2000 Chevrolet Express

Driving around 45 mph on an open road, driver's rear tire thread separated from tire, damaged rear bumper and frame, the detached thread COULD have damaged other cars behind me (thankfully it did not), there were no warning lamps and tires were in good shape before the drive, replaced with a spare and drove back home, the car is a 2000 GMC Chevy Express Van (purchased in 2000), tires were included with the vehicle when purchased, car was not driven much, present odometer 8,000 miles, tire is Firestone LT 24575R16

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET EXPRESS. THE VEHICLE HAS GOODYEAR ULTRA METRIC BST RADIAL TIRES (NA). WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE. THE DEALER STATED THAT ONE OF THE TIRES WAS DEFECTIVE AND REFUSED TO REPLACE IT FOR FREE. CURRENTLY, TWO MORE TIRES HAVE BECOME DEFECTIVE. THE POWERTRAIN AND TIRE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 82,738 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

I WAS DRIVING ALONG IN MY 2000 CHEVROLET EXPRESS VAN AT THE LEGAL SPEED OF 65 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING THE VAN BEGAN VIBRATING AND SHAKING VIOLENTLY TO THE POINT THAT I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF IT. I IMMEDIATELY REDUCED MY SPEED-TO ABOUT 10 MPH UNTIL I COULD FIND A SAFE PLACE TO EXAMINE THE TIRES. THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE HAD A LARGE SWOLLEN PLACE ON IT SO I REPLACED IT WITH MY SPARE TIRE. ALTHOUGH THIS VEHICLE IS A 2000 MODEL THESE TIRES ARE THE ORIGINAL ONES AND ONLY HAVE 21,950 MILES ON THEM AND I AM AFRAID TO TRUST THE REMAINING FOUR. THE FIVE TIRES ARE MICHELIN XW4. WHEN THE FAILED TIRE,WHICH WAS MOUNTED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AT TIME OF FAILURE WAS LATER EXAMINED IT SHOWED SIGNS OF SEVERE PLY SEPARATIONS AND OUTER RUBBER CRACKING. *JB

FIRESTONE STEELTEX A/T TIRES(3) - FAILURES. ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, STEELTEX A/T TIRES MANUFACTRED BY BRIDGESTONE FIRESTONE AND FITTED AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON MY CHEVROLET TRUCK FAILED. EACH TIRE FAILED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. I CONSIDER THE TIRES TO BE FAULTY AND VERY UNSAFE BECAUSE 3 OF THE 4 TIRES FAILED ON MY VEHICLE WITHIN A MATTER OF A FEW MONTHS OF EACH OTHER. QUITE SERIOUS DAMAGE RESULTED IN EACH INCIDENT. THE TIRES 3 HAVE BEEN RETURNED TO FIRESTONE, AS REQUESTED, AND HAVE BEEN EXAMINED BY LISONI & LISONI, NTSA OFFICIALS AND THE FIRESTONE REPRESENTATIVES.*AK I WOULD LIKE NHTSA TO RECALL ALL STEELTEX TIRES TO ENSURE THEY ARE COMPLETELY REMOVED FROM THE MARKET. SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED! THANK YOU. GRAHAM ROSS - MISTER COOL ICE CREAM PO BOX 221, COPPELL, TEXAS 75019 (972) 489-9879 E-MAIL: COACHROSS1@AOL.COM PS: I CAN'T PUT ALL 3 INCIDENT DATES BELOW SO I HAVE PUT AUGUST 1 2002, SO I CAN GET TO NEXT PAGE.

AT HIGHWAY SPEED, REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED AND TIRE EXPLODED CAUSING VEHICLE TO SWERVE AND ALMOST COLLIDE WITH OTHER VEHICLES. EXCESSIVE DAMAGE CAUSED TO UNDERSIDE AND WHEEL ARCH. THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED 2 TIMES (BOTH REAR TIRES) HAVE FAILED ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASSIONS. BOTH AT HIGHWAY SPEED, BOTH CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. FIRESTONE HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF BOTH INCIDENTS. FOR FULL DETAILS CONTACT: COACHROSS1@AOL.COM DT