FIRESTONE STEELTEX A/T TIRES Complaints

FIRESTONE TIRE, STEELTEX A/T, 265/75R16 123 1200, DOT# VNW8LXL2301. WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE VAN, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE TIRE WAS STILL IN TACT, BUT THE TREAD WAS GONE. *AK *SC *JB

FIRESTONE STEELTEX TIRE TREAD SEPARATION. *MR WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT WARNING THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THAT NHTSA RE-OPEN THE INVESTIGATION OF THE BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE TIRES. *SC *JB

ON OR ABOUT AUGUST 3RD, 2004, I HAD MY ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES, ON MY 2001 FORD F250 TRUCK ROTATED AND BALANCED AT A REPUTABLE FRONT END SERVICE FACILITY IN REDDING, CALIFORNIA, IN PREPARATION FOR A TRIP TO SAN DIEGO. THE TIRES WERE FIRESTONE STEELTEX RADIAL TRUCK TIRES TIRES. ALL FOUR TIRES WERE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AND HAD LESS THAN 35,000 MILES. ON INTERSTATE 5, 5 MILES SOUTH OF REDDING, MY SON WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND THE RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION APPROXIMATELY 60 MILES PER HOUR. THE SEPARATION CAUSED DAMAGE TO MY FENDER AND PAINT. WE PUT THE SPARE TIRE ON AND CONTINUED THE TRIP. WHEN WE REACHED ELSINORE, ON INTERSTATE 15, THE LEFT FRONT TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, AGAIN AT FREEWAY SPEED. THIS TIME THE EXPLODING TREADS CAUSED MORE SEVERE DAMAGE (ESTIMATED AT $4,500 EXCLUDING TIRE REPLACEMENT). TWO ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT FIRESTONE TRUCK TIRES, WITH LESS THAN 35,000 MILES, EXPERIENCING VIOLENT AND DANGEROUS TREAD SEPARATION WITHIN LESS THAN 500 MILES, UNDER EXACTLY THE SAME CONDITIONS, UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MIGHT HAVE PRODUCED FATAL RESULTS. FORTUNATELY THE TIRES RETAINED AIR, PREVENTING THE VEHICLE FROM ROLLING, FIRESTONE'S WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES. FORD'S WARRANTY IS GOOD FOR THREE YEARS OR 36,000 MILES, WHICH EVER COMES FIRST. MY THREE YEARS WAS UP IN MAY OF THIS YEAR. I WAS FORCED TO BUY $700 WORTH OF TIRES PREMATURELY AND I NOW HAVE $4,500 DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE. FIRESTONE HAS A DARK HISTORY OF PRODUCING DANGEROUS TIRES SUBJECT TO EXACTLY THE SAME KIND OF FAILURE I EXPERIENCED. WHY HASN'T SOMETHING BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THESE FAILURES? IS THERE SOME COMPENSATION AVAILABLE FROM FORD OR FIRESTONE WHEN THESE FAILURES ARE CLEARLY DUE TO MANUFACTURING DEFECTS AND FORD CONTINUES TO CONTRACT FOR THESE DEFECTIVE TIRES?

FIRESTONE STEELTEX 265 75 R16 TIRE TREAD SEPERATED AT HIGHWAY SPEED. TREAD LEFT THE TIRE BODY INTACT AS AN APPROXIMATELY 6 FOOT LONG PIECE. THE REMAINING TIRE PLY AND BODY STILL HELD AIR THOUGH ROLLED RATHER OUT OF CONTROL. THE TIRE TREAD DAMAGED THE REAR FENDER, TAILPIPE, SPASH GUARD AND BED OF MY TRUCK (APPROX $1400 DAMAGE). I STILL HAVE THE FAILED TIRE TREAD THOUGH THE TIRE BODY WAS DISPOSED OF BY THE REPLACEMENT TIRE DEALER. *JB

THE CONSUMER NOTICED A VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END. THEN THE TIRE EXPLODED THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE NEARLY FLIPPED, BUT THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE UPRIGHT. *AK *SC *JB

FIRESTONE STEELTEX A/T, LT245/75R16, LOAD RANGE C, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT INSTALLED ON 2000 GMC SIERRA 1/2 TON, 4WD, PICKUP, PURCHASED NEW BY ME, APRIL 2000. ON AUG 14, 2004, APPROX 12:00NOON, I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 30MPH , PULLING A BOAT/TRAILER ON A STATE MAINTAINED GRAVEL ROAD IN LEWIS & CLARK COUNTY, MT., WHEN THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE SUDDENLY WENT FLAT WITH NO SOUND OF BLOW-OUT. AFTER IMMEDIATELY STOPPING, I NOTICED THE TIRE WAS COMLETELY SHREDDED. THE ENTIRE OUTER SIDEWALL HAD SEPARATED FROM THE TREAD AREA BY ABOUT 95%. THE WHEEL WAS SLIGHTLY BENT. NO OTHER DAMAGE. NO INJURIES. NOTHING DONE TO CORRECT AS YET.*AK

FIRESTONE STEELTEX A/T TIRES(3) - FAILURES. ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, STEELTEX A/T TIRES MANUFACTRED BY BRIDGESTONE FIRESTONE AND FITTED AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON MY CHEVROLET TRUCK FAILED. EACH TIRE FAILED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. I CONSIDER THE TIRES TO BE FAULTY AND VERY UNSAFE BECAUSE 3 OF THE 4 TIRES FAILED ON MY VEHICLE WITHIN A MATTER OF A FEW MONTHS OF EACH OTHER. QUITE SERIOUS DAMAGE RESULTED IN EACH INCIDENT. THE TIRES 3 HAVE BEEN RETURNED TO FIRESTONE, AS REQUESTED, AND HAVE BEEN EXAMINED BY LISONI & LISONI, NTSA OFFICIALS AND THE FIRESTONE REPRESENTATIVES.*AK I WOULD LIKE NHTSA TO RECALL ALL STEELTEX TIRES TO ENSURE THEY ARE COMPLETELY REMOVED FROM THE MARKET. SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED! THANK YOU. GRAHAM ROSS - MISTER COOL ICE CREAM PO BOX 221, COPPELL, TEXAS 75019 (972) 489-9879 E-MAIL: [email protected] PS: I CAN'T PUT ALL 3 INCIDENT DATES BELOW SO I HAVE PUT AUGUST 1 2002, SO I CAN GET TO NEXT PAGE.

I RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM FIRESTONE TIRES CORPORATE OFFICE REGARDING A SAFETY RECALL ON 2001 FORD EXCURSION STEELTEX RADIAL A/T TIRES LT265/75R16 LR D [XXX] AND PROMPTLY SUBMITTED THE REQUIRED INFORMATION VIA MAIL ON JUN3 4, 2004. I HAVE TRIED REPEATEDLY TO CONTACT FIRESTONE VIA MAIL, TELEPHONE, AND E-MAIL SINCE THAT TIME WITH NO RESPONSE.*AK UPDATED 07/25/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

FIRESTONE TIRE FAILURE, TIRE FLEW APART LIKE A RECAP, AND SEPARATED FROM THE STEEL BELT CAUSENG TWENTY EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS IN DAMAGE TO MY 2002 FORD F250 CREW CAB LARIET. THE TIRE HAD LOTS OF TREAD LEFT ON IT, IT WAS ABOUT HALF WORN? THE TIRE DID NOT GO FLAT, BUT THE TREAD SEPERATED AND SLAPED AROUND AS I WAS TRYING TO COME TO A STOP AND DAMAGE IN DRIVER SIDE FENDER/HOOD/AND RUNING BOARD. I FEEL THESE TIRE ARE VERY DANGEROUS AND I AM REMOVING THEM FROM MY TRUCK, TWO OF THE BACK TIRES ON MY TRUCK ARE NEW AND I DO NOT FEEL SAFE WITH THEM SO I WILL BE TAKING THEM OFF.*AK

WHILE DRIVING SOUTHBOUND ON I-25 IN FT. COLLINS, MY LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT, AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, FOR NO REASON. I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING OR GO OFF-ROADING AT ALL. I OWN A 2002 FORD F250 POWERSTROKE, SHORT BED CREW CAB 4X4. THE TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE STEELTEX. THE TIRE WAS BLOWN INTO THREE PIECES: LEFT, RIGHT AND A COMPLETE CIRCULAR SECTION OD TREAD. MY BRAKES WERE TORN APART, AS WELL AS MY SURROUNDING PLASTIC TRIM PIECES. MY DAUGHTER AND MYSELF WERE VERY SCARED, BUT HAPPY THAT NOTHING WORSE HAPPENED. FIRESTONE TIRES WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MISHAP. THEY NEED TO BE RE-CALLED AND THEIR TIRE MANUFACTURING FACILITIES NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED. THANK YOU. *AK