FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT I TIRES Complaints

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

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER'S REAR TIRE TREAD WAS SEPARATING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE TIRE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

I CURRENTLY OWN A JEEP WRANGLER, WHICH WAS PURCHASED USED, THAT IS EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES, DOT VD66 W2, 30 X 9.50 R15 LT. I AM UNSURE OF THE DOT CODE AS IT IS SLIGHTLY WORN BUT THE VD IS CERTAIN. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, WE ENCOUNTERED A FLAT. IT APPEARS THAT THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE SIDEWALLS AS THE SIDEWALLS ARE STILL PRESESNT.*AK

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE FAILURE P265/75R/16, COMING OFF HIGHWAY AT APPROX. 55 MPH SLOWING DOWN TO AROUND 45MPH WHEN HEARD A SOUND LIKE SOMETHING WAS SCRUBBING. PULLED OVER AND NOTICED FRONT LEFT TIRE FLAT. HAS 4 INCH LONG SLIT WITH A SLIGHT CURVE IN IT. STRESS CRACKS SIMILAR IN CURVATURE ALL AROUND SLIT AND TIRE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE EXPLODED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL, AND PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.*AK

TIRES ARE CCUPPING TOO SOON, AND MAKING AN UNUSUAL SOUND. *AK THE TIRES ARE RATED AT 50000 (MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY). *NM

AN INDEPENDENT NOTICED THAT ALL 4 TIRES WERE CUPPING WHILE PERFORMING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE. *AK *NM

THE TIRES WERE DISINTEGRATING AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO RIDE EXTREMELY ROUGH AND CHOPPY. *AK THE TIRES FELT LESS SMOOTH. FIRESTONE ADMITTED THAT THE TIRES FELT CHOPPY AND REFUSED REPLACEMENT. THE PROBLEM WORSENED AS TIME WENT ON. *SC *JB