NHTSA Complaint #732881 — 1999 FORD F-250

WE FIRST NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD A CRATER LIKE CRACK BETWEEN ONE TREAD. THE CRACK WAS ABOUT 3" LONG. WE THEN INSPECTED THE REST OF THE TIRE. WE FOUND SMALLER CRACKS ALL AROUND THE TIRE AND INBETWEEN OTHER TREADS. WE INSPECTED THE OTHER TIRES AND FOUND THAT ALL THE TIRES HAD SMALL CRACKS INBETWEEN THE TREADS, THEY WERE NOT AS BIG AS THE LEFT REAR, BUT THEY WERE ALL AROUND THE TIRES. THE CRACKS IN THE OTHER 3 TIRES RANDGED FROM ABOUT 1/8" TO 1/2" IN LENGTH. WE CONTACTED OUR FORD DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THIS WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. WE THEN CONTACTED A FIRESTONE DEALER IN OUR AREA AND BROUGHT THE TRUCK IN FOR INSPECTION. THEY SAID THE TIRES SHOWED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THEY REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES WITH THE SAME TIRES. WE EXSPESSED OUR CONCERNS ABOUT REPLACING THE TIRES WITH THE SAME ONES. THEY SAID THAT THEY HAVE NOT HAD ANY REPORTS OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS TIRE TYPE. WE WOULD LIKE TO BE NOTIFIED IF THERE WILL BE A RECALL ON THIS TIRE. I DO NOT FEEL THAT WE ARE DRIVING ON A SAFE TIRES WITH ALL THESE PROBLEMS BEING REPORTED WITH FIRESTONE. WE HAVE ALREADY HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS PERTICULAR TIRE BRAND AND NOW HAVE REPLACED THEM WITH THE EXACT SAME BRAND. IF I HAD AN EXTRA $700 TO $800 TO SPEND I WOULD NOT HAVE REPLACED THEM WITH THIS BRAND. THE FIRESTONE DEALER SAID THAT THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THIS TIRE TYPE AND BRAND AND THAT THERE WILL NEVER BE. BEING REPLACE FOR FREE SEEMED TO BE AN OKAY DEAL AT THE TIME, BUT NOW I AM QUESTIONING THAT DECISION. IF YOU CAN HELP AT ALL, I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. SINCERELY, BRIAN BARTO AND FAMILY. *AK (DOT NUMBER: ? TIRESIZE: 265/75/16)