2005 Chevrolet Suburban

WHILE DRIVING OUR 2005 SUBURBAN ON THE INTERSTATE, THE CHECK TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR CAME ON AND IMMEDIATELY THE BACK END BECAME SQUIRRELLY. PULLING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE WAS COMPLETELY BLOWN AT THE SIDEWALL. THE TREAD CAUGHT ONTO THE WHEEL WELL FLARE, CAUSING ABOUT $500 IN DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THE TIRE WAS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON THE SUBURBAN, A P265/70R16 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS RADIAL. THE VIN NUMBER ON THE SUBURBAN IS [XXX]. THE TIRES HAD ABOUT 12,000 MILES OF USAGE WHEN THE BLOWOUT HAPPENED. I CONTACTED GM (SERVICE REQUEST CLAIM #[XXX]) AND HAD THE SERVICE MANAGER AT JOHN SERETTI CHEVROLET IN MOON, PA INSPECT THE TIRE. HE COULD FIND NO PUNCTURES, FOREIGN OBJECTS OR OTHER EVIDENCE OF EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO THE TIRE. GM REVIEWED THIS AND INFORMED ME THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO DECLARE A DEFECT, SO THEY REFERRED ME TO THE TIRES MANUFACTURER, FIRESTONE. THE FIRESTONE SHOP IN MOON, PA ALSO COULD NOT FIND ANY PUNCTURE OR EXTERNAL DAMAGE. THE MANAGER THERE SAID THE BLOWOUT COULD HAVE HAPPENED FOR ANY NUMBER OF REASONS OTHER THAN A DEFECT AND TRIED TO SUGGEST THAT IT HAD BEEN DRIVEN WITH TOO LITTLE TIRE PRESSURE. THAT CANNOT BE THE CASE. THE TIRES HAD BEEN ROTATED AND THE AIR PRESSURE CHECKED BY THE DEALERSHIP WITHIN THE PREVIOUS MONTH AND THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH AN AIR PRESSURE SENSOR THAT WARNS OF DROPS. THAT SENSOR WENT OFF AT THE SAME TIME THE TIRE BLEW. FIRESTONE SOLD US A REPLACEMENT TIRE AT A PRORATED COST BASED ON THE USAGE FROM THE ORIGINAL. *JB UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

GENERAL MOTORS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED AN SUV/TRUCK RECALL FOR DEFECTIVE AND UNSAFE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEMS. THE RECALL WENT INTO EFFECT IN 14 COLD-WEATHER STATES AND CANADA...BUT IT EXCLUDED WISCONSIN!!!! IT DID SO BECAUSE GM SAID IT DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH COMPLAINTS FROM WISCONSIN. THAT'S LUDICROUS! MANY HERE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS AS IN IOWA, MICHIGAN, AND ALL THE REST. I EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM, TOOK MY 2001 SUBURBAN TO MY GM DEALER FOR REPAIRS, AND WAS TOLD I'D BE REIMBURSED SUBJECT TO THE RECALL. THEN THE WISCONSIN EXCLUSION WAS ANNOUNCED. MANY PEOPLE HERE WILL BE OPERATING UNSAFE VEHICLES...AND THAT'S NOT RIGHT! PLEASE HELP. MARK & SHARON LEIDER. *NM

MANUFACTURER PROMISED TO PURCHASE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE DUE TO THE HYDROBOOST BRAKE RECALL. THEY PROMISED TO MAKE THE FIRST PAYMENT UPON RECEIPT OF THE NEW VEHICLE. OWNER HAD IN HER POSSESSION AN ALERT BULLETIN ABOUT THE HYDROBOOST. NEITHER MANUFACTURER NOR DEALERSHIP CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY. NOTICE STATED, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY TO STOP DELIVERY AND ANY PURCHASES FOR THE SUBURBANS AND OTHER GM TRUCKS DATED FEBRUARY 4, 2005. HIGHLIGHTED SENTENCE STATED NOT TO ALLOW CONSUMERS TO PURCHASE. *AK

2005 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN (LESS THAN 1 WEEK OLD) -CAR WAS PLACED INTO PARK ON A DRIVEWAY WITH HILL -PARKING FOOT BRAKE WAS ENGAGED -I LEFT THE VEHICLE AND STARTED WALKING INTO THIS HOUSE -AT 30 YDS I HEARD SOMETHING BEHIND ME AND TURNED TO REALIZE THE CAR WAS ROLLING -I RAN BACK, JUMPED INTO THE CAR AND SLAMMED THE BRAKE ON -I TESTED THIS 3 MORE TIMES AND REPEATED THIS CONDITION. -THE DASHBOARD INDICATOR IS SAYING THE CAR IS IN PARK, BUT IT IS NOT LOCKING -AN ADDITIONAL CONCERN WAS THAT PARKING BRAKE DID NOT HOLD UP WITH 3 CHILDREN IN MY HOUSEHOLD THIS IS A MAJOR CONCERN. NOT TO MENTION IT NEARLY RAN ME OVER. THIS IS A BRAND NEW CAR!!! NOT MORE THAN 400 MILES ON IT. CAR IS CURRENTLY BEING LOOKED AT BY THE CHEVY DEALER. THIS IS SERIOUS AND THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO INFORM THE AGENCY.I*=*AK -

THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER'S SIDE MIRRORS FAILED. THE OBJECTS APPEARED FAR AWAY THAN NORMAL. THIS CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE HAD A TOW MIRROR PACKAGE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THIS WAS A DESIGN FLAW FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE MIRROR COULD BE REPLACED, BUT THE DRIVER HAD TO PAY FOR IT. *AK THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE LIGHT HAD COME ON. *SC