NHTSA Complaint #749150 — 2001 ISUZU RODEO

THE RIGHTSIDE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THERE WAS NO ROAD HAZARD, CLEAR ROADWAY, AND THE DRIVER DID NOT STRIKE ANY OBSTACLES. THERE ARE NO OBJECTS IN THE TIRE TREAD. UPON GOING FLAT, THE DRIVER IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO THE RIGHT SIDE FROM THE CENTER LANE AND STOPPED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THIS DID CAUSE MAJOR SIDEWALL DAMAGE DUE TO THE SHORT RIDE ON THE DEFLATED TIRE. THE TIRE AND VEHICLE ARE BRAND NEW WITH LESS THAN 3,000 MILES. DEALER SAID THAT THIS WAS NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AND SENT ME TO THE TIRE DEALER. BRIDGESTONE TIRE DEALER SAID THAT DUE TO THE DAMAGE TO THE SIDEWALL, HE COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE TIRE FAILURE, THEREFORE, NO WARRANTY COULD BE ENFORCED. BRIDGESTONE IS THE SISTER OF FIRESTONE WHICH HAS BEEN HAVING MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH TIRES ON SUV'S. THIS MAY BE RELATED???? HAD THIS BEEN A FRONT TIRE, A MAJOR ACCIDENT MAY HAVE RESULTED. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE AND RELIABILITY OF THE TIRES. *AK (TIRESIZE: P245/70R16)