NHTSA Complaint #730581 — 2000 FORD TAURUS

TIRE COMPLETELY BLOWN OUT--NO TREAD REMAINED (JUST CAME APART). LOST CONTROL OF CAR AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SIDE. NEXT DAY TOOK THE REMINING TIRE PART (LIMITED TO THE RIM ONLY) TO JACK ROACH FORD (WHERE I HAVE MY CAR SERVICED). THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAD NO RESPONSIBILITY AND TO TAKE IT TO FIRESTONE. I DID AND THEY REPLACED THE TIRE WITH A SIMILAR TIRE. I HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE OVERALL RELIABILITY OF THESE TIRES. I SENT A LETTER TO FORD AND TO FIRESTONE REQUESTING THEM TO REPLACE ALL OF MY TIRES WITH A MORE DEPENDABLE AND HIGHER QUALITY TIRE. THIS LETTER WAS SENT ON AUGUST 10TH. I FAXED A COPY TO YOUR OFFICE ON AUGUST 15 WITH TH FIRESTONE INVOICE(WHICH ALSO INDICATED THAT NO TREAD REMAINED ON THE TIRE). A REPRESENTATIVE FROM FORD CALLED ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2ND INDICATING THAT FORD ACKNOWLEDGED THE RECEIPT OF THE LETTER, AND WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY AND WILL NOT REPLACE THE TIRES. THEY INSISTED THAT I NEED TO FOLLOW-UP WITH FIRESTONE. WHEN MY TIRE BLEW OUT ON A SIX LANE HIGHWAY, MY SIX YEAR OLD SON AND I WERE IN THE CAR. I HATE TO THINK THAT WE COULD HAVE BEEN FATALITIES. I FEEL IT WAS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT THAT PUT MY LIFE AND SON'S LIFE AT RISK. I REQUEST THAT YOU LOOK INTO THIS SITUATION BEFORE SOMEONE LOSES THEIR LIFE BASED ON THESE TIRE BLOW-OUTS.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P21560R16 )