NHTSA Complaint #11061997 — 2000 FORD F-250

WE HAD JUST HAD NEW FIRESTONE TRANSFORCE HT TIRES PUT ON OUR TRUCK. APPROXIMATELY FOUR MONTHS LATER, AS WE ARE TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH, WE FELT A SERIOUS VIBRATION IN THE LEFT REAR TIRE. WE SLOWED DOWN TO 60 MPH & THAT'S WHEN THE TIRE BLEW OUT. WE PULLED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY TO INSPECT & THE TIRE BLEW OUT THE SIDEWALL. WE DID NOT HIT ANYTHING & NO ROAD HAZARD CAUSED THIS DAMAGE. WE SIMPLY FELT AS A SERIOUS VIBRATION & WITHIN A HALF A MILE OR MILE IT BLEW OUT. THE SHOP WHERE WE PURCHASED THE TIRES CHARGED US FOR ANOTHER TIRE. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY WARRANTY BUT WE WENT AHEAD AND PAID FOR IT BECAUSE WE NEEDED THE VEHICLE FOR WORK. IT CONTINUED TO HAVE SEVERE VIBRATIONS WHICH CAUSE DIFFICULTY STEERING THE VEHICLE IN ACCELERATION & IN BRAKING. SO WE HAD EVERYTHING REPLACED ON THE FRONT END. AFTER THIS, THE TRUCK STILL FELT UNSTABLE...THE VIBRATION WAS STILL THERE AND IT WAS STILL DIFFICULT TO STEER.. IT ALSO HAD A TENDENCY TO PULL FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER & AT ALL TIMES & MY AIR PRESSURE WAS AT SPEC. THEN JUST RECENTLY, WE NOTICE THAT ALL THE TIRES, INCLUDING THE ONE THAT WE HAD REPLACED FROM THE BLOWOUT, WERE COMING APART ON THE SIDE WALLS. THERE WERE CRACKS ALL AROUND THE SIDEWALL OF EVERY SINGLE TIRE. THIS CAUSED QUITE AN ALARM TO US AS WE HAD BEEN DRIVING THIS TRUCK & COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED HAD WE NOT NOTICE THIS FLAW! THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THESE TIRES AND IT IS SERIOUS! THERE'S ALSO ALSO A PROBLEM WITH SOME OF YOUR DEALERS AS WELL, BECAUSE THEY ALSO REFUSED TO REPLACE THESE FOUR TIRES UNDER WARRANTY JUST AS THEY DID FOR THE BLOWOUT. THEY PRORATED MY TIRE USAGE WITH NO KNOWN MILEAGE OF WHEN THE TIRES WERE ORIGINALLY PURCHASED BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T DOCUMENT IT. ALL FIVE OF THESE TIRES SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY WITH NO CHARGE! THEY NEED TO BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED!