2003 TOYOTA AVALON Tires Problems

DURING THE DRIVE TO FLORIDA, A HARD BRAKE (NO SKID) AND STEER TO THE LEFT WAS NECESSARY. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THAT, THE STEERING BECAME SHAKY AND A ROAD RUMBLING NOISE WAS NOTICED. AFTER SETTLING IN, WE TOOK THE CAR TO A FIRESTONE DEALER AND THEY RE-BALANCED THE TIRES. THAT DID NOT STOP THE SHAKY STEERING WHEEL OR THE ROAD NOISE. ONE WEEK LATER, WHILE CHANGING LANES, THE TIRES RAN OVER LANE DIVIDER BUMPS AND A BLOWOUT OCCURRED. REPLACED THE FLAT TIRE WITH THE SPARE (FULL SIZE) AND IMMEDIATELY, THE ROAD NOISE CEASED AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS PERFECTLY NORMAL. I INSPECTED THE TIRE AND FOUND A 2 INCH RIP/GAP IN THE CENTER OF THE TREAD. WENT BACK TO THE FIRESTONE DEALER AND WAS TOLD I HAD RUN OVER A SOME KIND OF SHARP ROAD HAZARD. I BELIEVE THE BELT BENEATH THE TREAD HAD FAILED. *TR

2003 TOYOTA AVALON WITH A TIRE REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TIRE WAS REPAIRED DUE TO PUNCTURE. THEN THE TIRE WAS REPLACED AND THE NEW TIRE AND THE OLD TIRES WERE THEN FILLED WITH NITROGEN. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE TIRES FRONT TIRES WERE LEAKING AIR. HE RE-FILLED THEM WITH AIR. WHILE DRIVING, THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE EXPLODED AS A RESULT OF THE TIRE BEING FILLED WITH NITROGEN. *JB

VEHICLE'S ODOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER IS OFF. *MR EXTRA EQUIPMENT WAS ADDED BY THE MANUFACTURER (16 INCH TIRES AS OPPOSED TO STANDARD 15 INCH TIRES) WHICH RESULTED IN THE SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED A FIX, REFUND OR REPURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. *SC *JB