1996 Chevrolet Suburban

PASSENGER SEAT BELT IS STUCK, WOULD NOT UN OR RETRACT FROM THE RETRACTOR, LEAVING OCCUPANT WITHOUT ANY RESTRAINTS DURING A VEHICLE CRASH; ALSO 98 V 150 001/WINDSHIELD WIPER WIRING: VEHICLE EXPERIENCE A WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY OR NOT AT ALL, CAUSES REDUCING DRIVER'S VISIBILITY AND INCREASING THE RISK OF VEHICLE CRASH. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THAT VEHICLE VIN# WAS NOT COVER UNDER A MFR'S RECALLS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS:

ON SUNDAY, MAY 14, 2000, I WAS TRAVELING SOUTH ON INTERSTATE 95 IN MY 1996 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. APPROXIMATELY MIDWAY THROUGH CONNECTICUT THE RIGHT REAR TIRE CAME APART CAUSING DAMAGE TO WHEEL, BRAKE LINES, HEATER HOSES AND HEATER CORE FOR REAR HEATER. I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING NOR DID I NOTICE ANY PROBLEMS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. THESE TIRES WERE PURCHASED NEW IN JANUARY 2000 WITH 39441 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE APPROXIMATE MILAGE WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURED WAS 46500. I WAS TOLD BY FIRESTONE'S LEGAL OFFICE THAT THE REASON WAS MY DRIVING FOR AN UNKNOWN PERIOD OF TIME WITH LOW TIRE PRESSURE. I CHECKED THE TIRE PRESSURE PRIOR TO LEAVING A RELATIVES HOUSE THAT MORNING AS WELL AS VISUALLY CHECKING THEM AT LUNCH. THE INCIDENT OCCURED AT APPROX. 2:00PM. I ALSO RELIGIOUSLY CHECK THE TIRE PRESSURE WEEKLY. AT NO TIME DID I FIND A TIRE LOW.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: LT245/75R1 )

WIPERS FAIL TO OPERATE AT TIMES.I CONTACTED CHEVROLET AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THESE. MY 1995 CHEV. 2500PU HAS THE SAME PROBLEM,NO RECALL. MY BROTHER HAS A 1995 CHEV. 2500PU WITH THE SAME PROBLEM,NO RECALL. MY DAD HAS A1994 CHEV.PU WITH THE SAME PROBLEM ,NO RECALL. MY OTHER BROTHER HAS A 1996 CHEV 2500PU WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, NO RECALL ACCORDING TO CHEVROLET ON THESE VEHICLES. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT IN MY OPPINION WARRANTS A RECALL. THANK YOU, CHRIS .

ON THE THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, I FELT VIBRATIONS THAT SEEMED LIKE A LOOSE WHEEL AND IMMEDIATELY STOPPED MY VEHICLE. ON ONE OCCASION, THE LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE STEEL AND WAS HALF GONE AROUND THE TIRE. ON THE TWO OTHER OCCASIONS, I COULD FEEL THE SAME VIBRATION AND WHEN STOPPING, I COULD SEE THE TREAD SEPARATION FROM THE STEEL BELT IN THE FORM OF LARGE BUMPS COMPLETELY AROUND THE TIRES. I ATTRIBUTE MY SAFELY STOPPING TO 35 YEARS OF TRAINED PROFESSIONAL DRIVING AND ALWAYS BEING CONSCIENTIOUS OF ANY UNUSUAL VEHICLE SOUNDS AND ACTIONS. EACH TIME THE TIRES WERE REPLACED BY THE SAME FIRESTONE DEALER. A PRORATED CHARGE WAS MADE ON EACH TIRE AND THE DEALER DENIED ANY MANUFACTURING PROBLEMS WITH THE TIRES AND MY TIRES WERE JUST FLUKES. I TOOK THE FOURTH TIRE OFF THE VEHICLE AND PLACED IT INSIDE AS A SPARE TIRE WITH 26,000 MILES ON IT, FEARING IT WOULD TOO SEPARATE. HAD THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED WHEN EITHER MY WIFE OR DAUGHTERS HAD BEEN DRIVING THE SUBURBAN, I BELIEVE THAT THEIR LIVES COULD HAVE BEEN ENDANGERED. IF YOU WISH EXAMINE THE FOURTH ORIGINAL TIRE OR ANY OF THE REPLACEMENT TIRES, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME. I BELIEVE THAT THESE 16-INCH TIRES, DUE TO MY EXPERIENCE, ARE JUST AS LIKELY TO FAIL AS THE 15-INCH TIRES. *AK( DOT NUMBER: SP872KR03L TIRE SIZE: LT24575R16 )