1997 Chevrolet Suburban

WHILE DRVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED FELT VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL AND STOPPED TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS WRONG. DISCOVERED THAT A SECTION OF TREAD (4"X4") HAD COME OFF RIGHT FRONT TIRE. REPLACED WITH SPARE, AND CONTINUED TO NEXT TOWN. WAS UNABLE TO PURCHASE REPLACEMENT, AND CONTINUED TRIP WITHOUT SPARE. ON RETURN TRIP ON SEPTEMBER 28, 2000 AND PULLING A TRAILER, RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE TREAD SEPARATION. BECAUSE OF NO SPARE, HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE AND TRAILER TOWED HOME. FIRESTONE, STEELTEX R42 ON A 1997, CHEVEROLET, SUBURBAN; ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, 245/75R16, DOT# UNAVAILABLE. TIRE HAS ABOUT 60% OF TREAD LEFT. HAS TIRES AVAILABLE FOR ANALYSIS AND PHOTOS UPON REQUEST.

LEFT FRONT TIRE BELT SEPARATED AT 65MPH, VEHICLE STOPED, TIRE REPLACED AND UPON EXAMENING REMAINING TIRES, RIGHT FRONT TIRE SHOWED SIGNS OF BELT SEPERATING. CONSULTED FIRESTONE DEALER IN HOUMA, AND WAS TOLD THE SEPERATION WAS CAUSED BY ROAD HAZARDS. REPLACED BOTH FRONT TIRES ON 21/MAY/2000 WITH ANOTHER BRAND. THERE ARE 2 REMAINING TIRES ON VEHICLE WHICH WILL BE REPLACED THIS MONTH.*AK (DOT NUMBER: VN11B1A TIRESIZE: LT24575R16)

WHILE ON VACATION HAD TWO TIRES BLOW OUT ON I75 JUST SOUTH OF ATLANTA. HAD TO PURCHASE NEW TIRES FROM THE FIRESTONE DEALER ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF ATLANTA. THEY SAID THIS TIRE WAS NOT IN THE RECALL LIST BUT IT CAME APART JUST LIKE THE OTHERS. IT WAS A VERY, VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE THE TIRES THAT BLEW OUT WERE PURCHASED AT THE FIRESTONE DEALER ON US41 IN FORT MYERS, FL. WHICH IS MY HOME.*AK (TIRESIZE: 245/75R/16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 245/75R/16 )

TIRE ON HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESPONSE VEHICLE - U.S. GOVERNMENT OWNED TAG NO. I258844; TIRE IS IN EVIDENCE LOCKER; TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE AT HIGHWAY CRUISING SPEED OF 65 MPH - SPEED SET BY CRUISE CONTROL; TREAD WRAPPED AROUND WHEEL AXEL, BUT DID NOT GO FLAT; LEFT REAR TIRE ALSO REPLACED AFTER INSPECTION AT TIRE SHOP; ALL TIRES HAD BEEN REGULARLY CHECKED AND WERE PROPERLY INFLATED. *AK (DOT NUMBER: UNKNOWN TIRESIZE: LT245/75R1)

WHILE DRIVING ON A FLAT, EVEN ROAD AT ABOUT 45 MPH, THE STEERING RESISTANCE JUST DISAPPEARED FOR A FEW SECONDS. THIS WAS FRIGHTENING BECAUSE THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OF THE STEERING FOR THOSE FEW SECONDS AND I DRIFTED A LITTLE INTO THE OTHER LANE. MY HUSBAND AND I EXPERIENCED THIS SAME PROBLEM INTERMITTENTLY OVER THE NEXT DAY AND ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY WHEN TURNING TO THE RIGHT. WE WERE TEST DRIVING THE CAR AND BROUGHT THE PROBLEM UP TO THE CHEVY DEALER ON RETURN. THEY WOULD NOT FIX IT BUT AGREED TO LOWER THE PURCHASE PRICE BY THE ESTIMATED REPAIR COST. WE HAD IT FIXED THE NEXT DAY AT THE SAME CHEVY PLACE (I FELT IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN THAT CONDITION). THEY REPLACED THE SPEED SENSOR AND CHARGED US $260. THE REPAIR APPEARS TO HAVE SOLVED THE PROBLEM.