NHTSA Complaint #10176616 — 1999 NISSAN FRONTIER

TRAVELING SOUTH ON TX 130 NEAR MANOR AT 65 MPH. BRIGHT COOL, SUNNY WEATHER, DRY ROAD. RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPLODED. TREAD CAME OFF IN ONE LONG STRIP, WHICH THRASHED THE CAR. WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL CAR OFF ROAD, BUT DAMAGE TO RIGHT REAR PANEL, WHEEL WELL, AND FUEL FILLER ESTIMATED AT BETWEEN $1500 AND $3000. THE CAR HAD BEEN VIBRATING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS FOR A WHILE, BUT I SUSPECTED A SUSPENSION PROBLEM RATHER THAN A TIRE PROBLEM. NOW I NOTICE ALL TIRES APPEAR ROTTEN ON OUTSIDE; THEY HAD NOT BEEN HOLDING AIR WELL FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. HAVE REPLACED ALL 5 TIRES. CAR: 1999 NISSAN FRONTIER PICKUP. TIRE: WILDERNESS HT, P215/65R15 95S, DOT #W2VF NNA 129. TIRE WAS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT WITH TRUCK, 42000 MILES ON IT, TREAD WEAR MINOR. COMPLAINT FILED WITH FIRESTONE, AND TIRE SENT TO THEM AT MY EXPENSE. THEY REFUSE TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY, AND CLAIM LOW INFLATION AND AGE ARE THE CAUSES OF THE PROBLEM (NOT SURPRISING SINCE THE TIRE NEEDED INFLATING EVERY WEEK). THEY WANT ME TO PAY TO HAVE TIRE SENT BACK TO ME, BUT HELL WILL FREEZE OVER BEFORE THAT OR BEFORE I STOP TELLING ANYBODY WILLING TO LISTEN ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE AND FIRESTONE'S RESPONSE. *JB