NHTSA Complaint #729131 — 1989 FORD BRONCO

IN THE SUMMER OF 1998 (JULY-AUGUST) I HAD THREE TIRE FAILURES. THE FIRST TIRE LOCATED ON THE RIGHT REAR FAILED TRAVELING 65 MILES PER HOUR ON I-75. THE TREAD SEPARATED LEAVING THE CORE INFLATED. I LOST TRACTION ON THE WHEEL AND THE VEHICLE BECAME HARD TO CONTROL AS IT WHEN OFF THE ROAD. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE BRONCO AND CHANGE THE TIRE AND CONTINUE DRIVING. THE SECOND FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE LEFT REAR A WEEK LATER ON I-4 AT 65 MILES PER HOUR, THE TIRE SEPARATED AND DEFLATED AND CAUSED ABOUT $500.00 DAMAGE TO THE LEFT REAR QUARTER PANEL. THE NEXT WEEK ON I-75 THE VEHICLE BECAME UNSTABLE AND HARD TO CONTROL I STOPPED THE BRONCO AND FOUND THE RIGHT LEFT REAR TIRE WAS STARTING TO SEPARATE AND CHANGED TO TIRE OUT. I ASKED MY FIRESTONE DEALER AT THAT TIME WHAT THEY THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE TIRES AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS PROBABLY THE AGE OF THE TIRES. I REPLACED ALL THE TIRES ON THE BRONCO AND KEPT ONE OF THE OLD ATX TIRES AS A SPARE ON 08/13/1998.( DOT NUMBER: VD60AT4493 TIRE SIZE: 31X1050R15 )