FIRESTONE STEELTEX A/T TIRES Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 GMC SIERRA 1500 EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE STEALTEX A/T (LT245/75/16). WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD POPPING SOUND. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE SIDE WALL HAD ALSO SEPARATED. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH THE SPARE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN INTO AN AUTO SHOP TO HAVE THE TIRE REPLACED. THE DOT NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE STEEL TEX A/T; TIRES, SIZE LT245/75/R16, DOT NUMBER: W2TV2F33600. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, CAUSING THE TIRE TO EXPLODE. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE TIRE AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,216 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 117,200.

8 AUG 2010 11:25AM; PASSENGER FRONT FIRESTONE STEELTEX A/T LT265/75R16D ON 02 F250 FX4 LARIAT SUPER DUTY CREW CAB; TREAD SEPARATED CAUSED F250 ON MISSOURI E.B. I-44 102.6 MILE MARKER TO GO INTO DITCH HITTING 3 ROCK OUTCROPPINGS TOTALING TRUCK. WIFE HIT WINDSHIELD HAD C/T SCAN AT E/R COX SOUTH HOSPITAL IN SPRINGFIELD, MO. DUE TO BRAIN SWELLING + OTHER INJURIES. DRIVER: ROGER SUFFERED SOFT TISSUE INJURIES. 13-MONTH "RJ" MINOR INJURIES. MO. HWY PATROL REPORT #:08081000600 DESCRIBES ACCIDENT. NUMEROUS PHOTOS & FOLLOW-UP ADJUSTER'S ASSESSMENT RATED ALMOST NEW +90% TREAD AT 18/32NDS. VEHICLE CURRENTLY AT (LIEN HOLDER'S INSURANCE COMPANY'S CONTROL - USAA), INSURANCE IMPOUND IN SPRINGFIELD AT 1155 N ELDON (417) 863-8976. F250 PURCHASED AT KB MOTORS IN HOUSTON, TX. ON 23 JULY 2010 2-WKS EARLIER. VEHICLE WAS LOCATED 1ST ON AUTOTRADER.COM AND THEN ON E-BAY MOTORS AS WELL AS ON KB MOTORS WEB SITE CLAIMING FRONT TIRES +90% TREAD. AT POINT OF OBTAINING TRUCK, HAD PERSONNEL CHECK & FILL TIRES ACCORDING TO THE TIRES' SPECS. *TR

MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE RUPTURED WHILE TRAVELING NORTH, ON I-15 ABOUT 5 TO 10 MILES SOUTH OF PAYSON, UTAH. THE TRUCK WAS A 2002 FORD F350 SUPERDUTY AND THESE WERE THE ORIGINAL TIRES. I WAS GOING ABOUT 65-70 MPH WHEN THE TIRE BURST AND WAS LUCKY TO KEEP CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE TIRE TORE APART AND CAUSED ABOUT $2800 WORTH OF BODY DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END. IT HAS NOW BEEN REPAIRED BY GREINER FORD IN CASPER, WYO. WHILE THE TRUCK WAS A 2002, IT HAD LESS THAN 10,000 MILES ON THE TRUCK AND THE TIRES. THE TREAD DEPTH WAS STILL EXCELLENT. THE FACTORY EQUIPPED TIRES ARE THE FIRESTONE STEELTEX A/T SIZE LT265, 75R16. IF THE TRUCK HAD ROLLED OVER THIS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL. *TR

SEPARATION OF BELT/TREAD BETWEEN RADIAL AND BIAS PLYS ON LEFT REAR AT 62 MPH. FENDER AREA DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. VIBRATION PRIOR TO SEPARATION, STOPPED AND CHECKED, BUT VISUAL INSPECTION SAW NO INDICATION OF PROBLEM. PURCHASED VEHICLE USED IN 2004. NOT ORIGINAL TIRES. STILL LOTS OF GOOD TREAD SOME SUN CHECKING ON SIDEWALL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE VEHICLE HAS FIRESTONE STEELTEX A/T TIRES. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SWERVE FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE DRIVER PULLED ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE HAD TREAD SEPARATION. THE TIRE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,172 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,162.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F350. THE VEHICLE HAS FIRESTONE STEELTEX A/T TIRES. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TREAD DETACHED FROM THE TIRE DOWN TO THE BELT. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04T003000 (TIRES). THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN AND TIRE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 32,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,660. UPDATED 11/6/08 *CN THE COSNUMER STATED THERE WAS A SLIGHT VIBRATION BEFORE THE FAILURE. THE TIRE DID NOT DEFLATE UNTIL DAYS LATER. UPDATED 11/07/08. *JB

WHILE DRIVING A 2001 FORD F350 PICKUP ON THE US HIGHWAY 50 FREEWAY IN THE SHINGLE SPRINGS, CA, AREA, I HAD A FIRESTONE STEELTEX A/T LT265/75R16 TIRE BLOW-OUT AND TREAD SEPARATION. THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRE AND VEHICLE HAD 31,617 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. I OBTAINED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO HAVE THE FAILED TIRE REMOVED AND THE SPARE TIRE INSTALLED. I REMEMBERED THAT SEVERAL YEARS AGO THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH FIRESTONE TIRES INSTALLED ON FORD VEHICLES. I FOUND THAT RECALL NUMBER 04T003000 WAS ISSUED, WHICH STATED THAT I SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION TO OWNERS THAT BEGAN ON MARCH 5, 2004. I NEVER RECEIVED THE NOTICE TO TAKE MY VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALER FOR THE FREE REPLACEMENT OF THE TIRES AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL NOTICE. I CONTACTED THE FORD DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE TRUCK NEW IN 2001 CONCERNING THE TIRE FAILURE AND REPLACEMENT PER THE RECALL NOTICE. THE FORD DEALER STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THE RECALL NOTIFICATION AND ADVISED ME TO CONTACT FORD MOTOR COMPANY. THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE RECALL NOTICE THAT WAS ISSUED APPLIED TO THE FIRESTONE STEELTEX A/T TIRES THAT WERE INSTALLED ON MY TRUCK AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. I CONTACTED BRIDGESTONE FIRESTONE WHO ADVISED ME TO SHIP THE FAILED TIRE TO NASHVILLE, TN, AT MY EXPENSE FOR THEIR "EVALUATION", BUT FAILED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF THE SAFETY OF THE REMAINING 3 TIRES AND THE 1 INSTALLED SPARE TIRE THAT ARE STILL INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE. AS OF THIS DATE I HAVE THE FAILED TIRE AND I HAVE NOT SHIPPED THE FAILED TIRE TO BRIDGESTONE FIRESTONE. I AM NOW CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE 4 FIRESTONE TIRES THAT ARE CURRENTLY INSTALLED ON MY VEHICLE. *TR

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2002 FORD EXCURSION THAT IS EQUIPPED WITH THE FIRESTONE STEELTEX A/T TIRES LT 265/75R16 119/116R LOAD RANGE D; WITH ABOUT 60K MILES. ON FRIDAY NIGHT I EXPERIENCED A TIRE BLOWOUT WHILE OPERATING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (55 MPH). IT APPEARS THAT THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. IN CHECKING THE WEB SIGHTS THIS EVENING THERE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A "SAFETY IMPROVEMENT" FOR THIS TIRE. I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE IT. WHO CAN ADDRESS MY ISSUES OF REPLACING MY TIRES AND OR REPAIRING THE DAMAGE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD F-250 SD. WHILE PLACING AIR IN THE TIRE, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED CRACKS IN THE SIDEWALLS OF EACH TIRE. THERE WAS NO RECALL REGARDING THIS FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 26,000. UPDATED 07/31/08.*LJ UPDATED 08/05/08