NHTSA Complaint #766687 — 1998 CHEVROLET PICKUP

I WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON INTERSTATE 5 GOING 70 MPH, AND BEGAN TO HEAR A THUMPING SOUND. WITHIN SECONDS, MY FRONT LEFT TIRE BLEW & I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF MY TRUCK. I HAD TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY STOP IN THE CENTER OF THE FREEWAY @ THE EL TORO "Y". (CENTER SECTION BETWEEN THE 5 AND 405 INTERCHANGE). THE STEEL BELT HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. ALL 4 OF MY TIRES ARE FACTORY ORIGINALS FROM FEBRUARY 1998, (I PURCHASED VEHICLE @ 35,000 MILES IN JANUARY 2001) ALL 4 TIRES APPEARED TO BE IN VERY GOOD SHAPE.NOW, I'M TOLD THAT I CAN'T SEEK REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE TIRES BECAUSE IT DOESN'T APPLY TO BRIDGESTONE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S THE SAME TIRE NUMBER. THIS IS THE SAME EXACT THING THAT HAPPENED TO ALL THOSE FIRESTONE TIRES. I'M LUCKY TO BE ALIVE. I HAVE KEPT THE BLOWN-OUT TIRE IN CASE YOU WANT TO SEE IT. PLEASE INFORM ME AS TO WHETHER I CAN GET REIMBURSEMENT FOR ALL 4 TIRES.*AK