NHTSA Complaint #734694 — 1998 CHEVROLET BLAZER

THESE TIRES HAVE APPROXIMATELY 43,000 MILES ON THEM. THE MINIMUM TREAD DEPTH IS APPROXIMATELY 4/32 OF AN INCH. ALL FOUR OF THESE TIRES HAVE A STARKLY VISABLE CRACK LINE JUST BELOW THE TREAD CASE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE TIRES. IT IS AT THE DEPTH OF WHERE THE STEEL BELTING WOULD BE FOUND. I REMOVED THESE TIRES AND PURCHASED ANOTHER SET OF FIRESTONE AT TIRES WITH THE SAME DOT NUMBER AND SINCE HAVE FOUND CRACKING OCCURRING ON TWO OF THE FOUR REPLACEMENT TIRES. THE TREAD ON THESE TIRES IS SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER. I HAVE SENT IN MY ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE, A PHOTO ATTACHMENT OF THE ORIGINIAL TIRES. FIRESTONE STORE REPS. ARE CONTENDING OZONE CRACKING WHICH IS PREPOSTEROUS. THIS SHOWS A SAFETY ISSUE ON 75% OF THE TIRES NOT MANUFACTURED AT THE DECATUR IL. PLANT. I EMPHASIZE THE CRACKING IS UNIFORM AND COMPLETELY SURROUNDING THE PERIMETER OF EACH TIRE. THIS SUGGESTS TO ME AS A RESEARCH ENGINEER, FAILURE WOULD BE HIGHLY LIKELY. (DOT NUMBER: VNHL TIRESIZE: P235/R7515)