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

IN AUGUST, WHILE DRIVING DOWN A ROAD THE RIGHT REAR BLEW OUT UNEXPECTEDLY. THE REASON IT WAS UNEXPECTED IS BECAUSE I DID NOT RUN OVER ANYTHING. I REPLACED THE TIRE WITH AN EXACT MATCH AND CONTINUED USING THE TRUCK, ON THE OCT. 24, WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 99N AROUND 7 PM, AT 65MPH, THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE BLEW OUT UNEXPECTEDLY. I FELT THE TIRE WAS AT FAULT IN THE FIRST ACCIDENT, BUT GAVE SUPER SWAMPER THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT. NOW WITH THE SECOND ACCIDENT ACTING THE SAME WAY AS THE FIRST, WITH THE ONLY EXCEPTION I WASN'T ABLE TO STOP AS QUICKLY THE SECOND, THE FRONT OF MY TRUCK WAS DESTROYED. THE TIRE SHREADED FROM THE RIM, AND EVERYTHING WAS DESTROYED FROM THAT POINT ON. THE TRUCK IS CURRENTLY AT A BODY SHOP AND THE ESTIMATE IS CURRENTLY AT $4500. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WAS LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO KEEP CONTROL OF THE TRUCK AND TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THIS COMPLAINT TODAY. THE REMAINING SUPER SWAMPERS ARE GOING TO BE TRASHED ONCE I GET MY TRUCK BACK. I FEEL THAT THE FIRST TWO TIMES WERE THE MANUFACTURERS FAULT, IF I ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN AGAIN THE FAULT WOULD BE MINE. THIS IS ESPECIALLY CONCERNING IN LIGHT OF THE FIRESTONE PROBLEMS AND THIS PRODUCT BEING THE FIRST RADIAL FROM THE COMPANY.*AK

WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED IN JUNE 2000 AND IT NOW HAS 30K MILES ON IT. THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAS INFORMED US THAT HE HAD A RIGHT FRONT TIRE DELAMINATE AT 20K MILES THAT CAUSED HIM TO RUN OFF THE ROAD INTO A DITCH. FIRESTONE WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM AT THAT TIME AND THE OWNER HAD TO PURCHASE A NEW TIRE. WE HAVE E MAILED OUR CONCERN AND INFORMATION TO FIRESTONE AT AFFAIRS@FANUEIL.COM AND ALSO FAXED IT TO 800-760-7859. WE HAVE NOT HEARD ANY RESPONSE FROM FIRESTONE. THE LOCAL DEALERS AND THE FIRESTONE HOTLINE WILL NOTD LISTEN TO US. I AM QUITE CONCERNED ABOUT DRIVING THE VEHICLE NOW THAT WE KNOW THAT ONE OF THE TIRES HAS DELAMINATED. PLEASE HELP US AND ALSO USE THIS INFORMATION FOR YOUR DATA BASE OF DEFECTIVE TIRES. THANKS JOE NICHOLS. *AK (DOT NUMBER: BMO 5324-1 TIRESIZE: LT24575R16)