NHTSA Complaint #10126769 — 2000 FORD EXPLORER

BOUGHT A SET OF CONTINANTAL TIRES FOR MY 2000 FORD RANGER. AFTER USING THE TIRES FOR SOMETIME (APPROX 40% WARE) I NOTICED A SLIGHT SHAKING WITH THE VEHICLE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE SAME SHOP I GOT THE TIRES AND HAD THEM ROTATED AND THE FRONT END ALIGNED. THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO GET WORSE. I WAS WAITING FOR MY NEXT DAY OFF BUT THE DAY BEFORE MY DAY OFF I WAS TRAVELING AT 75 MPH ON I-95 IN PALM BAY, FLORIDA AND THE TREAD ON THE RIGHT REAR TIRE SEPERATED. ALTHOUGH I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IT DID TURN SIDEWAYS ON THE ROAD THREE TIMES AND AT ONE POINT I WAS UP ON ONLY TWO TIRES. UPON CHECKING I FOUND THAT ALL TIRES WERE INFLATED BUT THE TIRE TREAD ON THE RIGHT REAR SIDE HAD SEPERATED FROM THE TIRE. THAT SAME DAY I RETURNED TO THE TIRE SHOP AND HAD THE MANAGER LOOK AT THE TIRE. HE SAID THAT THE TIRE SHOULG NOT HAVE DONE WHAT IT DID WITH THAT SHORT AMOUNT OF MILES ON IT. HE SAID THAT FIRESTONE WOULD REPLACE THE TIRES AND REPAIR THE DAMAGE DONE TO THE RIGHT REAR AREA OF MY TRUCK BED. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CALL THE THE FIRESTONE CLAMES OFFICER WHICH I DID ON THE MORNING OF 06-27-05. ALSO ON THAT DATE I WAS CONTACTED BY THE TIRE DEALER THAT FIRESTONE WOULD NOT HANDLE THE CLAME AS THE TIRES WERE "CONTINANTAL". I HAD TO CALL CONTINTAL AND THEY WERE NOT VERY HELPFUL. AFTER A VERY LONG CONVERSATION THEY FINALLY AGREED TO COVER A NEW SET OF TIRES WITH A 60% DISCOUNT. I GOT FIRESTONE TIRES. THEY ARE ALSO INSISTING THAT I SEND THEM THE DEFECTIVE TIRE FOR THEIR EXAMINATION TO SEE IF THEY WOULD FIX THE DAMAGE TO MY TRUCK. I DO NOT THINK THAT I SHOULD SEND THE EVIDENCE OF THEIR DEFECTIVE TIRE TO THEM AND LOOSE CUSTODY OF IT. I ASKED IF SOMEONE IN FLORIDA COULD CHECK THE TIRE AND THEY SAID NO> I FEEL THAT THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE, I FEEL THAT MY LIFE AND SAFETY WAS IN QUESTION AND I FEEL THAT CONTENTIAL TIRE COMPANY IS ATTEMPTING TO CONCEAL THIS BY TAKING, OR ATTEMPTING, TO TAKE POSSESSION OF THE TIRE.