2003 Chevrolet S10

I WAS PULLING OUT FROM AN INTERSECTION WHEN SOMETHING "JOLTED" THE VEHICLE AND MADE A NOISE LIKE SOMETHING HIT THE TRUCK. LOOKING BACK IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR, IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE SPARE TIRE WAS LYING IN THE ROAD AND THE CAR BEHIND ME ALMOST HIT IT. I WENT BACK AND PICKED UP THE TIRE. AFTER RETURNING HOME MY FATHER INSPECTED THE TRUCK AND SAID THE CABLE HAD BROKEN WHERE THE SPARE TIRE MOUNT HOLDS THE TIRE UP UNDER THE TRUCK BED. THE TIRE IS CUT IN A COUPLE PLACES ON THE SIDEWALLS AND THE BRACKET THAT SHOULD BE ON THE END OF THE CABLE IS MISSING. I DIDN'T NOTICE IT LYING IN THE ROAD AS I JUST GRABBED MY TIRE IN A HURRY BECAUSE MORE TRAFFIC WAS COMING. *TR

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD (LUCKILY NOT FAST AND WITHOUT TRAFFIC!!) . I FELT A SLIGHT BUMP. FIRST THOUGHT WAS I HIT A POTHOLE OR RAN OVER SOMETHING IN THE ROAD IN SPITE OF THE FACT I DID NOT SEE ANYTHING. NATURALLY, I CHECKED THE REARVIEW MIRROR AND TO MY SURPRISE, SAW A WHEEL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET WHICH I KNOW I DID NOT RUN OVER- NEXT THOUGHT WAS "ITS FROM MY TRUCK! THANK GOD I WAS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY !!". UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, I FOUND THAT THE SPARE TIRE RETAINING CABLE HAD RUSTED THRU AND ALLOWED THE WHEEL TO DROP OFF FROM UNDER THE BED OF THE TRUCK. I CALLED CHEVY TO COMPLAIN BUT WAS MET WITH THE ANTICIPATED RESISTANCE TO WARRANTY REPAIR. I SUGGESTED TO MY WIFE THAT IT WOULD NOT BE WISE TO DRIVE BEHIND ANY CHEVY S10 TRUCKS! *TR

PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP LIGHT, AN A METALLIC CLANK WAS AUDIBLE. LOOKING BACK THE SPARE TIRE LAY ON THE ROAD. RETURNING TO THE SPARE TIRE, IT THE KEEPER AND THE END OF CABLE WERE RECOVERED. THE CABLE HAD BROKEN AT THE CABLE STOP RESULTING IN A SINGLE PART FAILURE INCIDENT. HAD THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED SHORTLY BEFORE THIS AS I DROVE TO THIS LOCATION ON THE FREEWAY, SERIOUS INJURY OR FATALITIES WERE PROBABLE. THIS TIRE HOIST MECHANISM WAS ONLY RAISED INTO PLACE WITH BY QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. *TR

UPON PERSONAL INSPECTION OF MY VEHICLE I DISCOVERED MY SPARE TIRE WAS MISSING AND THE CABLE HAD SNAPPED DUE TO CABLE FRAYING OR CORROSION. THE EXACT TIME AND SPEED OF THIS FAILURE IS UNKNOWN BUT THE DANGER COULD BE POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS A: THE TIRE COULD POSE A HAZARD TO TRAFFIC BEHIND THE VEHICLE. B: THE TIRE COULD ROLL INTO LANES OF TRAFFIC OR PEDESTRIANS. C: THE TIRE COULD FALL AT SUCH AN ANGLE TO LIFT AND DEFLECT THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING DAMAGE AND UNEXPECTED LOSS OF CONTROL. D: THE OPERATOR COULD FIND THEMSELVES STRANDED WITHOUT A SPARE TIRE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET S-10. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPARE TIRE CABLE FRACTURED FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND CAUSED THE TIRE TO DETACH. THE CONTACT REPAIRED THE CABLE BY ADDING A CLAMP AND BOLT TO THE CABLE TO HOLD THE SPARE TIRE IN PLACE. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER BUT WAS NOT PROVIDED ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 05/11/12 *BF UPDATED 06/01/12

WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 CHEVY S10 THE ASSEMBLY THAT HOLDS THE SPARE TIRE UNDERNEATH OF THE VEHICLE DISENGAGED WHEN THE CABLE SNAPPED. THE TIRE BECAME WEDGED BETWEEN THE ROAD AND THE REAR BUMPER CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO FISHTAIL. NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED DESPITE THE TIRE BOUNCING ACROSS 4 LANES OF TRAFFIC AND DOWN A SIDE STREET WHERE IT CAME TO REST AGAINST A CURB. THE "PRIORITY" DEALERSHIP SAID THIS WAS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. THIS IS THE 3RD CASE I HAVE HEARD ABOUT THIS HAPPENING IN MY AREA. *TR

POINT 1. - EVENTS WERE UN-NOTICED SIDEWALL "DRY-ROTTING" OF THE GOODYEAR WRANGLER RT/S P235/75R15 TIRES FOR 21000 MILES.....THESES TIRES WERE 'ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT' ON A NEW 2003 CHEVY S-10 CREW CAB 4WD TRUCK. THE "FAILED" TIRE WAS ON THE FRONT, DRIVERS SIDE. SIMPLE HIGHWAY DRIVING AT 60 MPH (RT.1 N., DELAWARE), DRY CONDITIONS, 65 - 70 DEGREES TEMPERATURE. TIRES WERE RELIGIOUSLY 'ROTATED' AT 6500 - 7500 MILES. POINT 2. - TIRE LOST AIR, EVENTUAL "FLAT" DURING 60 MPH HIGHWAY DRIVE. THERE WAS NOT A WHOLE LOT OF "PULLING" INVOLVED. ATTENTION WAS GIVEN TO ME BY A "PASSING" DRIVER, UPON WHICH TIME I PULLED OFF TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. POINT 3. - CHANGED THE "FAILED" TIRE WITH THE SPARE TIRE (SAME MODEL), EVENTUALLY REPLACED THE "SUSPECT" TIRE WITH A NEW SAME MODEL (ERGO, TWO NEW TIRES ON THE FRONT).INSPECTED THE THREE OTHER ORIGINAL TIRES AND NOTICED "DRY ROT" ON ALL TIRES RANGING FROM MEDIUM 'BAD' TO JUST-AS-'BAD' AS THE FAILED TIRE. GOODYEAR PERSONNEL ACKNOWLEDGED TO ME THAT THEY SEE THIS 'DRY-ROTTING' QUITE OFTEN ON THESE TIRES. OLD TIRE IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION...THERE IS NO "ROAD HAZARD" INVOLVED...THE 'LEAKS' ARE DEFINITELY FROM THE "DRY ROTTED" SPLITS IN THE SIDEWALL CLOSE TO THE THREAD. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS TIRE...I KEEP REMEMBERING BRIDGESTONE AND FORD EXPLORER FROM A FEW YEARS AGO!! *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH WITH THE WINDOW DOWN DRIVER SMELLED A BURNING ODOR. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER, AND NOTICED THAT RIGHT SIDE TIRE HAD SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH. FIRESTONE, ATX, P235/70R15, DOT NUMBER UTDOUA. THE DRIVER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS. BUT THE ODOR COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED.*AK