1998 Chevrolet Pickup

I BOUGHT 4 AFTER MARKET CUSTOM WHEELS FOR MY 1998 CHEVROLET 4WHEEL DRIVE P/U TRUCK FROM AMERICAN RACING PRODUCTS, IN 2003, 2 HAVE CRACKED, AND NOW THEY ARE WILLING TO PUT A CHEAPER SET OF WHEELS ON MY TRUCK, NOT TO MY LIKING, I'VE ASKED FOR BETTER DESIGNED WHEEL, ALMOST THE SAME PRICE AND THE WANT ME TO PAY OVER $300.00 DIFFERENCE THAT IS NOT I FEEL FAIR TO ME. I AM GLAD THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT,YET. *TR

I WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON INTERSTATE 5 GOING 70 MPH, AND BEGAN TO HEAR A THUMPING SOUND. WITHIN SECONDS, MY FRONT LEFT TIRE BLEW & I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF MY TRUCK. I HAD TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY STOP IN THE CENTER OF THE FREEWAY @ THE EL TORO "Y". (CENTER SECTION BETWEEN THE 5 AND 405 INTERCHANGE). THE STEEL BELT HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. ALL 4 OF MY TIRES ARE FACTORY ORIGINALS FROM FEBRUARY 1998, (I PURCHASED VEHICLE @ 35,000 MILES IN JANUARY 2001) ALL 4 TIRES APPEARED TO BE IN VERY GOOD SHAPE.NOW, I'M TOLD THAT I CAN'T SEEK REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE TIRES BECAUSE IT DOESN'T APPLY TO BRIDGESTONE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S THE SAME TIRE NUMBER. THIS IS THE SAME EXACT THING THAT HAPPENED TO ALL THOSE FIRESTONE TIRES. I'M LUCKY TO BE ALIVE. I HAVE KEPT THE BLOWN-OUT TIRE IN CASE YOU WANT TO SEE IT. PLEASE INFORM ME AS TO WHETHER I CAN GET REIMBURSEMENT FOR ALL 4 TIRES.*AK

AFTER DRIVING 259 MILES OF A 319 MILE TRIP, I NOTICED A GRINDING NOICE WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES. THERE WAS NO BRAKE LIGHT SHOWING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, OR "FEELER" NOICE FROM THE ROTORS. I TOOK THE NEXT OFF RAMP BEING CAREFULL TO LEAVE 100 YARDS BETWEEN ME AND THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, DROPPING IT INTO LOW GEAR AS I STOPPED, AND ONLY APPLYING THE BRAKE IF ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. IF I APPLIED THE BRAKES, I WOULD HAVE TO WITH GREAT PRESSURE IN ORDER TO STOP. BOTH FRONT PADS AND ROTORS WERE BEYOND REPAIR. THE TRUCK HAD 21,852 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT AND ALL BUT 7,000 WHERE PUT ON IT BY ME. I ALWAYS START BREAKING LONG BEFORE I NEED TO STOP IN AN EFFORT TO LENGTH THE LIFE OF THE PADS. IT IS NOT ONLY DESTURBING THAT BRAKES SHOULD FAIL BEFORE 22,000 MILES, BUT ALSO THAT THEY DID SO WITHOUT WARNING. I AM THANK FULL THAT I WAS THE ONE DRIVING AND NOT MY WIFE OR SON !*AK

THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT HAS THE HEADLIGHTS RUNNING ANY TIME THE MOTOR IS TURNED ON. THE TAIL LIGHTS ARE NOT TURNED ON. AS A RESULT, OFTEN ONE WILL DRIVE FROM DAY INTO NIGHT AND SINCE THERE ARE HEADLIGHTS ON THE DRIVER FORGETS TO TURN ON THE HEADLIGHTS. THUS HE IS DRIVING WITH NO TAIL LIGHTS. CURRENT DESIGN HAS BEEN CHANGED. REPEATED CONTACTS TO THE DEALER HAVE PRODUCED NO FIXES. THIS IS FUNDAMENTALLY AN UNSAFE DESIGN CONDITION. GM SHOULD REMEDY THIS PROBLEM.*AK