NHTSA Complaint #731337 — 1997 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER

WE BOUGHT OUR MERCURY MOUNTAINEER IN JANUARY, 1998 (MFGD IN APRIL, 1997) SERIAL #[XXX] AND WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR WE NOTICED THE SIDEWALL AND TIRE TREAD WAS PEELING FROM THE TIRE. WE BROUGHT THIS TO THE DEALER'S ATTENTION (HATFIELD'S LINCOLN MERCURY LOCATED IN COLUMBUS, OH) AND THEY DISMISSED IT. WE TOLD THEM THE SUV VIBRATED AND RUMBLED AND RODE VERY, VERY ROUGH. THEY SAID TO ROTATE THE TIRES. IT CONTINUED TO DO IT AND CONTINUES TO THIS DAY (9/13/00). WE HAVE HAD THE TIRES ROTATED MANY TIMES. WE ARE VERY MUCH CONCERNED ABOUT THIS SITUATION AND FOLLOW THE NEWS RELEASES CLOSELY SINCE THE TIRE RECALL. WE HAVE HAD MUCH TROUBLE WITH THESE TIRES AND THE GARAGE CONTINUOUSLY DISMISSED OUR CONCERNS. WE TRAVEL CROSS COUNTRY AT POSTED SPEEDS AND THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHWEST FREQUENTLY. WE HAVE NOW MOVED TO ALBUQUERQUE, NM, AND ARE EVEN MORE CONCERNED SINCE IT IS HOT WEATHER AND DESERT AREA. WE CONTINUE TO HAVE RUMBLE AND VIBRATION IN THE TIRES. WE WENT TO A FIRESTONE DEALER TO CHECK THE DOT CODE AND HE SAID THEY WERE W2. WE CHECKED WITH ANOTHER LOCATION AND THEY SAID THE SAME, W2. HOWEVER, AS WE HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED, THE PEELING IS VERY EVIDENT INCLUDING THE TREAD LAYER. WE ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THESE FACTS. WE BELIEVE A FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE CONDUCTED AND OUR TIRES RECALLED AS WELL. SHOULD ANYTHING HORRIBLE HAPPEN, IT WOULD BE A TERRIBLE TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE. WE FEEL FIRESTONE IS RESPONSIBLE AND FORD AND THE NHTSA SHOULD HOLD THEM AS SUCH. *AK( DOT NUMBER: W2 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 ). INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR