NHTSA Complaint #729370 — 1998 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER

I HAS HAD 3 OF THE ORIGINAL 5 TIRES FAIL. ONE FAILED AT 7000 MILES; THE OTHER TWO AT 30,000 MILES. I WAS TOLD THAT THE DAMAGE WAS INTERNAL. THE TIRES BEGAN TO BULDGE ON THE EXTERIOR WALL. ONE OF THE TIRES FLATTENED AT 75 MPH ON THE FREEWAY BEYOND REPAIR; IN FACT, THIS TIRE IS IN MY GARAGE. THE LOCAL DEALER MADE THE PROBLEM MY FAULT--IMPROPER INFLATION. HOWEVER, THE DOT NUMBER ON MY TIRES DID NOT MATCH THOSE FROM THE RECALL. I WAS PROMPTED TO WRITE BECAUSE I DO HAVE EVIDENCE THAT THESE PARTICULAR TIRES AS WELL HAVE MANUFACTURER DEFECTS. MY PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED TO ME AS BELT SLIPPAGE. HOWEVER, THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THESE WERE THE "BEST" TIRES FIRESTONE MAKES. FORTUNATELY, I HAVE DECIDED NOT TO REPLACE MY FIRESTONE TIRES WITH ANOTHER SET OF "DEFECTIVE" TIRES. NEVERTHELESS, OTHERS ARE PUTTING THESE SAME TYPE TIRES ON THE VECHICLES AS REPLACEMENTS FOR THE DEFECTS. I AM STATING FOR THE RECORD THAT THESE WILL ALSO WARRANT INVESTIGATION. ISN'T IT ODD THAT I HAVE REPLACED THREE OF FIVE TIRES WITH LESS THAN 30,000 MILES FOR BELT SLIPPAGE. WHAT ARE THE STATISTICAL ODDS OF THAT HAPPENING? KNOWING A BIT ABOUT STATISTICS, THIS NUMBER IS SIGNIFICANT, NOT A RANDOM OCCURRENCE.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 16 )