NHTSA Complaint #10240322 — 2001 FORD F-350 SD

WHILE DRIVING A 2001 FORD F350 PICKUP ON THE US HIGHWAY 50 FREEWAY IN THE SHINGLE SPRINGS, CA, AREA, I HAD A FIRESTONE STEELTEX A/T LT265/75R16 TIRE BLOW-OUT AND TREAD SEPARATION. THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRE AND VEHICLE HAD 31,617 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. I OBTAINED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO HAVE THE FAILED TIRE REMOVED AND THE SPARE TIRE INSTALLED. I REMEMBERED THAT SEVERAL YEARS AGO THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH FIRESTONE TIRES INSTALLED ON FORD VEHICLES. I FOUND THAT RECALL NUMBER 04T003000 WAS ISSUED, WHICH STATED THAT I SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION TO OWNERS THAT BEGAN ON MARCH 5, 2004. I NEVER RECEIVED THE NOTICE TO TAKE MY VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALER FOR THE FREE REPLACEMENT OF THE TIRES AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL NOTICE. I CONTACTED THE FORD DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE TRUCK NEW IN 2001 CONCERNING THE TIRE FAILURE AND REPLACEMENT PER THE RECALL NOTICE. THE FORD DEALER STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THE RECALL NOTIFICATION AND ADVISED ME TO CONTACT FORD MOTOR COMPANY. THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE RECALL NOTICE THAT WAS ISSUED APPLIED TO THE FIRESTONE STEELTEX A/T TIRES THAT WERE INSTALLED ON MY TRUCK AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. I CONTACTED BRIDGESTONE FIRESTONE WHO ADVISED ME TO SHIP THE FAILED TIRE TO NASHVILLE, TN, AT MY EXPENSE FOR THEIR "EVALUATION", BUT FAILED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF THE SAFETY OF THE REMAINING 3 TIRES AND THE 1 INSTALLED SPARE TIRE THAT ARE STILL INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE. AS OF THIS DATE I HAVE THE FAILED TIRE AND I HAVE NOT SHIPPED THE FAILED TIRE TO BRIDGESTONE FIRESTONE. I AM NOW CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE 4 FIRESTONE TIRES THAT ARE CURRENTLY INSTALLED ON MY VEHICLE. *TR