NHTSA Complaint #759004 — 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK

WHEN THE ORIGINAL RECALLS OF THE WILDERNESS TIRES OCCURRED WE WERE TOLD BY SUBARU AND FIRESTONE THAT OUR SIZE TIRE WAS NOT EFFECTED. THESE TIRES WERE THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON THE CAR. LAST NIGHT WE WERE DRIVING HOME AT ABOUT 11:00 AND COMING DOWN THE EXIT RAMP FROM ROUTE 270 ONTO MIDDLEBROOK ROAD IN GERMANTOWN. MY HUSBAND HEARD A HISSING SOUND AND AT FIRST WE DISMISSED IT. ABOUT A HALF MILE LATER AT A LIGHT WE HEARD AN ADDITIONAL SOUND AND REALIZED THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE HAD GONE FLAT. MY HUSBAND PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND GOT OUT TO DISCOVER THE SIDEWALL HAD SEPARATED AND THE TIRE WAS EXTREMELY HOT. IT DID NOT SEPARATE TO THE POINT OF RIPPING THE TIRE ALL THE WAY THROUGH, BUT ENOUGH OF A GAP YOU COULD PUT YOUR FINGER IN. IT LOOKS LIKE THE SEPARATION GOES AT LEAST HALF WAY AROUND THE SIDE WALL (180 DEGREES) AND PROBABLY MORE. WE ROAD ON THE FLAT (AT A SNAIL'S PACE) THE MILE TO OUR HOME SINCE WE STILL HAD RUBBER BETWEEN THE RIM AND ROAD. THE SCAREY PART IS THAT IT WAS LATE, DARK AND IF WE'D GOTTEN STUCK ON ROUTE 270 IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PLEASANT FOR MY HUSBAND TO CHANGE A TIRE UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS--IN FACT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS. ISN'T THIS THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENED TO ALL THOSE OTHER WILDERNESS TIRES--THAT THE SIDEWALL SEPARATED, RIPPED AND THE TIRE WRAPPED AROUND THE AXLE AND FLIPPED VEHICLES?! LUCKILY, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, OURS DIDN'T GO THAT FAR, BUT IT COULD HAVE. OUR OUTBACK IS A WONDERFUL CAR AND WE LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF DRIVING IT, BUT FOR A STATIONWAGON ITS CENTER OF GRAVITY IS A LITTLE HIGHER THAN AVERAGE. JUST LIKE THOSE SUVS WE COULD HAVE FLIPPED OUR BEAUTIFUL CAR IF THINGS DIDN'T TURN OUT THE WAY THEY DID. NEEDLESS TO SAY, MY HUSBAND IS PISSED OFF. HE CALLED THE FITZGERALD SUBARU IN GAITHERSBURG FOR ADVICE AND THEY SAID WE'LL HAVE TO DEAL WITH FIRESTONE. DO I NEED TO FEAR THE THREE OTHER TIRES ON MY CAR NOW? THANKS! JOYCE MCDONALD. *AK