NHTSA Complaint #733421 — 2000 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED AN ACTUAL FAILURE OF A FIRESTONE TIRE; HOWEVER I FEARED FOR MY SAFETY BECAUSE MY TIRES WERE MADE AT THE DECATUR, IL PLANT, THE SAFETY OF STEELTEX R4S TIRES IS NOW UNDER SCRUTINY, AND I HAVE PERSONALLY SEEN FAILURES OF TWO OF THE EXACT, SAME TIRE - ONE ON A SCHOOL VAN AND THE OTHER ON A RANCHER'S PICKUP. IT IS HIGHLY PROBABLE THAT SINCE THE FAILURES (TREAD SEPARATION AND BLOWOUT) OCCURRED IN SUCH A SMALL TOWN, THEY WERE NOT REPORTED TO NHTSA. I WOULD NOT RISK MY SAFETY, THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY, OR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS ON THE ROAD, SO I REPLACED THE FIRESTONE TIRES AT MY OWN EXPENSE. I WOULD NOT RISK BECOMING ANOTHER STATISTIC WHILE WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO DETERMINE THAT THE FIRESTONE STEELTEX R4S TIRES ARE UNSAFE. I BELIEVE THAT FIRESTONE SHOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR AT LEAST A PART OF THE EXPENSE OF REPLACING THEIR HIGHLY QUESTIONABLE TIRES. (YOUR FORM ASKED FOR ALL THE LETTERS AND NUMBERS OF THE TIRE SIZE, BUT DOES NOT PROVIDE SPACE FOR THEM TO ALL BE ENTERED. MY TIRES SIZE IS LT245/75R16, LOAD RANGE E.) (DOT NUMBER: VD11 B1C TIRESIZE: 245/75R16)