1995 Chevrolet Astro

WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 65 MILES PER HOUR, ONE OF OUR FIRESTONE FR 410 TIRES EXPLODED IN BUSY TRAFFIC, PLACING US IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE TIRE BLEW OUT ON BOTH SIDES, AND THE TREAD SEPARATED. THIS WAS A FRONT TIRE ON AN ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE VAN. PUTTING ON THE SPACE-SAVER SPARE IN THE DARK ON THE SHOULDER OF THE INTERSTATE WAS VERY NERVE-WRACKING AND HAZARDOUS. A STATE TROOPER GAVE US ADVICE AND WARNED US ABOUT HOW DANGEROUS THE SITUATION WAS. THE OTHER FRONT TIRE, UPON EXAMINATION AT A TIRE DEALER, ALSO HAD SEPARATING TREAD. THE TIRES ARE P21575R15. WE HAVE NEVER HAD A BLOWOUT OR TIRE PROBLEM THIS SEVERE. OF COURSE WE HAD TO BUY 2 NEW TIRES. WE WONDER IF THESE TIRES HAVE BEEN RECALLED OR IF THERE IS ANY WAY TO GET A REMEDY FOR OURSELVES AND WARN OTHERS WHO MAY HAVE THESE TIRES. WE FEEL WE COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN IN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. WE ARE ANGRY, NERVOUS, AND DISGUSTED. *TR

MY NAME IS: STEVEN ENCARNACION. ADDRESS: 1204 ST. JOSEPH WAY, PETALUMA, CA 94954-5360 E:MAIL STEVOE@HOME.COM. TELEPHONE #(707)763-7437. THIS IS THE FOURTH OF FOUR (1ST ODI#719304, 2ND ODI#719313, 3RD ODI#719345) COMPLAINTS AGAINST G&C AUTOBODY, RE: RENTING OUT VEHICLES WITH THE GROSS KNOWLEDGE OF SAFETY DEFECTS FOR PROFIT. I RENTED THE CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN ON 02/09/2000 (RENTAL AGREEMENT #25919, REPAIR ORDER #000676, RENTAL RATE $5.00 PER DAY) WHILE OUR VEHICLE WAS TO BE REPAIRED. THE RENTAL HAD LEAKS IN THE TWO FRONT TIRES, I HAD TO PUT AIR IN THEM EVERY OTHER DAY SO THEY WOULDN'T GO FLAT. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY AND OF ALL TIMES , IT HAD TO BE WHEN WE WERE GETTING SOME HEAVY RAIN. I COULDN'T UNLOCK THE PASSENGER DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. WE WERE TOLD IT WOULD TAKE FIVE WEEKS TO REPAIR OUR VEHICLE. WHEN WE STARTED COMPLANING ABOUT MY INJURY FROM THE THIRD RENTAL THEY CALLED OUR INSURANCE COMPANY AND SAID OUR VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, THAT TOOK SIX WEEKS. WE SUFFERED FOR SIX WEEKS WITH FAULTY RENTALS, SUFFERED ONE INJURY (THE PETALUMA POLICE DEPT. SAID G&C HAS TO CARRY INSURANCE FOR THAT), I RECEIVED A CERTIFIED LETTER FROM G&C TELLING ME I DIDN'T USE THE FAULTY SEALT BELT AS INTENDED (I WISH HE WOULD HAVE TOLD ME HOW TO USE A SAFTEY HAZARD PROPERLY) AND AT A COST OF TWO HUNDRED FORTY DOLLARS. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW HOW HE CAN PUT PEOPLES LIVES IN DANGER AND NOT FEEL OR BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT? I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT YOU BY CONTACT 4 (CHANNEL 4 NEWS IN THE S.F. BAY AREA). I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE A REPLY CONCERNING THE FOUR COMPLAINTS. I CAN SEND YOU A COPY OF THE CERTIFIED LETTER IF YOU WISH. I WAS TOLD BY DOT ON THE PHONE THAT TO BE SURE TO LIST THIS AS A RENTAL COMPLAINT SO AS NOT TO BE THOUGHT OF AS A COMPLAINT FROM G&C. SINCERELY, STEVEN ENCARNACION. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK