NHTSA Complaint #728655 — 1988 HYUNDAI EXCEL

DRIVING OUT OF DRIVEWAY HEARD A NOISE LIKE THE TIRE WAS FLAT OR SOMETHING DRAGGING BENEATH MY VEHICLE. EXITED FOUND NOTHING. DROVE TO NEXT STOP SIGN, NOISE CONTINUED. EXITED A SECOND TIME AND OBSERVED TRED FROM TIRE EXTENDING ABOUT SIX INCHES TO THE REAR OF TIRE. TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED BUT THE TRED TRAILED BEHIND THE TIRE. DROVE IN REVERSE TO ALLOW TRED TO WRAP AROUND TIRE AND PARKED IN DRIVEWAY. CHANGED TIRE TWO DAYS LATER. COUPLE WEEKS PASSED. NOTIFIED FIRESTONE BY CALLING THEIR EIGHT HUNDRED NUMBER TODAY 8-22-2000 AND WAS TOLD ONLY THE TIRES SPECIFIED IN THE RECALL WOULD BE EXCHANGED FOR FREE. I WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A NEW TIRE. I EXPRESSED TO THEM THAT MY SERIES TIRE HAD TRED SEPERATION AS THE OTHER RECALLED TIRES HAVE HAD OCCUR. THEY DID NOT TAKE MY NAME, NUMBER OR EVEN TELL ME WHERE TO TAKE IT FOR INSPECTION. I WAS TOLD TO GO TO NEAREST DEALER AND BUY ANOTHER ONE, MINE WAS NOT COVERED. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS INVESTIGATED SINCE I AM A POLICE OFFICER BY PROFESSION, NOT TO MENTION I OR A FAMILY MEMBER MAY HAVE BEEN KILLED IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT A FASTER RATE OF SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY RATHER THAN IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. I STILL HAVE THE TIRE IF PICTURES ARE NEEDED OR IF AN INSPECTOR NEEDS TO RESPOND TO VIEW THE TIRE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THERE MAY BE OTHER SERIES OF FAULTY FIRESTONE BRAND TIRES OUT THERE JEOPARDISING MORE INNOCENT LIVES. PLEASE ADVISE ME ON THE NEXT STEP I NEED TO TAKE TO RESOLVE THE MATTER. FIRESTONE SEEMED UNCOOPERATIVE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER. SINCERELY, STEVEN W. GORDON.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: I75/70R138 )