2001 SUBARU OUTBACK Tires Problems

HI, ON FEBRUARY 25, 2003 WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY MY LEFT REAR FIRESTONE TIRE ON MY SUBARU OUTBACK BLEW UP. I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT NO ONE WAS NEXT TO MY CAR AT THE TIME THE TIRE BLEW AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE. THE TIRE WAS FIRESTONE WILDERNESS 225 60-16 H-RATED. PART # 074772. THE CAR IS A SUBARU 2001 AND IT HAD ONLY 21000 MILES WHEN THE TIRE BLEW. I CONTACTED FIRESTONE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPT. AND THE FIRESTONE SHOP ON DEMPSTER IN SKOKIE, ILLINOIS AND WAS INFORMED THAT I WILL HAVE TO PURCHASE 4 NEW TIRES BECAUSE IF I REPLACE ONLY THE TIRE THAT BLEW, IT WILL DAMAGE MY TRANSMISSION. I ASKED WHY THE TIRE BLEW WITH ONLY 21,000 MILES ON IT AND THEY COULD NOT EXPLAIN BUT SAID THEY WILL SEND IT BACK TO THEIR FACTORY FOR INVESTIGATION. THEY WERE WILLING TO PRORATE...

THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT WITH NO WARNING. *JB THE CONSUMER EXCESSIVELY CHECKED FOR CRACKS WHICH WERE FOUND ON ALL FOUR TIRES. SCC

THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE BLEW OUT, WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO PULL OVER. *JB

WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH, CONSUMER STATES RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW 2 1/2 INCHES FROM THE RIM, AND THERE WERE SPLITS GOING ALL THE WAY AROUND TIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB

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...

SIDEWALL ON RIGHT/REAR TIRE SHREDDED WHILE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 65 MPH. THEN, RIGHT REAR TIRE DROPPED, AND CONSUMER PULLED OFF THE ROAD. ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, 6000 MILES MOUNTED ON A 2001, SUBARU, OUTBACK WAGON.*AK *YD

WHEN YOU PUT CAR IN R AND START TO GO ALL 4 TIRES DONT ENGAGE AT THE SAME TIME. *AK