Complaint 538423

Complaint Summary

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

Owner Narrative

DT: WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY 528 ON 7/1/04 AT AROUND 9 A.M AT 75 MPH THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE, CAUSING THE TRUCK TO LIFT UP ON ONE SIDE ABOUT TWO FEET. IT WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, AND IT ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THE IMPACT DENTED THE SIDE OF THE CONSUMERS FENDER AND DAMAGED THE TRIM PANEL ON THE TRUCK. THE TIRE WAS STILL FULL OF AIR. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO LIMP ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD TO A FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY PUT THE SPARE TIRE ON FOR FREE. IT IS NOTED IN THE REPAIR INVOICE THE MILEAGE 57663 AND THE DAMAGE THAT WAS DONE. THE TIRES STILL HAVE GOOD TREAD AND SEEMED TO BE IN VERY GOOD SHAPE. THE THING THAT SCARED THE CONSUMER THE MOST WAS THAT THERE WAS NO WARNING. THE FOLLOWING WEEK, HE TOOK THE TRUCK TO SEARS AND HAD A COMPLETE SET OF NEW TIRES COOPER BRAND INSTALLED. THE TIRES THAT WERE ON THE TRUCK A 2000, F-350 WERE STEELTEX A/T, LT265/75R16 123/1200 M/S LOAD RANGE E. THE CONSUMER HAS SOME OTHER #'S THAT COULD HELP IN SEEING IF THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM, 28216 EX, BM14474-3, E4 00 8061. WHEN THE CONSUMER ASKED THE SERVICE TECH. AT GREENWAY FORD ABOUT THE PAYMENT ON THE DAMAGE, HE WAS TOLD TO TALK TO FIRESTONE. HE TALKED TO THE MANAGER AT THE FIRESTONE IN MERRITT ISLAND AND HE SAID THEY SHOULD ONLY BE USED FOR 50,000 MILES ALTHOUGH THEY STILL HAD VERY GOOD TREAD ON THEM.*AK *JB

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.