NHTSA Complaint #736152 — 1999 FORD F-350

ON SUNDAY MORNING AT APPROXIMATELY 9:00 A.M. 2MILES WEST OF SANTA ROSA, NEW MEXICO THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. WE WERE TOWING A 30 FOOT 5TH WHEEL RECREATIONAL VECHICLE AT ABOUT 70 MPH. DUE TO WHERE THIS HAPPENED, I HAD TO LEAVE THE ROADWAY TO KEEP FROM BEING RUN OVER BY 18 WHEELERS RUNNING 75+ MPH. SINCE I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE, I HAD TO GO IN THE CENTER MEDIAN. THIS AREA WAS EXTREMELY SLOPED AND WE WERE BARELY ABLE TO CLEAR THE ROADWAY WITH THE RIGH SIDE OF TRUCK AND TRAILER. NEW MEXICO STATE HIGHWAY PATROL WAS CONTACTED BUT NEVER SHOWED UP. IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO A LOCATION TO FIND A REPLACEMENT TIRE. WE HAP TO BUY A USED TIRE FOR A SPARE. IN SANTA FE, NM WE LOCATED A FIRESTONE DEALER. HE REPLACED BOTH REAR TIRES WITH THE SAME MODEL TIRE BUT A DIFFERENT TREAD DESIGN. HE DID NOT MENTION THE THERE BEING A PROBLEM WITH THESE TIRES. AFTER RETURNING HOME AND GETTING MORE DETAILS AND THE CONCERN WITH SAFETY, WE BOUGHT REPLACE TIRES FROM ANOTHER MANUFACTOR. I FEEL FIRESTONE SHOULD HAVE NTIFIED ME OF THE POSSIBLE PROBLEM BEFORE THE INCIDENT. I AM OUT OVER $800 FOR FIVE REPLACEMENT TIRES PLUS THE $1500 DAMAGE TO MY TRUCK. THE FORD DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND FORD CALLED AND ASK A FEW QUESTIONS BUT NO FUTHER CONTACT. FIRESTONE HAS MADE NO CONTACT. *AK (DOT NUMBER: VNW81XM398 TIRESIZE: LT265/7516)