NHTSA Complaint #745184 — 1989 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN

IN JULY OF 2000 I WENT TO FIRESTONE TO REPORT A BUBBLE IN MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE. THE EMPLOYEE SAID THAT THE TREAD WAS SEPERATING AND THAT I SHOULD BUY NEW TIRES. THEY HAD NONE IN STOCK SO I BOUGHT ELSEWHERE. I STILL HAD THE FIRSTONES ON THE REAR. ON EASTER 2001 WHILE RETURNING HOME ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH THE LEFT REAR TIRE SUFFERED TREAD SEPERATION. I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE AND HAD THE TIRE CHANGED. I HAD 5 FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE CAR WHO WERE VERY SCARED BY THIS. DAMAGE WAS $2300. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO WRITE A MORE IN DEPTH REPORT OR BE INTERVIEWED. I NEVER SAW ANY INDICATION THAT THESE TIRES WERE RECALLED. IF I HAD LEFT THE ONES ON THE FRONT WE MAY ALL BE DEAD. PLEASE STOP FIRSTONE FROM HANDLING INDIVIDUAL CLAIMS RATHER THAN RECALLING ALL OF THE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE TIRES - NOBODY ELSE SHOULD DIE IN ORDER TO SAVE THEM MONEY AND REPUTATION. I HAVE THE TIRE....AND PHOTOS. *AK (DOT NUMBER: VDXF AXD TIRESIZE: 33X12.50R1)