NHTSA Complaint #726878 — 1996 SPARTAN GT1

THE PREVIOUS PAGE DID NOT ALLOW FOR COMPLETE ENTRY OF THE MODEL OR SIZE. THE PROBLEM WITH TWO BRIDGESTONE ROADHANDLER GT PERFORMANCE H TIRES APPEARS TO BE IDENTICAL TO THE PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN NEWS RELEASES AND YOUR RECORDED MESSAGES ABOUT THE FIRESTONE/BRIDGESTONE TIRES FOR SUVS. THE TIRES WERE ON A 92 ACURA LEGEND. THEY WERE REPLACEMENT TIRES PURCHASED AT SEARS. THE TIRES WERE INSPECTED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE MY WIFE DEPARTED ON A TRIP OF SOME 700 MILES. THE TREAD COVERED A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF ROOSEVELTS HEAD ON A DIME (THE TRADITIONAL MEASIRE OF TREAD DEPTH FOR AMATEURS.) UPON HER RETURN, SEHE WAS DRIVING ON AN INTRACITY EXPRESSWAY AT ABOUT 60 MPH WHEN A SIGNIFICANT "BUMPING" STARTED. THE DEGREE OF VIBRATION AND THE SUDDENNESS OF ONSET CAUSED US TO BELIEVE IT HAD THROWN A BALANCING WEIGHT. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TOI SEARS FIRST THING THE NEXT MORNING AND THEY FOUND A PROFOUND TREAD SEPARATION (FOR THE CARCUS) ON ONE FRONT TIRE. WHEN THEY INSPECTED THE OTHER FRONT TIRE, IT WAS FOUND TO HAVE AN EASILY IDENTIFIED SEPARATION. WE REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES. BECAUSE THE TIRES HAD A 50K GUARANTEE AND THE TIRE HAD 52K (DESPITE THE FACT THAT THEY HAD SIGNIFICANT TREAD), SEARS AND FIRESTONE DID NOT FEEL THAT THE MATTER SHOULD BE PURSUED. (AS A PERSONAL NOTE: IF THE TREAD FAILURE HAD OCCURRED 30 MILES EARLY, MY WIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN AT SPEED - 70 MPH - ON HEAVILY TRAVELED I -4 WERE A TREAD FAILURE WOULD HAVE BEEN DISASTRUOUS TO HER AND OTHERS.. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205/60R15 )