NHTSA Complaint #10080513 — 2001 ITASCA SPIRIT

ON 2001 ITASCE SPIRIT 31T MOTOR HOME ON A FORD 450 CHASSIS I EXPERIENCED A BELT/TREAD FAILURE OF A FIRESTONE STEELTEX R4S LT225/75R16 TIRE ON THE INNER DRIVERS SIDE REAR DUAL WHEEL POSITION. THERE WAS A LOUD RUMBLE WHICH I AT FIRST THOUGHT WAS CAUSED BY PAVEMENT ROUGHNESS. I SLOWED DOWN FROM APPROX. 60 MPH AT WHICH TIME THE TREAD LET GO WITH A LOUD NOISE. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AS THE OUTER DUAL TIRE HELD. UPON INSPECTION THE INNER HALF OF THE TREAD HAD LET GO, CAUGHT THE 1/16" METAL PLATE HOLDING THE MUD FLAP WHICH IT BENT UP OVER THE TIRES PREVENTING SECONDARY DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL WELL OF MY MOTOR HOME. I TRIED CONTACTING FIRESTONE AND WAS SENT ON A WILD GOOSE CHASE TO END UP ON A VOICE MAIL AT THE DAYTON ENGINEERING CENTER. I AM REPLACING ALL 7 OF THE TIRES ON MY MOTOR HOME WITH NON FIRESTONE TIRES. THE RISK OF INJURY TO MY MOTOR HOME OR THE POSSIBLE DEATH OF MY WIFE AND I OR OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN WHO FREQUENTLY USE IT FAR OUTWEIGHTS THE COST OF NEW TIRES. REASEARCHING THE NHTSA WEB SITE I FIND THERE HAVE BEEN 216 COMPLAINTS PRIOR TO MINE AND THAT THERE ARE TWO (2) OPEN ODI'S, DP04-004 AND 005. I AM AT PRESENT CONTACTING LISTONI AND LISTONI OF PASADENA CA WHO PETITIONED FOR THESE ACTIONS AND PLAN TO WRITE LETTERS TO ALL OF THE RV OWNERS ASSOCIATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS ASKING THEM TO MAKE THEIR MEMBERS AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL DANGERS OF THE STEELTEX R4S TIRES. I BELIEVE THAT WHILE THERE HAVE BEEN NO DEATHS RESULTING FROM FAILURES OF THESE TIRES THEY SHOULD BE RECALLED AS WERE THE OTHER FIRESTONE TIRES FROM THE SAME ERA. *AK