NHTSA Complaint #766011 — 1999 GMC SUBURBAN

TIRES MAINTAINED PROPERLY. WHEN TOWING 8000 LB. VACATION TRAILER, 80 LBS. REAR, 50 LBS. FRONT. (MFGR. SPEC.). WHEELS EQUIPPED WITH TIRE SENTRY MONITORING SYSTEM WHICH SOUND AN ALAMR AND BLINKING LIGHT ON DASH IF TIRE PRESSURE IS LOWER THAN FACTORY SETTING. WHILE TRAVELING SOUTH ON HWY. 1999 NEAR BAKERSFIELD, CA ON A HOT JULY AFTERNOON (103 DEGREES) WHILE TOWING 8000 LB TRAILER AT FREEWAY SPEED, THE LEFT REAR SUBURBAN TIRE SUDDENLY BEGAN VIBERATING VILOENTLY, STARTED TO FLAP, LOST TREAD AND THE BLOWOUT (THIS ALL HAPPEND VERY QUICKLY). - SUBMITTED CLAIM FOR TIRE AND DAMAGE TO VEHICLE TO FIRESTONE AND WAS THE CLAIM WAS DENIED. THEY SAID THE TIRE HAD BEEN OPERATED FOR AN UNKNOW PERIOD OF TIME WITH INSUFFICIENT AIR PRESSURE TO CARRY LOAD (THIS IS NOT TRUE) AND THAT THE FAILURE DID NOT RESULT FROM A DEFECT IN EITHER MATERIALS OR WORKMANSHIP. POINT OF INTEREST: THE SUBURBAN HAS BEEN PULLING TO THE RIGHT AND I WAS GOING TO HAVE IT ALIGNED, HOWEVER I REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES WITH MICHILINS AND NOW THE TRUCK DOES NOT PULL TO THE RIGHT. I SINCE HAVE HAD THE BLOWNTIRE INSPECTED BY A TIRE DEALER AND THEY FELT THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE. - MY NEXT STEP IS SMALL CLAIMS COURT - HOWEVER TODAY I SEE THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST FIRESTONE ON THIS VERY TIRE.*AK