NHTSA Complaint #10853729 — 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA

SIDEWALL FAILURE: FIRESTONE PRECISION TOURING, P225-60R16 M+S. DOT:8XX0 R3D. THE TIRE WAS SITTING IN DRIVEWAY FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS. I NOTICED THE TIRE PRESSURE WENT DOWN TO ABOUT 10 POUNDS. I FILLED THE TIRE BACK UP TO 36 POUNDS. TWO DAYS LATER THE TIRE WAS AGAIN DOWN TO ABOUT 15 POUNDS. I REFILLED THE TIRE, WENT TO HAVE THE TREAD CHECKED FOR A PUNCTURE. NOTHING FOUND. THE NEXT MORNING THE TIRE WAS FLAT. ON REFILLING THE TIRE, I FELT AND HEARD AIR ESCAPING FROM THE TIRE. I FELT AROUND AND FOUND ABOUT A 3/4 TO 1 INCH SPLIT IN THE SIDEWALL. THERE WAS NO [HYSICAL DAMAGE TO THE TIRE, IT WAS THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. I AM THANKFUL THIS HAPPENED NOW, AS WE WERE PLANNING TO TAKE A TRIP TO ALASKA THROUGH CANADA IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS. 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA.