1997 Dodge RAM 2500

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45MPH, THE CONSUMER HEARD A FLAPPING NOISE COMING FROM REAR. STOPPED VEHICLE ON SHOULDER/ CHECKED & NOTICED NOTHING WRONG. DROVE FURTHER & THEN 1/3 OF THE TREAD FLEW OFF LEFT REAR TIRE. REPLACED IT WITH SPARE. TIRE WAS NOT FLAT, BUT BALD. BOUGHT A NEW TIRE. TRAVELING 60MPH WHEN THE TREAD PEELED COMPLETELY OFF RIGHT REAR TIRE. STOPPED VEHICLE & CHANGED IT WITH SPARE. GOODYEAR WRANLGER RTS LT245/75R16 WITH 47,000 MILES ON 1ST TIRE & 49,000 MILES ON 2ND TIRE. TIRES ON 1997, DODGE, D2500.*AK THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE FAULTY TIRES. *SLC

THERE IS A SAFETY STANDARD REQUIRING HEAD RESTRAINTS TO PREVENT OR REDUCE WHIPLASH INJURIES YET THERE IS APPARENTLY NO STANDARD THAT REQUIRES THE SEAT BACK HOLDING SUCH HEAD RESTRAINT TO REMAIN STANDING UPRIGHT DURING AN ACCIDENT WHERE SUCH HEAD RESTRAINT WOULD BE NEEDED. I WAS REAR ENDED ON AN EXPRESSWAY. THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING SIGNIFICANTLY FASTER THAN I WAS. THE IMPACT WAS SEVERE ENOUGH THAT THE INTERIOR SHELVING IN MY VAN BUCKLED DUE TO THE SHOCK TO ITS LOAD. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BACK RECLINER STRIPPED COMPLETELY, ALLOWING THE SEAT BACK TO COLLAPSE. IN FACT, THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED THE SEAT FROM COLLAPSING ALL THE WAY WAS THE CARGO LOADED BETWEEN THE SEAT AND THE SHELVES. INSTEAD OF A WHIPLASH INJURY, I RECEIVED A LOWER BACK INJURY FROM MY BACK BEING SNAPPED BACK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT. WHAT GOOD IS A HEAD RESTRAINT IF THE SEAT BACK DOESN'T HOLD IT UP? FURTHERMORE, IN THE SEARCH TO FIND A USED SEAT TO AVOID HAVING TO DISMANTLE THE SEAT TO REPLACE THE STRIPPED RECLINER, I DISCOVERED THAT ALL SIMILAR DODGE VANS IN THE JUNK YARDS WITH THE DELUXE HIGH BACK SEATS ARE SIMILARLY STRIPPED. I SEARCHED JUNKYARDS DESPITE THE POLICE OFFICER WHO CAME TO THE ACCIDENT SCENE SAYING THAT SEATS COLLAPSING DURING REAR END ACCIDENTS WAS COMMON. IS THIS ANOTHER INSTANCE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAVING ITS HEAD UP ITS A** LIKE WITH THE FIRESTONE TIRES?

I DRIVE 70,000 MILES A YEAR...I HAVE HAD A SET OF 4 MICHLIN TIRES THAT HAVE SHOWN OBVIOS SIGNS OF TREAD SEPERATION ...VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT IS SHOWN ON TV WITH THE FIRESTONE RECALL PROBLEM.......I HAVE BEEN A OVER THE ROAD DRIVER AND DO KNOW WHAT I FEEL IS UNSAFE IN TIRES...I TOOK THESE OFF MY TRUCK WITH OVER 1/2 OF TREAD STILL ON THEM,AS IFEARED THAT THEY WERE TO COME APART...I CONTACTED THE DEALER(SAMS CLUB) FOR ADJUSTMENT...THE STORE MANAGER WAS CALLED IN TO THE PROBLEM AND HE CALLED SOME PAPERPUSHER AT MICHLIN AND DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM....THEY SAID IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM AS THE TIRES DID NOT FAIL,THAT IT APPEARED ACCORDING TO DESCRIPTION THAT IT WAS SURFACE CHECKING,BUT IT IS COMPLETELY AROUND TREAD IN AND OUT SIDE ON ALLL 4 TIRES...THESE WERE ROTATED AND BALANCED REGULARLY ON SERVICE CONTRACT WITH SELLING DEALER..SO THEY HAD ALL MAINT REQUIRED.....I DID REPLACE THEM AS I SAID I FEARED FAILURE....I AM WONDERING IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER REPORTS ON THIS TIRE.*AK( DOT NUMBER: M32KBHX519 TIRE SIZE: LT245/75/R )

2 WRANGLER AT LT 245 75 R16 HAVE FAILED VIA TREAD SEPARATION, THE SECOND AT 70MPH WHICH DID 4755. $ DAMAGE. 4 OF 5 TIRES REPLACED BYGOODYEAR UNDER LIABILITY CLAIM G00T00109. TRUCK REPAIRS PAID BY STATE FARM, MADE BY SYMMONS BODY AND FENDER, INC DANVILLE CA FED ID #: 942536583 PH (925)820 3317 FAX 8897 JOB NO 9151 ON 03/10/2000( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: LT 245 75 )

AT LOW SPEEDS POWER STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK UP INTERMITTENTLY,WITHOUT WARNING WHICH HAS CAUSED 2 ACCIDENTS. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO TWO CHRSYLER DEALERS, WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED STEERING LOCKING UP, AND HAVE NOTED THAT THERE WAS TOO MUCH PLAY IN STEERING GEAR BOX. ALSO, ALLSTATE INSURANCE SAFETY INSPECTOR CAME OUT TO CHECK VEHICLE AFTER 2ND ACCIDENT AND DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS TOO MUCH PLAY IN STEERING GEAR BOX. CHRYSLER FINALLY SENT OUT THEIR OWN SAFETY INSPECTOR TO DEALER TO CHECK VEHICLE, AND HE DETERMINED THERE WAS NO DEFECT, EVEN AFTER TWO CHRSYLER DEALERS AND ALLSTATE INSPECTOR INDICATED EXCESSIVE PLAY IN STEERING GEAR BOX.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEED 5TH GEAR SUDDENLY LETS GO; ACTS LIKE SUDDENLY PRESSING CLUTCH WHILE AT SPEED. PROBLEM APPEARS WITHOUT WARNING, STARTLES DRIVER AND LEAVES DRIVER WITHOUT POWER TO AVOID VEHICLES APPROACHING IN REAR. ONLY RESPONSE IS TO MOVE TO RIGHT WITHOUT POWER TO AVOID ACCIDENT. HAD REPAIRED BY AZ DEALER FIRST TIME WITH "NEW REDESIGNED" PARTS AND SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED EXACTLY ONE YEAR LATER ON 2/10/00 AT 87615 MILES. PROBLEM FIXED WITH SAME PARTS AGAIN BY CA DEALER. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE TRUCK IS NOT CAPABLE OF DRIVING IN 4TH GEAR AT FREEWAY SPEEDS (TRUCK HAS 4:10 RING AND PINION). BOTH TRANSMISSION MECHANICS HAVE REPAIRED SEVERAL VEHICLES WITH SAME PROBLEM.*AK