FR480

THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 FORD RANGER PICKUP EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE FR480, SIZE: 215/70/R14. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT AND THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE TIRE AND VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS INVALID.

PE00020, TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 60 MPH, REAR TIRE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE EXPLOPED. TIRE SIZE P23575R15, ORIGINAL TIRE EQUIPMENT, AND DOT # VNHL. TIRE MILEAGE ABOUT 50,000. TIRE WAS TAKEN TO A FIRESTONE DEALERSHIP. *AK THE CUSTOMER ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THREE REMAINING TIRES HAVE CRACKS NEAR THE EDGE OF THE TREAD AND BELIEVED THEY ARE SAFETY HAZARD.

I WAS DRIVING FROM SACRAMENTO, CA TO FRESNO, CA. OUTSIDE OF MERCED, THE TOP LAYER OF MY TIRE PEELED OFF, CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO GO OUT OF CONTROL. THE TIRE FLAP SLAPPED INTO THE BACK REAR PANEL OF MY TRUCK, AND DAMAGED THE BACK PANEL, TAIL LIGHTS, AND TAILPIPE. I BELIEVE THAT ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE HAD I NOT JUST BEEN RETURNING FROM A ADVANCED DRIVING SCHOOL FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. WE FILED AN INSURANCE CLAIM AND TRIED TO GET THE INSURANCE COMPANY TO SUBROGATE THE CLAIM TO FIRESTONE, BUT FIRESTONE SAID THAT THEIR TIRE WAS NOT DEFECTIVE. WE HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT THE TRUCK JUST TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. HE TOLD ME THAT HE THOUGHT THE TIRE MIGHT BE DEFECTIVE AND THAT I MIGHT WANT TO GET IT LOOKED AT. UNFORTUNATELY, I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO CHECK IT OUT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.

PE00-020; TIRE SIZE P21570R15, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT WITH GRAND MARQUIS, 1991 WITH 23,000 MILES ON TIRE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO REPAIR SHOP FOR A BRAKE JOB WHEN MECHANIC SHOWED CONSUMER THAT ON ALL 4 TIRES HAD THIN CRACKS AND FINE OPENINGS ALL AROUND TIRES,ON BOTH SIDES,AND WHERE SIDEWALL MET THE TREAD,AT THE CORNERS. THERE WAS STILL PLENTY OF TREAD LEFT ON VEHICLE.