FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES Complaints

IN REGARDS TO: WILDERNESS A/T 265/75 16 ROL TIRES I HAVE EXPERIENCED A TREAD SEPARATION ON ONE OF THE TIRES ON MY 2001 FORD F-350 4X4 (55K MILES). WHILE TRAVELING BETWEEN MY HOME AND COLUMBUS, OHIO ON JULY 3, 2006, THE TREAD ON THE LEFT FRONT TIRE OF MY TRUCK SEPARATED FROM THE CASING. FORTUNATELY, I HAD PERCEIVED A PROBLEM DUE TO INCREASED VIBRATION AND HAD LOWERED MY SPEED AND WAS TRAVELING IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE. WHEN THE TIRE FAILED, I WAS ABLE TO PULL SAFELY OFF THE HIGHWAY WITH NO DAMAGE TO MY TRUCK OR FAMILY. I AM, HOWEVER, QUITE CONCERNED ABOUT THE REST OF THE TIRES ON MY TRUCK. HONESTLY, WHEN THE WHOLE EXPLORER MESS WAS GOING ON, I INSISTED THAT THE ISSUE WAS DUE TO IMPROPERLY MAINTAINED TIRES, AND OWNER NEGLECT. I LOOKED AT IT AS A LITIGIOUS SOCIETY LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO BLAME AND SUE. WELL, MY THOUGHTS HAVE CHANGED CONSIDERABLY. I AM A CAR GUY. I AM DILIGENT WITH THE CARE OF MY VEHICLES, AND THEIR MAINTENANCE. I ROUTINELY CHECK MY TIRE PRESSURES (MY AIR COMPRESSOR AND DIGITAL PRESSURE GAUGE ARE SITUATED RIGHT NEXT TO MY GARAGE DOOR SO I DON'T EVEN HAVE TO LOOK FOR THEM). I HAVE OWNED AUTOMOBILES FROM MOST EVERY MANUFACTURER, INCLUDING SIX FORD TRUCKS SEVERAL OF THOSE ON FIRESTONE TIRES. I HAVE NEVER HAD A TIRE FAILURE WHILE OUT ON THE ROAD, AND THE MODE OF FAILURE OF THIS TIRE IS ESPECIALLY FRIGHTENING. LIKE I SAID, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT NOTHING MORE THAN THE TIRE WAS DAMAGED, THE BETTER NEWS FOR FIRESTONE IS THAT I HAVE A TIRE THAT YOU CAN SURELY DO A FAILURE ANALYSIS ON, BECAUSE IT STILL HAS AIR IN IT, AND THE TREAD IS STILL PARTIALLY ATTACHED. THE BAD NEWS IS THAT NO ONE (FORD/FIRESTONE RETAILER) IS INTERESTED IN ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY. I CAN ASSURE YOU, THIS IS A TIRE ISSUE. PLEASE ADVISE ME ON HOW TO PROCEED, AS I AM CERTAIN THAT FIRESTONE/BRIDGESTONE IS INTERESTED IN MAKING THIS RIGHT. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU. *JB

TIRE FAILURE - FIRESTONE WILDERNESS LE 265/70R16 III M/S T/W 480 - TRACTION A - TEMP B- TREAD SEPARATION CAUSING BLOWOUT WITH DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. NO ROAD HAZARD - TIRE INFLATION (35PSI) (2003 CHEVY TAHOE 4X) CHECK 45 MINUTES BEFORE TRIP. LOST ALL TREAD. BOUGHT 4 NEW TIRES AND OUT $500 DEDUCTIBLE. I HAVE THE TIRE. *JB

DT: THE CALLER USED SPARE TIRE AND THE SIDEWALL BLEW OUT. TIRE HAD 110 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. THE CALLER WAS GOING BETWEEN 60 AND 65 MPH. THE TIRE WAS FULL OF BLACK POWDER AND THE RUBBER WAS CRUMBLING. THE CALLER HEARD A RUMBLE, AND WHEN HE WAS TRYING TO PULL OVER TO SEE WHAT IT WAS ,THE TIRE BLEW OUT. TIRE WAS ONLY ON VEHICLE FOR A WEEK. MANUFACTURER TOLD THE CALLER TO GO TO DEALER AND THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE TIRE. DEALER WOULD OFFER NO HELP. HOWEVER, MANUFACTURER DID PAY FOR TIRE. *AK *NM

DT: THE CONTACT OWNED A 1998 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. HAD FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES ON VEHICLE. WENT FOR INSPECTION AND FAILED BECAUSE THE TIRES WERE RECALLED. HE CONTACTED FORD AS WELL AS FIRESTONE, AND THEY TOLD HIM THE RECALL WAS OVER AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE TIRE SIZE WAS P235/70R16. THE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE SPLIT BETWEEN THE THREADS, AND SIDEWALLS. IT WAS LIKE THEY WERE SEPARATING ON ALL FIVE OF THE TIRES, INCLUDING THE SPARE TIRE. *AK *NM

1) HIGHWAY DRIVING FOR 4 HOURS, 60 MPH, NORMAL LOADING OF VEHICLE, 2 ADULTS, 2 CHILDREN 2) COMPLETE TREAD SEPARATION OF TIRE, FORTUNATELY TIRE REMAINED INFLATED, NO ACCIDENT, DAMAGE TO REAR WHEEL WELL, FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT, SIZE P265/75R 16 114S M/S, TIRE WAS ORIGINAL FROM CHEVROLET, TRUCK HAD 53,400 MILES 3) REPLACED ALL TIRES TO GOODYEAR. *NM

CONSUMER REQUEST ASSISTANCE RE THE DIFFICULTY HE IS EXPERIENCING IN GETTING FORD TO REPLACE THE FIRESTONE TIRES ON HIS 1999 FORD RANGER. *NM THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT HE COULD REPLACE THE RECALLED TIRES AT ANY TIME, FREE OF CHARGE. HOWEVER HE HAS SINCE ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THE TIRES REPLACED AND WAS NOTIFIED THAT TOO MUCH TIME HAS PASSED AND HE MUST PAY FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE TIRES HIMSELF. *NM

DT:CONSUMER HAS FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES 16 INCHES ON A FORD PICKUP. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING HOME AND THERE WAS A BLOW OUT ON THE REAR DRIVVER'S SIDE TIRE. WHEN THE TIRE BLEW OUT IT ALSO TOOK OUT THE FILLER TUBE ON ONE REAR GAS TANK. CONSUMER SAID THAT HE KNEW OF RECALL ON FIRESTONE AT TIRES, WHEN HE CONTACTED FIRESTONE, THEY TOLD CONSUMER THAT RECALL WAS ONLY ON 15 INCH TIRES. BLOW OUT HAPPENED ON INTERSTATE 44 IN MOUSORI, WHILE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 65 MPH. *AK

5/19/05 I HAD TO REPLACE ALL (4) TIRES DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE TIRE. THE TIRES WERE COMING APART AROUND THE CROWN ON EVERY TIRE. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD BLOW AT ANYTIME AND IT WAS BEST THAT I REPLACE THEM ALL. I BOUGHT THE TRUCK THEY WERE ON USED (2001 DODGE RAM 1500), IT HAD 27,291 MILES ON IT WHEN I BOUGHT IT AND THE TIRES WERE NEW. I NOW HAVE 66,556 MILES ON IT. THE TREAD ON ALL TIRES WAS GOOD TO GO FOR ANOTHER 40-60,000 MILES. BUT BECAUSE OF THE DEFECT AND THE FACT THAT I TRAVEL A LOT I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO REPLACE THE TIRES. I HAVE KEPT ONE OF THEM AS PROOF SHOULD SOMEONE WANT TO SEE IT. THE POINT BEING THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO PURCHASE NEW TIRES AT THIS TIME. I HAVE HEARD OF RECALLS YOU HAVE HAD ON TIRES AND DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS ONE OF THEM OR NOT. THE NUMBER ON THE TIRE IS 255/70R16 AND THEY WERE ALL IN A VERY DANGEROUS STATE WHEN REPLACED. I SPENT 678.42 ON THE REPLACEMENT TIRES AND I DON'T EXPECT A FULL REFUND BUT I DO THINK THAT FIRESTONE SHOULD COMPENSATE ME DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT WAS YOUR TIRE DEFECT THAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. WHICH OF COURSE CAUSED ME TO HAVE TO PAY OUT MONEY I DIDN'T HAVE TO REPLACE ALL (4) TIRES FOR SAFETY PURPOSES. I HAVE A COPY OF THE INVOICE FOR THE REPLACEMENT TIRES WITH A WRITTEN NOTE SPECIFYING THAT THEY WERE DEFECTIVE TIRES. I HAVE WRITTEN TO YOU BEFORE, ABOUT 2-3 WEEKS AGO AND HAVE HEARD NOTHING BACK SO I'M GOING THROUGH THIS AGAIN. PLEASE ADVISE ME WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO AND IF YOU NEED ANYMORE INFO FROM ME. I DO EXPECT A REFUND OF SOME TYPE DUE TO YOUR DEFECTIVE TIRES.

DT: FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSED TO REPLACE TIRES THAT FORD SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE AT ANY TIME. THESE TIRES WERE RECALLED, AND CONSUMER CHOSE NOT TO REPLACE AT THAT TIME. FORD TOLD CONSUMER THAT HE COULD REPLACE AT ANY TIME. CONSUMER WASN'T NOTIFIED OF ANY CHANGES THAT FORD MADE. *TT

A FIRESTONE WILDERNESS A/T TIRE SIZE P265/75R16 SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WHERE THE TREAD COMPLETELY DELAMINATED AT HIGHWAY SPEED, CAUSING $1,000 BODY DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE.*AK