NHTSA Complaint #732935 — 1995 GMC SUBURBAN

PURCHASED 4 REPLACEMENT TIRES FOR GMC SUBURBAN ON DECEMBER 1999 - FIRESTONE STEELTEX R4S (OUTLINE WHITE LETTER). ALL MADE IN CANADA. LOTS: 30359 EX BM14480-3. AT 65 MPH THE TRUCK SHIMMIED TERRIBLY. I RETURNED THE VEHICLE ON 5 OCCASIONS; FOR WHEEL BALANCING AND REPLACEMENT TIRES, THE LAST TIME BEING 9/27/00. THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. THROUGH MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, I AM CERTAIN THERE IS A TIRE PROBLEM, RATHER THAN VEHICLE. (I PLAN TO VERIFY WITH FRONT END ALIGNMENT, BUT I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM TO BE REAR TIRES.) THROUGH OUT THE FIVE (5) RETURN TRIPS TO THE DEALER, THE 2 REAR TIRES WERE REPLACE WITH MODERATE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE VIBRATION (SIMILAR TO A TREAD SEPARATION WHICH I HAVE EXPERIENCED BEFORE). THE REPLACEMENT TIRE LOTS WERE; MADE IN CANADA 30359 EX BM14480-3 AND 32356 EX BM14480-3. PLEASE ADD THIS COMPLAINT AND CONCERN TO YOUR FILES AND ADVISE IF THERE ARE OTHER REPORTED INCIDENTS ON THIS SIZE TIRE. I HAVE NOT HAD A BLOWOUT OR TREAD PEEL-BACK, BUT I STRONGLY SUSPECT THERE TO BE A DEFECT IN THESE TIRES. I PRAY THAT IF THERE ARE REPORTED DEFECTS THAT A RECALL BE INSTITUTED IMMEDIATLY BEFORE ANY DEATHS OCCUR. STEPHAN HUMPHREY. *AK (DOT NUMBER: TIRESIZE: LT26575R16)