NHTSA Complaint #728356 — 1996 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER

MY WIFE PURCHASED A 1996 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER IN HAWAII IN FEBRUARY 1998. THE VEHICLE CAME EQUIPPED WITH WILDERNESS AT TIRES (VNHL IPY 336 235/75 R15). IN DECEMBER 1999, TREAD ON ONE OF THE NEW TIRES SEPARATED WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD 25,005 MILES ON IT WHILE DRIVING IN HAWAII AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 55 MPH. WE WENT TO A FIRESTONE DEALER IN WAIPAHU, HI AND WERE TOLD WE HAD TO BUY A NEW TIRE ($39.97 ) THAT WOULD BE PRORATED BASED UPON THE REMAINING TREAD. THE LOW COST FOR THE NEW TIRE REFLECTED THE LACK OF TREAD WEAR ON THE BAD TIE. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS REPLACEMENT TIRE WAS ANOTHER WILDERNESS TIRE (8XHL 1PY 1100 235/75 R15). WHILE IN EL PASO IN MAY 2000, AS WERE DRIVING THE MOUNTAINER ACROSS COUNTRY, A SECOND OF THE ORIGINAL "VNHL" TIRES SUFFERED TREAD SEPARATION AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. AS WE WERE REPLACING THE SECOND TIRE, WITH ANOTHER WILDERNESS AT (8XHL 1PY 269, 235/75 R15 ), AT A PRORATED COST OF $64.99, THE MECHANIC, AT BOB MUSEL MESA FIRESTONE IN EL PASO, NOTICED THAT A THIRD "VNHL" ON THE GROUND WAS BAD BECAUSE IT HAD A CHUNK OF TREAD MISSING FROM THE TIRE. HE TOOK THIS BAD TIRE OFF THE GROUND AND IT IS NOW MY USELESS SPARE. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS INJURED DURING EITHER INCIDENT. BUT I THINK OUR LUNCK MIGHT BE RUNNING OUT. THE TREAD SEPARATION LED US TO CONDUDE IN MAY THAT THE ORIGINAL WILDERNESS AT TIRES THAT CAMNE WITH THE VEH WERE CLEARLY DEFECTIVE, AND THE RECENT FIRESTONE RECALL SUGGESTS THAT ALL OF THE WILDERNESS TIRES ARE PROBABLY DEFECTIVE, DESPITE THE DISTINCTION THAT IS CURRENTLY BEING PROFERRED. WE VISITED FIRESSTONE DEALERS IN NEWARK (COCHRAN & TREVITS) AND NEW CASTLE (SCOTT BALMANN, MANAGERE) DELAWARE THIS PAST WEEKEND TO ATTEMPT TO HAVE OUR DANGEROUS, DEFECTIVE TIRES REPLACED. WE SHOWED OUR RECEIPTS, TOLD OUR STORY AND GOT NO RESULTS. IN EACH CASE, THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT NEITHER "VNHL" OR 8XHL" DOT DESIGNATED WILDERENESS AT TIRES WERE PART OF THE RECALL ESTABLISHED BY FIRESTONE. MY FORMER/CURRENT "VHNL" TIRES ARE BAD!!!!