NHTSA Complaint #733176 — 1998 FORD WINDSTAR

ON 9/7/00 I WENT TO THE LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER TELLING THEM WE WERE LEAVING FOR VACATION IN FLORIDA ON THE 9TH AND TO PLEASE DO AN EARLY OIL CHANGE AND ROTATE THE TIRES, MAKING SURE THE TIRES WERE IN GOOD CONDITION (BECAUSE OF ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH FIRESTONE TIRES). I WAS TOLD THE TIRES WERE FINE AND ACTUALLY WATCHED WHILE THEY ROTATED THEM. WE GOT TO FL AND, BECAUSE OF THE ROCKY RIDE DOWN IN THE RAIN, MY HUSBAND TOOK THE VAN TO SEARS TO GET IT ALIGNED. HE WAS HORRIFIED TO LEARN THAT THE TWO FRONT TIRES WERE 'OUT OF ROUND' AND THAT ONE OF THOSE FIRESTONE TIRES HAD TREAD THAT WAS ON THE VERGE OF SEPARATING. THIS IS WHAT HAS KILLED SO MANY PEOPLE. OUR VAN IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. WE BROUGHT THE TIRES BACK WITH US AND THEY ARE STORED IN OUR GARAGE, SO I CAN GET THE NECESSARY NUMBERS, ETC., FOR YOU IF YOU WISH. I TOOK THE TIRES TO THE FIRESTONE DEALER. THE MANAGER AGREED WE SHOULD NEVER HAVE DRIVEN THAT FAR WITH THAT TIRE, AND HE APOLOGIZED; HOWEVER, HIS ONLY ACTION WILL BE TO "ADJUST" THE COST OF NEW FIRESTONE TIRES WHEN WE NEED THEM (WE BOUGHT TWO NEW MICHELIN TIRES). THIS TIRE ONLY HAD 26,000 MILES ON IT. WE HAVE A 2 1/2-YEAR-OLD SON, AND WE ARE PETRIFIED KNOWING THIS TIRE COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AND KILLED OUR ENTIRE FAMILY. WHEN I CALLED FIRESTONE THIS MORNING, THEY SAID NO ONE ELSE WITH A '98 FORD WINDSTAR HAS REPORTED THIS PROBLEM.*AK( DOT NUMBER: )