GENERAL TIRE TIRES Complaints

MY WIFE WAS TRAVELING NORTHBOUND ON INTERSTATE 5 PASS BUTTONWILLOW WHEN THE CAR BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE CAME APART. SOME OF THE TREAD REMAINED ON WHAT WAS LEFT OF THE TIRE DAMAGED THE QUARTER PANEL, REAR LOWER BUMPER AND THE REAR DOOR. THE RESULT WAS TIRE FAILURE, THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. A CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROLMAN STOP TO GIVE ASSISTANCE BY CALLING AAA TO HAVE OUR CAR PIGGYBACKED TO A BIG-O DEALER TO REPLACE THE FAILED TIRE. I PURCHASED TWO NEW TIRES TO BE MOUNTED IN REAR OF THE CAR. I'VE KEPT THE OLD TIRE SO THAT I MAY SUBMIT A CLAIM TO THE TIRE MANUFACTURER. GIVING PROOF OF PRODUCT FAILURE AS WELL AS THE DAMAGE PRODUCED BY THE FAULTY TIRE. *AK

A GENERAL TIRE 205 65R 15 FAILED ON 7/7/2004. THE TIRE TREAD CAME OFF AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN I20 NEAR TERRELL, TEXAS. THE TREAD KNOCKED THE SCREWS OUT OF THE BUMPER SIDE PANEL AND DAMAGED THE PANEL. I HAVE ESTIMATE OF OVER $1400.00 FROM LEADERSHIP FORD IN DALLAS.*AK

I HAVE HAD 6 TIRES REPLACED ON THIS VEHICLE DUE TO TIRE SEPARATION. TWO CAUSED BODY DAMAGE CHEVROET REPLACE 2 TIRES UNDER WARRANTY FOR OUT OF ROUND AT APPROX 1000 MILES. (11/2000) I REPLACED THE LEFT FRON APR 18000 MILES WITH NO DAMAGE. THE RT FRONT CAUSE 1200 IN DAMAGE TO THE RT FENDER IN 2002 AND THE RT REAT CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE REAR OUTER FENDER 1500 IN DAMAGE IN APRIL 2004. GENERAL TIRE DID SEND A CHECK TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE IN WHICH I AM THANKFUL. HOWEVER I RECIEVED THE REIMBURSMENT CHECK ON 6/30/04 CLAIM#4117006. I WAS DRIVING HOME 7/1/04 AND NOTICED A VIBRATION AGAIN. ON 7/3/04 I FOUND YET ANOTHER TIRE SEPERATING SEE FILE #75617. I AM VERY UNHAPPY THAT MY VEHICLE IS BEING DAMAGED FROM THESE TIRES LET ALONE THE INCONVEANCED OF TIME FROM WORK AND RENTAL CAR EXPLENCE. I THING CONTENINTAL TIRE SHOULD REPALCE ALL OF THESE TIRES WITH SOME THING ELSE. AS IT SEAMS TO BRING BACK MEMORIES OF AN OTHER COMPANY (FIRESTONE) I AM VERY FORTUNET THAT NO INJURYS HAVE OCURED FROM THESE TIRE CONSERNS. THE DATE OF THE INCIDENT IS THE LAST TIRE CONCERN TO DATE.*AK

I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH SOUTH ON I45 ABOUT 10 MILES N. OF HUNTSVILLE AND STARTING TO FEEL THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKING FROM GENTLY TO VIOLENTLY IN A SHORT TIME. 2) THINK OF HAVING A FLAT I SLOWED DOWN AND BEGAN TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER. WHILE THE CAR WAS SLOWING DOWN AND BEFORE GETTING ON THE SHOULDER I SAW RUBBER PIECES FLYING AND HEARD SEVERAL LOUD THUMPS COMING FROM THE LEFT FRONT SIDE OF THE CAR. WHEN THE CAR CAME TO A STOP, I HEARD A LOUD FIZZLE SOUND AND THE CAR IMMEDIATELY LEANED TO THE LEFT. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND FOUND THAT ALL OF THE RUBBER COVERING ROAD-CONTACTING SURFACE OF THE LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS GONE EXPOSING METAL WIRES AND THE BASE RUBBER. I ALSO NOTED THAT THE LEFT SIDE OF THE BUMPER, THE LEFT FRONT FENDER AND MUDGUARD OF THE CAR WERE DAMAGED, DISTORTED PUSHED CLOSER TO THE LEFT FRONT DOOR. THE PEELED, FLAPPING AND FLYING APART RUBBER ALSO CAUSED NUMEROUS BLACK STREAKS AND MARKS ON THE FENDER AND THE BUMPER. THE LEFT FRONT DOOR BELOW THE DOOR HANDLE WAS ALSO SCRAPES. 3) I REPLACED THE BLOWN OUT-TIRE WITH A FACTORY PROVIDED NEVER-USED SPARE TIRE AND DROVE TO A DISCOUNT TIRE STORE ON SOUTH SHAVER ROAD ON THE WAY HOME TO HAVE THE SEPARATED TIRE INSPECTED. THE TIRE TECHNICIAN CONFIRMED VERBALLY THAT THE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. HE CALLED GENERAL TIRES AND WAS TOLD THAT I HAVE TO MAKE THE CALL MYSELF SINCE THIS INVOLVES PROPERTY DAMAGE. I DROVE HOME AND CALLED GENERAL TIRES TO REPORT THE PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD TO WAIT 5-7 DAYS FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS BY MAIL. I WAS TO KEEP THE BLOWN TIRE AND OTHER TIRES THAT CAME WITH THE CAR UNTIL THEIR INVESTIGATION COMPLETES. THE BLOWN OUT TIRE, THE SPARE AND THE OTHER THREE TIRES ALREADY ON THE CAR ARE OF THE SAME SIZE, MODEL, MANUFACTURER AND CAME WITH A 1999 TOYATO CAMRY WHEN PURCHASED. TIRE MANUFACTURER: GENERAL, MODEL HP 400 A/S, SIZE P205/65 R15. THE DOT NUMBER ON THE TIRES ARE ACUR 2V1 178.

I WAS PULLING A 5TH WHEEL TRAILER, WEIGHING AROUND 13,000LBS. DRIVING ON I-25 AT 65 MPH, THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE GENERAL TIRE, MODEL AMERI*550AS ON THE TIRE. THE TIRE DID NOT BLOW OUT. I DID NOT REALIZE THE PROBLEM HAD OCCURRED AND WAS DRIVING ON THE BELT OF THE TIRE FOR SEVERAL MILES. HAD THE TIRE BLEW, THE TRAILER MAY HAVE FLIPPED CAUSING EXTENSIVE VEHICLE DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH. THE TIRE WAS INFLATED TO 75 PSI PRIOR TO DEPARTING ON THE TRIP.

I HAVE A 2000 FORD F-450 WITH 19.5" GENERAL TIRES. I HAD A FLAT TIRE WHEREBY THE VALVE STEM BLEW OUT. I HAD TO REPLACE THE VALVE STEMS IN ALL TIRES BECAUSE, ACCORDING TO THE TIRE SHOP WHERE THEY WERE REPLACED,THEY WERE THE WRONG VALVE STEMS. THE STEMS WERE NOT FOR HIGH PRESSURE TIRES BUT RATHER REGULAR AUTOMOBILE TIRES. FORD HAD A RECALL BUT ONLY CHECKED TO SEE IF THEY WERE LEAKING. THEY SHOUILD HAVE REPLACED THEM WITH THE PROPER VALVES.*AK

THE TREAD ON A GENERAL TIRE TYPE 245 75 R16 AMERI LRE FLEW OFF WHILE ON I-5 EAST OF GRANTS PASS, OR. MUST SOMEONE GET KILLED BEFORE ACTION IS TAKEN TO FORCE THE MANUFACTURER TO RECALL THESE DEFECTIVE TIRES? WE HAVE REPORTS FROM MANY RV'ERS HAVING HAD THIS HAPPEN. THE COMPANY HAS NOT RESPONDED TO MY INQUIRY OF 3/29/04 REGARDING THIS INCIDENT..

I OWN A 2000 FORD F550 MODIFIED BY FONTAINE MODIFICATION COMPANY, LOUISVILLE, KY TO TOW A FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER, GVR 15,900 LBS. THIS WAS A DEMO VEHICLE FOR FONTAINE AND HAD 2598 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. IT WAS DELIVERED TO ME AS A NEW VEHICLE WITH A 3 YEAR 36,000 MILES WARRANTY ON 9-29-2002. PRIOR TO PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE, THE DEALER, CUNNINGHAM CAMPERS HAD TWO BLOW OUTS ON THE RIGHT REAR DUAL 225/70R-19.5/F GENERAL TIRES ON 8-6-2002. TWO MORE BLOW OUTS, (EXPLOSIONS) OCCURRED IN OF JUNE 2003, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. I REPLACED THE GENERAL TIRES WITH MICHELIN TIRES. THIS VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED WITHOUT HIGH PRESSURE VALVE STEMS WHICH I REPLACED WITH THE HIGH PRESSURE VALVE STEMS AFTER THE SECOND BLOWOUT. THE LOCAL FORD DEALER REFUSED TO TAKE ANY ACTION ON MY COMPLAINT AND BLAMED CONTINENTAL TIRE COMPANY (GENERAL) AND CONTINENTAL BLAMED FORD FOR THE PROBLEM SAYING THAT THE ZIPPER TEARS WERE CAUSED BY INFERIOR VALVE STEMS. I HAVE ANOTHER TIRE THAT IS VERY QUESTIONABLE AND I AM AFRAID TO GO ON THE HIGHWAY TOWING A 5TH WHEEL THAT WEIGHS 15,900 WITH TIRES EXPERIENCED 4 BLOW OUTS IN THE PAST YEAR AND A QUESTIONABLE 5TH TIRE AND 4 MORE ORIGINAL TIRES LEFT ON THE VEHICLE WHICH NEITHER FORD NOR CONTINENTAL WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR. I WILL BE TAKING SEVERAL LONG TRIPS IN THE NEXT YEAR TOTALING OVER 5,000 MILES--HELP .*AK

WHILE DRIVING FROM OKLAHOMA BACK TO ARIZONA I STARTED TO EXPERIENCE SEVERE VIBRATION. I PULLED OVER, AND NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT TIRE HAD A HUGE BLISTER WITH BELT STRANDS PROTRUDING FROM THE INSIDE TIRE. I TOOK IT OFF, AND NOTICED NOTHING THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED IT. I TOOK IT TO EARNHARDT WHICH THE TIRE MECHANIC STATED THAT A SCREW CAUSED THE BELT SEPARATION. I FIND THIS HARD TO BELIEVE CONSIDERING THAT THE TIRE ONLY HAD 18500 MILES ON IT AND THE LOCATION OF THE SCREW (VERY SMALL TOO) WAS NOT IN THE VICINITY OF THE HUGE BLISTER. IT'S MY BELIEF THAT THE HEAT WAS THE PRIMARY CAUSE. I HOPE OTHERS WON'T INCUR THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH GENERAL TIRE (GRABER AW P255/70R16) ON 2001 FORD F-150.*AK

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE 57 SOUTH FWY ABOUT 7P.M. WHEN HER FRONT RIGHT TIRE EXPLODED INTO SERVAL PIECES... THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL TIRE AND EQUIPMENT. WE UNDERSTAND A FLAT COULD HAVE OCCURRED FROM EVERYDAY WEAR AND TEAR; HOWEVER, THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SERIOUS OR FATAL ACCIDENT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE EVIDENCE OF THIS, WE WILL PROVIDE PHOTOS OF WHAT IS LEFT. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND OR RECALLED.*AK