NHTSA Complaint #730600 — 1994 MERCURY VILLAGER

WE'VE HAD THREE MAJOR BLOWOUTS WITH FIRESTONE TIRES. DURING THE FIRST ONE, WE WERE GOING ONLY ABOUT 45 MPH AND THEY REPLACED IT UNDER ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY. THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 75MPH AND MY HUSBAND SPUN OUT OF CONTROL ONTO THE GRASS MEDIAN. THE TIRE LITERALLY EXPLODED AND WE HAD TO TAKE THE PIECES BACK TO FIRESTONE. WE ENDED UP WITH A DENTED AND SCRATCHED RIM. WHEN WE COMPLAINED, FIRESTONE BASICALLY TOLD ME TO FIX IT UNDER ROAD HAZARD BECAUSE THEY SAID 99% OF THEIR PRODUCT DEFECT COMPLAINTS CAME BACK NEGATIVE AND THEN I'D BE OUT THE PRICE OF THE TIRE. IF THEY DECIDED THERE WAS NO DEFECT, THEY WOULD NOT REIMBURSE ME FOR THE NEW TIRE WHEREAS IF I HAD THEM REPLACE THE TIRE, I WOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING. THE LAST BLOWOUT OCCURRED IN MISSOURI ON OUR VACATION. WE WERE OUT OF STATE AND GOING ABOUT 70MPH AND THE TREAD COMPLETELY COME OFF. WE HAD IT REPLACED AT A WALMART, SO NOW WE HAVE 3 FIRESTONE TIRES AND ONE GOODYEAR TIRE. WE HAVE 5 CARS AND OUR OTHER 4 CARS DO NOT HAVE FIRESTONE TIRES AND WE'VE NEVER HAD A SINGLE PROBLEM WITH ANY OF THEM AT ALL.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 21570R15 )