NHTSA Complaint #10896167 — 1987 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

FIRESTONE SUPREME SI P235/75R15 105S M&S TIRE HAD COMPLETE TREAD SEPARATION. LEFT FRONT TIRE AFFECTED. LUCKILY ONLY GOING ABOUT 30 MPH AT TIME ON A CITY STREET. JUST GOT OFF OF FREEWAY GOING 60 MPH! BADLY DAMAGED LEFT FRONT INNER WHEEL WELL. TIRE REMAINED INFLATED AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE OFF ROAD TO SAFETY. STARTED WITH FRONT SHIMMY AND PULL TO THE RIGHT WHEN BRAKING, THAT GOT WORSE OVER ABOUT A WEEK OF DRIVING. I EXAMINED FRONT TIRES FOR ABNORMALITIES BUT FOUND NONE. AFTER THE TREAD SEPARATED, THE TREAD LOOKS GOOD WITHOUT EXCESSIVE WEAR OR WEAR PATTERNS. LOOKS VERY SIMILAR TO THAT OF A RETREAD TIRE. I THEN EXAMINED OTHER THREE TIRES (SAME BRAND AND SIZE OF SUBJECT TIRE) AND FOUND WHAT APPEARS TO BE TREAD SEPARATIONS OF THE TREAD WHERE TREAD MEETS THE SIDEWALL.