FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES Complaints

ORIGINAL TIRE ON A 1995 FORD EXPLORER, P23575R15, DOT. CONSUMER TOOK CAR IN FOR SERVICE, AND DEALER TOLD CONSUMER TO REPLACE TIRES BECAUSE THEY WERE GOING BALD, AND HAD A SLIGHT TEAR ON THE SIDE.*AK

DRIVER WAS TRAVELING ON EXPRESSWAY IN THE LEFT LANE WHEN THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE CAME APART. THERE WAS NO WARNING. WE HAVE BEEN CHECKING THESE TIRES ALMOST DAILY BECAUSE OF THE CURRENT RECALL OF OTHER FIRESTONE TIRES. THEY APPEARED FINE. WHEN THE TIRE CAME APART THE VEHICLE CROSSED THE EXPRESSWAY TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT THE FREEWAY OFF THE RIGHT SHOULDER. IT FELT LIKE THE VEHICLE WAS ON 2 WHEELS AT ONE TIME, BUT DID NOT ROLL OVER. THE VEHICLE HIT A TREE IN THE CENTER FRONT. THE DRIVER HAD TRIED TO STEER AS STRAIGHT AS POSSIBLE, BUT THERE WAS NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. WE STILL HAVE OUR DRIVER. OTHERS MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY. PLEASE HELP GET ALL THESE DEFECTIVE TIRES OFF THE ROAD. *AK (DOT NUMBER: VD70 TIRESIZE: P24575R16)

ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 1998, MOUNTAINEER, P235/75R15 SIZE. LEFT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT FROM THE SIDEWALL, CAUSING DAMAGE TO RIM.*AK

ORIGINAL TIRES ON A FORD, EXPLORER 1995, 255/70RA6, DOT WI. LEFT REAR TIRE HAD CRACKS AROUND OUTSIDE OF TREAD AND STARTING TO PEEL.*AK

REPLACEMENT TIRES, 30X9.5R15; WHILE DRIVING FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME LEFT REAR TIRE KEPT BOUNCING. CONSUMER CHECKED TIRE, DID'NT SEE ANYTHING. CONSUMER KEPT DRIVING, AND BOUNCING GOT WORSE, CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND NOTICED A BIG BLISTER THAT WAS GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER. MECHANIC NOTICED EVIDENCE OF TREAD SEPARATION.*AK

THERE IS A SPLIT PRESENT WHERE SIDEWALL AND TREAD MEETS. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

ALL FOUR TIRES HAVE A HAIRLINE CRACK THAT GOES 360 DEGREES AROUND THE TIRE ON BOTH THE OUTSIDE AND INSIDE. THIS CRACK APPEARS TO BE WHERE THE CAP ATTACHES TO THE TIRE. I YOU LOOK AT THE SIDEWALL YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE CAP IS ATTACHED. (DOT NUMBER: VN TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

THEY DO NOT WEAR EVEN, AND DO NOT STAY BALANCED! UNSAFE DESIGN, HOW DO I GET THEM REPLACED? I FEAR FOR MY FAMILY!!!*AK (TIRESIZE: 245/65/16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 245/65/16 )

THE TIRE HAS A CRACK IN THE SIDE WALL THAT COULD RESULT IN A BLOW OUT. THE TIRE ALSO WILL NOT THE RECOMMENDED TIRE PRESSURE. (TIRESIZE: 31X10.5R15) (TIRESIZE: 31X10.5R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 31X10.5R15 )

ON MONDAY OCT 16, 2000 I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. I WAS IN THE FAR LEFT LANE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 56 MPH. WHEN I HEARD THE TIRE BLOW I IMMEDIATELY TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO COAST TO ABOUT 30 MPH. THEN I PROCEEDED TO USE THE BRAKES AND CHANGE LANES TO THE RIGHT SO I COULD GET ONTO THE SHOULDER AND PUT THE SPARE TIRE ON THE VEHICLE. I AM SUPRISED I DIDN'T DAMAGE THE RIM BY DRIVING ON IT. FORTUNATLEY NO ONE WAS INJURED AND NO ACCIDENT RESULTED FROM THIS INCIDENT. THE NEXT MORNING I DROVE BY A FIRESTONE DEALER TO COMPLAIN BUT THEY WERE CLOSED SO I WENT TO BOB TURNER'S FORD COUNTRY AND HAD THEM REPLACE ALL THE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE. WHEN I CALLED FIRESTONE ON TUESDAY THE 17TH, I WAS TOLD THAT I EITHER HAD A FLAT TIRE OR A LOW TIRE AND THAT IS WHAT CAUSED THE BLOW OUT. I KNOW THAT IS NOT TRUE BECAUSE I CHECK THE AIR PRESSURE IN MY TIRES EVERY SUNDAY BECAUSE I TRAVEL APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES A DAY ON THE FREEWAY. AND THE TIRE SHOWS NO SIGNS OF A PUNCTURE WOUND. THE TIRE BLEW OUT ON THE SIDEWALL AND THERE IS NO DAMGE TO ANY PART OF THE TREAD AREA OR SURFACE AREA THAT WOULD BE IN CONTACT WITH THE ROAD. IT IS JUST MY OPINION, BUT I BELIEVE THIS WAS A TOTAL TIRE FAILURE AND THAT FIRESTONE SHOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR THE COST OF REPLACING THE TIRES. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THESE TIRES ARE NOT CURRENTLY ON THE RECALL LIST, BUT I THINK THEY NEED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE INVESTIGATION AND RECALLED BEFORE MORE PEOPLE ARE INJURED OR KILLED. ALSO, IN AN EARLIER PART OF THIS FORM YOU ASKED FOR THE DOT CODE. IT IS VERY HARD TO READ ON THE TIRE, BUT I BELIEVE THAT WHAT I ENTERED IS CORRECT. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME AT THE NUMBERS OR E-MAIL ADDRESS LISTED ABOVE IN THIS FORM. THANK YOU. AL PETROVA (DOT NUMBER: VNCU TIRESIZE: P255/70R16)