW OUT ON THE ROAD.SATILITE DISH INOP. LIGHTS DON'T ALWAYS STAY ON, DRIVING LIGHTS ALWAYS SHORT OUT. STEPS SHORT OUT BOUGHT THE COACH 2/28/05 BEEN OUT OF SERVICE ABOUT 27 WEEKS. *JB

1. EVENTS LEADING TO FAILURE: NO ABNORMAL EVENTS PRIOR TO FAILURE (NO TIRE VISUAL INDICATIONS, NO SOUNDS, NORMAL STEERING AND SUSPENSION BEHAVIOR, NO TIRE IMPACTS). TIRE PRESSURE CHECKED MONTHLY AND TIRES ROTATED REGULARLY (~ EVERY 8,000 MI). 2. FAILURE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES: A SINGLE OEM TIRE (BRIDGESTONE POTENZA P225/60R16 E92QZ) WITH 43,700 MILES LOST ALL PRESSURE DUE TO FAILURE OF SIDEWALL, WITH SEPARATION APPARENT AROUND ENTIRE CIRCUMFERENCE OF TIRE. FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE PARKED ON LEVEL PARKING LOT SURFACE AFTER DRIVING 10 MINUTES AT MODERATE SPEED. 3. WHAT WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE; I.E, PARTS REPAIRED OR REPLACED (AND IF OLD PART IS AVAILABLE): INTEND TO REPLACE TIRE SHORTLY. OLD TIRE IS AVAILABLE. PHOTOS AVAILABLE. *NM

I HAVE A 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA X-RUNNER. I HAVE TIRES THAT ARE SPLITTING ACROSS THE TREAD. IT SEEM THAT EVERY MODEL OF THIS TRUCK IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND NO RECALL IS BEING DONE. HTTP://WWW.CUSTOMTACOS.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=46086&PAGE=17&HIGHLIGHT=TIRE I DO NOT FEEL SAFE WITH MY TIRES SPLITTING. AND NO ONE SEEMS TO BE TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM. MY AUTO IS ONLY 8 MONTHS OLD, AND I DON'T WANT TO REPLACE 5 $260 A TIRE OUT OF MY OWN POCKET. *NM