1989 Ford Bronco

TIRES WERE ANALYZED BY FIRESTONE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY SHOULD BE REPLACED. NOT UNDER RECALL OR REPLACEMENT PROGRAM. TIRES WERE PRODUCED AT THE DECATUR, IL FACILITY WERE A MAJORITY OF THE PROBLEM TIRES WERE PRODUCED. THEY ARE DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE REPLACED BY THE COMPANY WHO PRODUCED THEM. WHY WOULDN'T ALL TIRES PRODUCED AT THAT FACILITY BE RECALLED/REPLACED?( DOT NUMBER: VD60AW4467 TIRE SIZE: 31X10.5X15 )

I NOTICED ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE THE TIRE BLEWOUT THAT WHILE WE WERE IDDLING THROUGH THE LOCAL WALMART PARKING LOT THE VEHICLE ROCKED BACK AND FORTH. ABOUT A WEEK LATER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE AND I NOTICED A BLISTER ON THE LEFT REAR TIRE IN THE TREAD SECTION. I CHECKED THE OTHER TIRES AND IT APPEARED THAT TWO OTHER TIRES LOOKED AND FELT OUT OF ROUND. AT THAT TIME I ORDERED OVER THE INTERNET FROM TIRERACK.COM A COMPLETE SET OF WHEELS AND TIRES (265/70R17). WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. THIS WAS THE SECOND SET OF FIRESTONE FIREHAWKS 31X10.50R15LT M/S ON THE VEHICLE. THE FIRST SET WAS REPLACED AT APPROXIMATELY 66,000 MILES AND SEEMED TO PROFROM ACCEPTABLE. THE SECOND SET WHICH WAS THE PROBLEM SET, HAD ROUGHLY 36,000 MILES ON THEM. IN THINKING BACK ABOUT THE ROCKING MOTION AT IDLE SPEED, THIS WAS FIRST NOTICED MANY MONTHS AGO. INITIALLY I THOUGHT THE TIRES WERE OUT OF BALANCE AND WOULD HAVE THEM RE-BALANCED AT EITHER A FIRESTONE OR EXPERT TIRE STORE. THE ROCKING MOTION AT THAT TIME WAS HARDLY NOTICABLE, PROGRESSING AT A VERY SLOW PACE UNTIL THIS AUGUST. BEING AWARE OF PROPER INFLATION AND SERVICEING OF TIRES BOTH SETS OF THE FIRESTONE FIREHAWKS WERE MAINTAINED AT 35 PSI (RATED AT 50 PSI MAX.). SINCE IT IS A FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE ALIGNMENT AND TIRE ROTATION IS AT THE VERY LEAST DONE ANNUALLY.*AK( DOT NUMBER: VD60 TIRE SIZE: 31X10.50 )

IN THE SUMMER OF 1998 (JULY-AUGUST) I HAD THREE TIRE FAILURES. THE FIRST TIRE LOCATED ON THE RIGHT REAR FAILED TRAVELING 65 MILES PER HOUR ON I-75. THE TREAD SEPARATED LEAVING THE CORE INFLATED. I LOST TRACTION ON THE WHEEL AND THE VEHICLE BECAME HARD TO CONTROL AS IT WHEN OFF THE ROAD. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE BRONCO AND CHANGE THE TIRE AND CONTINUE DRIVING. THE SECOND FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE LEFT REAR A WEEK LATER ON I-4 AT 65 MILES PER HOUR, THE TIRE SEPARATED AND DEFLATED AND CAUSED ABOUT $500.00 DAMAGE TO THE LEFT REAR QUARTER PANEL. THE NEXT WEEK ON I-75 THE VEHICLE BECAME UNSTABLE AND HARD TO CONTROL I STOPPED THE BRONCO AND FOUND THE RIGHT LEFT REAR TIRE WAS STARTING TO SEPARATE AND CHANGED TO TIRE OUT. I ASKED MY FIRESTONE DEALER AT THAT TIME WHAT THEY THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE TIRES AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS PROBABLY THE AGE OF THE TIRES. I REPLACED ALL THE TIRES ON THE BRONCO AND KEPT ONE OF THE OLD ATX TIRES AS A SPARE ON 08/13/1998.( DOT NUMBER: VD60AT4493 TIRE SIZE: 31X1050R15 )