NHTSA Complaint #727732 — 1998 FORD EXPLORER

THE SIDE WALLS ON THE 16 INCH FIRESTONE TIRES ON MY 1998 FORD EXPLORER, EDDIE BAUER MODEL BEGAN TO CRACK AND THE THREAD BEGAN TO SEPARATE. I BROUGHT MY SUV INTO A FIRESTONE TIRE AND SERVICE CENTER. THE SERVICE MANAGER INSPECTED THE TIRES AND AGREED THAT THE 16 WILDERNESS AT TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE. HOWEVER, HE SAID THAT HE COULD NOT REPLACE THEM SINCE FIRESTONE HQ SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THEIR 16" WILDERNESS AT TIRES. CONTRARY TO HQ CLAIM THE SERVICE MANAGER SEEING THE OBVIOUS DEFECT/FAILURE OF THE TIRES AGREED TO GAVE ME A SMALL ALLOWANCE ON THE TIRES IF I BOUGHT 4 BRAND NEW BRIDGESTONE TIRES. FEARING FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PAY FULL RETAIL, LESS THE ALLOWANCE IN ORDER TO GET NEW TIRES. PLEASE FOR THE SAFETY OF THE DRIVING PUBLIC , MAKE A FULL INVESTIGATION OF THE 16 INCH FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES AND GET THESE UNSAFE, DEFECTIVE 16" FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES OFF THE ROAD AND MARKET BEFORE PEOPLE ARE KILLED.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P255/70/16 )