1996 Honda Accord

BRIDGESTONE WEATHERFORCE PLUS TIRES SIZE P185/65R15 INSTALLED ON 1996 HONDA ACCORD. TIRE MILEAGE ONLY 14,368. I WAS DRIVING APPROX. 64MPH ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE BACK END OF MY CAR BEGAN TO WIGGLE AND PULL TO THE LEFT. NEXT, I HEARD LOUD "FLUB-BUDDY" SOUNDS. I IMMEDIATELY EASED OFF THE ACCELERATOR, PUNCHED THE EMERGENCY BLINKING LIGHTS AND MADE MY WAY OVER TO THE FREEWAY SHOULDER. THE SIDEWALL OF THE LEFT REAR TIRE WAS SHREDDED AND THE STEM VALVE WAS PARTIALLY TORN FROM THE TIRE. PEOPLE WHO HELPED ME FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT MENTIONED THAT THE TIRE MAY HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE. THE NEXT DAY I TOOK UP THE MATTER WITH SEARS WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE TIRES, BUT THE MANAGER THERE PUT IT DOWN TO "ROAD HAZARD", AND SINCE I DID NOT PURCHASE "RH" INSURANCE WHEN I GOT THE TIRES, HE COULDN'T/WOULDN'T HELP ME AND SUGGESTED I TAKE UP THE MATTER WITH BRIDGESTONE. IF THE INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY ROAD HAZARD, WHY WEREN'T OTHER CARS AROUND ME AFFECTED? SINCE THEN, I HAVE RESEARCHED THE INTERNET AND DISCOVERED OTHER DRIVERS WHO HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH EITHER THIS BRAND NAME AND/OR THIS TIRE LINE. I WAS LUCKY THERE WAS NO ONE IN THE LANE TO MY LEFT WHEN THE TIRE MALFUNCTIONED. I HIT NO ONE NOR WAS I HIT BY EITHER THE CARS BEHIND ME OR IN THE LANE TO MY RIGHT AS I MADE MY WAY OVER TO THE FREEWAY SHOULDER. IT IS TO BE HOPED THAT OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME TIRES BE AS FORTUNATE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 HONDA ACCORD. THE VEHICLE HAS PEP BOYS DEFINITY EX600 TIRES, SIZE P215/60R15. THE CONTACT EXAMINED THE TIRES AND NOTICED A BULGE NEAR THE TREAD ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THE BULGE WAS THE SIZE OF A GOLF BALL. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY DIFFERENCES WHILE DRIVING PRIOR TO NOTICING THE BULGE. THE TIRES HAVE NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 4,590.

DISCOUNT TIRE COMPANY, 20225 NORTH SCOTTSDALE RD, SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85255 AS AN INDEPENDENT TIRE DISTRIBUTOR AND DEALER FAILURES TO COMPLY WITH TITLE 49, VOLUME 5, PART 574, SEC OF THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, BY NOT PROVIDING TIRE PURCHASERS (CONSUMERS) THE REQUIRED TIRE REGISTRATION FORM. THIS INCIDENT HAPPEN ON THE RAINY MORNING OF FEB 2003 AT THE DISCOUNT TIRE STORE AT 407 WEST BELL ROAD, PHOENIX, AZ 85023. I INQUIRED AT TWO OTHER DISCOUNT TIRE COMPANY STORES AND THEY DENIED HAVING ANY TIRE REGISTRATION FORMS FOR CONSUMERS, SO IT APPEARS THIS IS STANDARD TO THIS COMPANY. THOUSAND OF CONSUMERS HAVE BEEN WRONGED BY THIS COMPANY'S FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH 49CFR574.8. FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS PLEASE CONTACT ME. *JB

I HAVE HAD TWO FIRESTONE TIRES TO BLOW OUT. THE FIRST ONE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. I WOULD LIKE TO GET BACK THE MONEY I SPENT HAVING THE OTHER PERSON'S CAR REPAIRED, AND ALSO GET OWN REPAIRED. THE SECOND BLOW OUT LEFT ME STRANDED ON THE FREEWAY. I SUBMITTED A CLAIM TO FIRESTONE AND THEY ARE REFUSING TO HONOR MY CLAIM. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.*AK

ORIGINAL VEHICLE OWNER. PURCHASED THESE TO REPLACE WORN FACTORY TIRES. NUMBER INCLUDES USE OF FULL SIZE SPARE. OVER A PERIOD OF 30,000 MILES, 7 OUT OF 10 TIRES HAVE HAD SIDEWALL FAILURES INCLUDING STATIONARY AND MOVING BLOWOUTS. MANUFACTURER TELLS ME THAT THEY HAVE HAD NO REPORTED FAILURES FROM OTHERS. IN MY LIFETIME I HAVE OWNED OVER 200 TIRES AND HAVE NEVER BEFORE EXPERIENCED A SINGLE FAILURE, LESS 1 LOST TO A NAIL 10 YEARS AGO AND NORMAL WEAR.. *AK (TIRESIZE: P195/60R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P195/60R15 )