NHTSA Complaint #769106 — 2001 FORD F-250

PURCHASED 4 GOODYEAR LT30570R16 TIRES AT GOODYEAR DEALER IN ARCADIA, FL TO REPLACE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT FIRESTONES TO AVOID TIRE PROBLEM. GOODYEAR DEALER ASSURED US THAT LARGER TIRE WOULD BE ADEQUATE AND SAFE FOR OUR NEEDS EVEN THOUGH WE EXPRESSED CONCERNS. CONTINUED WITH TRAVELS AND IN 6/2001 UPON CROSSING THE US/CANADA BORDER ON THE DIRT AND GRAVEL ROAD KNOWN AS 'THE TOP OF THE WORLD HIGHWAY' GOING 25MPH TOWING A 5TH WHEEL THE LEFT REAR TIRE SPLIT IN TWO CROSSWAYS. I HAD TO DIG A HOLE IN THE ROAD AND WITH THE HELP OF A FRIEND MANAGED TO GET THE TIRE CHANGED. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS THERE WAS A 1,000 FT DROP OFF OF A VERY NARROW ROAD WITH ADDITIONAL MOTOR VEHICLES PASSING DUE TO THE US CUSTOM'S STATION HAVING JUST OPENED FOR THE DAY. RETURNED TIRE TO GOODYEAR DEALER IN FAIRBANKS, AK ON 6/26/01. GOODYEAR REPLACED THE DAMAGED TIRE AND WE WERE FORCED TO PURCHASE A SECOND TIRE , $243, TO HAVE MATCHING TIRES ON THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. (LT305/70R16 WRANGLER MTR). SECOND INCIDENT IN COLORADO HEADING NORTH ON I-70, 2 MILES FROM THE COLORADO CITY EXIT. TRAVELING AT 60MPH DOWN A VERY STEEP WINDING PORTION OF THE HIGHWAY THE TIRE BEGAN THUMPING AND THE TREAD SEPARATED, BUT THE TIRE REMAINED INFLATED. MANAGED TO PULL OFF THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND WAS ABLE TO CHANGE TIRE. AGAIN, A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AT SUNSET WITH SEMIS COMING AROUND THE DOWNHILL CURVE AT 75MPH. WITH GOD'S GRACE WE WERE ON A VERY WIDE PORTION OF PULL OFF AND MANAGED TO GET THE TIRE CHANGED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE TRUCK SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT FRONT FENDER AND DOOR ESTIMATED AT $1,300. I FEEL VERY ANGRY THAT I HAVE HAD TO ENDURE 2 INCIDENCES SUCH AS THIS. THERE ARE MANY REPORTS OF THIS SAME OCCURRANCE WITH THE WRANGLER TIRES. I FEEL THAT I AM JUST A PART OF A 'CALCULATED RISK' BY GOODYEAR. I NOW HAVE ANOTHER WRANGLER AT/S TIRE THAT IS BULGING. I AM TOLD THAT I MUST REPLACE. DT