NHTSA Complaint #752710 — 1998 FORD WINDSTAR

I WENT TO PURCHASE 2 NEW TIRES AFTER AN AVERAGE ROAD HAZARD BLOWOUT AT COSTCO FOR MY FWD WINDSTAR W/ ANTILOCK BRAKES. THEY REFUSED TO PUT THE NEW TIRES ON THE FRONT, EVEN THOUGH THE TIRES NOT BEING REPLACED HAD GOOD TREAD WEAR REMAINING. THEY SIGHTED AN ARTICLE ON THE COUNTER AND A HANDOUT FROM MICHELIN STATING IT WAS THEIR "POLICY" TO PLACE THE TIRES ON THE REAR. THIS MAKES NO SENCE!. IT APPEARS TO BE A PLOY TO SELL MORE TIRES BY LEAVING OLD TIRES ON THE FRONT WHERE THEY WEAR FASTER, EXTEND THE WARRANTY ON THE NEW TIRES BY LETTING THEM WEAR LESS ON THE REAR, AND DECREASING POSSIBLE TIRE LIABILITY BY HAVING THE NEW TIRES NOT CONTROL (STEER) THE VEHICLE! DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION THAT THIS PRACTICE IS SAFER OR IS IT A MARKETING PLOY THAT IS OUT OF CONTROL??.