2000 Buick Lesabre

COMPLETE TIRE SEPARATION FROM STEEL BELTS OF TIRE CONSTRUCTION WHILE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. TIRE HAD HIGH AMOUNT OF TREAD LIFE REMAINING BEFOREHAND AND THIS HAPPENED WITH ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING. VERY DANGEROUS TO OCCUPANTS AND CAUSED PHYSICAL AND AESTHETIC DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE COST OF THE REPAIR WILL BE AT THIS TIME.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BUICK LESABRE. THE VEHICLE HAS BRIDGESTONE INSIGNIA SL, SIZE P/205/75/R15 TIRES. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A STRANGE SOUND COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. HE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A LOCAL AUTO SHOP. A PROFESSIONAL TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT THE TREAD FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRE HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. AS A RESULT, THE TREAD FROM THE TIRE BECAME TRAPPED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, WHICH DAMAGED THE ENGINE AND FUEL PUMP SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $1,900. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES OF THE FAILED TIRE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000. UPDATED 05/29/08. *LJ

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS WITH THE RIGHT REAR TIRE, WHILE TRAVELING IN CLEAR DRY WEATHER, AT 40 MPH. THE SECOND INCIDENT WAS WITH THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WHILE TRAVELING IN DRY CLEAR WEATHER, AT 55 MPH. THE SERVICE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE TREAD SEPARATION MAY BE DUE TO DRY ROT FROM THE VEHICLE SITTING TOO LONG. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, BUT HAS NOT RESPONDED. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. UPDATED 8/16/20 - *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE VIBRATED BADLY AT ANY SPEED. THE DEALERSHIP ALIGNED THE FRONT END, BALANCED THE TIRES, AND ROTATED THE TIRES THREE TIMES TO CORRECT THE VIBRATION, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE LEFT FRONT TIRE'S BELT WAS BROKEN AND REPLACED THE TIRE. ON JUNE 10, 2006, THE TREAD ON THE LEFT FRONT TIRE DETACHED AND CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE.

DT: WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE THE CONSUMER NOTICED A LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH PANEL THAT READ CHECK TIRE PRESSURE. THE CONSUMER DROVE TO A GAS STATION INSPECTED THE TIRES AND DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS LOW. THE CONSUMER ADDED AIR TO THE TIRE BUT SUSPECTED THERE WAS A SLOW LEAK BECAUSE THE TIRE WOULD NOT HOLD SUFFICIENT AIR PRESSURE OF 30/30 PSI. THE CONSUMER DROVE TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THESE TIRES WERE THE ORIGINAL TIRES THAT WERE PURCHASED ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER NOTED THAT THE STEEL WAS COMING THROUGH THE TREAD, BUT WOULD NOT REPLACE THE TIRES. DEALER SUGGESTED THAT THE CONSUMER GO TO A GENERAL TIRE DEALER BECAUSE THE TIRES WERE MANUFACTURED BY GENERAL. THE CONSUMER WENT TO REDWOOD GENERAL TIRE DEALER AND THEY AGREED THE TREAD WAS COMING THROUGH ON THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE AND SUGGESTED A REPLACEMENT. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED AT THE CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. THE TIRE SERVICE SHOP SAID THEY WOULD SEND THE TIRE TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR INVESTIGATION. THE CONSUMER BECAME CONCERNED BECAUSE HE NEVER RECEIVED ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE TIRE SO SHE DECIDED TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER CLAIMED THAT THEY NEVER RECEIVED THE TIRE AND THAT THEY WOULD CONTACT THE TIRE SERVICE DEALER. SOME TIME LATER THE CONSUMER CALLED GENERAL AND THEY FINALLY DID AGREE TO SOME REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE TIRE.*AK *MR THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE TREAD WAS SEPARATING. *JB

7/17/2000: STALLED 2X IN TRAFFIC W/315 MILES ON IT; REPLACED WIRE HARNESS & FUSES; 4/9/02:LEAK-REPLACED UPPER MANIFOLD @ 23,184 MILES 5/3/02: NOISY,UNEVEN-DEFECTIVE TIRES-REPLACED @ 24,161 MILES; 8/20/03: RECALL - HEATING & COOLING @ 39,226 MILES; 10/28/03: RATTLING-CATAL.CONV.ASSEMBLY @42,892 MILES; 7/8/05: MOTOR NOT RUNNING PROPERLY - REPLACED WIRES,COILS,ETC.@ 55,385 MILES 10/28/03: RATTLING-REPLACED CATALYTIC CONVERTER ASSEMBLY; 10/13/04-ECALL. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A RUMBLING NOISE. CONSUMER THEN PULLED OVER TO INSPECT THE NOISE AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT LEFT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, BUT THE TIRE STILL HELD AIR. CONSUMER TOOK THE TIRE TO A RETAIL STORE AND GOT IT REPLACED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE TREAD SEPARATION WAS UNDETERMINED (CONTINENTAL AMERI GS60). *AK THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WAS INOPERATIVE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE REGULATOR. *NM