NHTSA Complaint #754883 — 2000 FORD TAURUS

I BELIEVE THAT THIS TIRE FAILURE IS DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I HAVE A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE TIRE THAT CLEARLY SHOWS "TIRE SEPARATION." WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO FILE A CLAIM WITH FORD, THEY TOLD ME THAT FIRESTONE WAS RESPONSIBLE. WHEN I CONTACTED FIRESTONE, THEY WOULD NOT ACCEPT A CLAIM BECAUSE THE TIRE WAS NOT SUBJECT TO FACTORY RECALL. FIRESTONE THEN TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE TIRE TO A FIRESTONE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. WHEN I EXPLAINED THAT I WAS ON VACATION AND HAD TO HAVE EMERGENCY REPAIRS, THEY TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD HAVE "SAVED THE TIRE" FOR INSPECTION. I TOLD FIRESTONE THAT IS WAS NOT REASONABLE OR POSSIBLE FOR ME TO DO THAT BECAUSE MY CAR WAS FILLED WITH LUGGAGE AND I WAS NOT GOING TO DRIVE AROUND FOR 5 DAYS WITH A DIRTY TIRE ON MY PASSENGERS LAP. FIRESTONE REFUSED TO OFFER ME ANY ALTERNATIVES AND REFUSED TO ACCEPT A CLAIM NOTHWITHSTANDING THE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES INVOLVED. THE FACT THAT THESE TIRES HAVE NOT BEEN RECALLED DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. FURTHERMORE, IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT THIS TIRE MAY BE SUBJECT OF RECALL IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE OF COMPLAINTS LIKE THIS SENT TO NTSB.*AK (TIRESIZE: P215/60R16)