NHTSA Complaint #10037479 — 2001 FORD F-350 SD

I CURRENTLY OWN A 2000 FORD F350 TRUCK WITH THE ORIGINAL FIRESTONE STEELTEX A/T, LT265/75R16 TIRES THAT CAME ORIGINAL ON THE TRUCK WHEN I PURCHASED IT BRAND NEW. THE TRUCK NOW HAS ABOUT 28,000 MILES AND I HAVE HAD THE FORD DEALERSHIP PERFORM ALL STANDARD MAINTENANCE INCLUDING TIRE ROTATIONS. THE TIRES UNTIL JUST RECENTLY HAVE ALL WORN VERY EVENLY AND I WOULD ESTIMATE THEIR WEAR AT ABOUT 50-60% WITH PLEANTY OF TREAD LEFT ON THE TIRES.*AK ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2003 I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH FOUR PASSENGERS AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH. SUDDENLY THE TRUCK BECAME UNSTABLE AND BEGIN SHAKING AS WELL AS PULLING THE STEERING VERY HARD TOWARD THE RIGHT. I WAS ABLE TO GET PULLED OVER, AND BEGIN TO INSPECT THE TRUCK TO SEE IF I COULD TELL WHAT WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM WHEN I NOTICED THAT MY FRONT LEFT TIRE HAD A LARGE BULGE IN THE CENTER OF THE TIRE TREAD WHICH APPEARED TO GO ALL THE WAY AROUND THE TIRE. THANKFULLY THE TIRE DID NOT COME APART AT HIGHWAY SPEED, HOWEVER I AM EXTREMEMLY CONFIDENT THAT IT WOULD HAVE VERY SOON. THE TIRE HAS A VERY DEFINITE FAILURE, AND VERY PREMATURE BASED ON THE CURRENT MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE SEEN THE REPORTS, ETC. CONCERNING THE PAST FAILURES WITH FIRESTONE TIRES ALL AROUND THE TIME I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE ARE MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THE STEELTEX TIRES AS WELL. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHARE MY CONCERN WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND IF THERE TRULY IS A PROBLEM WITH THESE TIRES, I ONLY HOPE THAT THIS COMPLAINT MIGHT SAVE A LIFE. I PUT MY SPARE ON THE TRUCK AND I HAVE THE TRUCK AT THE DEALERSHIP RIGHT NOW TO INSPECT THE TIRE. I HAVE ALSO CALLED FIRESTONE AND HAVE A PLAN TO TAKE IT TO A FIRESTONE STORE IF THE FORD DEALERSHIP IS NOT WILLING TO REPLACE MY TIRES UNDER WARRANTY, OR AT LEAST PROVIDE A FAIR AMOUNT TOWARDS NEW TIRES. THANK YOU, JUSTIN EARL DAUENBAUGH. *AK