1999 Mazda Protege

FAULTY TIRE VALVES (DILL ACP 123 TR 418) ON A 1999 MAZDA PROTEGE. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE TIRE DEFLATED. THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF A RECALL RELATING TO THE VALVE STEMS BY DILL-ACP MODEL TR-418. RECALL# 08T0228000. *JB SEE ALSO 10496085 *SY UPDATED 06/23/10.*JB THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAS SINCE EXPERIENCED ANOTHER TIRE FAILURE, DUE TO A DEFECTIVE TIRE VALVE STEM. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VALVE STEM WAS CRACKED AND THE REAR TIRE WAS SPLIT. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT BOTH TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE REASON FOR THE SPLIT WAS DUE TO HEAT BUILD-UP, BECAUSE HE CONTINUED TO DRIVE ON THE TIRE, BEFORE HE REALIZED THE TIRE HAD DEFLATED. UPDATED 10/24/12 UPDATED 02/07/13

TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE AND DAMAGED THE FENDER WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED. FIRESTONE, SIZE P185/65R14, DOT# H406JDNO79. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE AND STEERING WHEEL STARTED SHAKING. THE CONSUMER TURNED OFF THE A/C, RADIO AND REDUCED SPEED TO LISTEN AND DETERMINE THE CAUSE. ONLY TWO EXITS AWAY FROM THEIR EXIT, THE CONSUMER HEARD A THUD. HE PULLED OVER AND SAW THE RIGHT REAR FENDER HANGING OFF TO THE CURB AND THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WAS BALD. ALL THE TREAD ON THE SURFACE WAS GONE. HE CHANGED THE TIRE, SECURED THE FENDER WITH DUCT TAPE AND WENT TO SEARS TO PURCHASE A NEW TIRE. CONSUMER SENT THE TIRE TO FIRESTONE/BRIDGESTONE FOR INSPECTION AND COMPENSATION. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THERE INSPECTION SHOWED THAT THE TIRE WAS OPERATED FOR AN UNKNOWN PERIOD OF TIME WITH INSUFFICIENT AIR PRESSURE TO CARRY THE LOAD. THE INSUFFICIENT AIR PRESSURE WAS EVIDENT BY THE DEFORMATION THROUGHOUT THE TIRE BEAD AREA. THEY CONCLUDED THAT THE TIRE FAILURE WASN'T THE RESULT OF DEFECTIVE MATERIALS OR WORKMANSHIP. THE TIRE WAS RETURNED TO THE CONSUMER UPON HIS REQUEST. THE INSURANCE COMPANY ESTIMATED DAMAGES AT $902.54. *PH *NLM

REAR LEFT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, COMPLETLY SHREARD FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE TIRE ABOUT HALF WAY AROUND THE TIRE. WHEN TAKEN TO THE FIRESTONE DEALER COMPLAINED ABOUT TREAD SPERATION, WAS TOLD THAT I MUST HAVE HIT SOMETHING TO HAVE CAUSED SUCH DAMAGE TO THE TIRE. THERE WAS MINIMIAL TREAD WEAR ON THE TIRE AS IT WAS BRAND NEW AND HARDLY ANY MILEAGE DRIVEN ON IT. FIRESTONE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE TIRE FOR FREE, STATED HE DID NOT HAVE ANY INSTOCK AND WOULD HAVE TO ORDER A TIRE TO REPLACE IT. TOLD THE FIRESTONE DEALER FORGET IT AND REPLACED THE TIRE WITH A NON FIRESTONE BRAND FROM A MORE REPUTIABLE TIRE MANUFACTURE. LUCKLY THERE WAS NOONE HURT AND THE CAR DID NOT LOSE CONTROL AFTER THE BLOW OUT. (TIRESIZE: R14)

TOOK CAR INTO DEALERSHIP FOR INVESTIGATION OF 'HUMMING' NOISE COMING FROM FRONT RIGHT TIRE AND VIBRATION OF STEERING AT 65MPH. SERVICE DEPT STATED ALL FOUR TIRES ARE CUPPING IN CAUSING UNEVEN WEAR ON TREAD.ALSO STATED THAT THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL IS BENT. THEY RECOMMENDED REPLACING ALL FOUR TIRES, NEW WHEEL,AND ALIGNMENT.*AK (DOT NUMBER: H48N TIRESIZE: P195/55R15)

DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT AT 35MPH, WHEEL SLIGHTLLY BENT, DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE HAD BUBBLE IN THE SIDEWALL. FIRESTONE DEALER REPLACED TIRES AND GAVE ADJUSTED CREDIT. I SEE THAT OTHERS OWNERS ARE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THESE TIRES. PLEASE CONSIDER DANGER WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHER RATE OF SPEED. *AK (DOT NUMBER: H406JDN239 TIRESIZE: 18565R14)

I WASN'T SURE IF THIS TIRE WAS PART OF THE RECALL ON FIRESTONE, BUT I THOUGHT I SHOULD CHECK. I'VE ONLY OWNED THE CAR FOR A YEAR AND BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW. IT SURPRISED ME TO HAVE A TIRE BLOW OUT AND HAVE IT UNREPAIRABLE. THE REASON THE TIRE BLEW OUT WASN'T FROM A NAIL OR GLASS, BUT THE SIDE OF THE TIRE WAS WORE DOWN AND THEREFORE UNREPAIRABLE. WHAT SURPRISED ME EVEN MORE IS THAT THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE TIRE SAID THAT IT LOOKED AS THOUGH IT WAS RUBBED AGAINST CONCRETE. HOW CAN YOU RUB AGAINST CONCRETE FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE WHEN YOU PARK ALONG THE CURBS WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE. I WAS VERY CONFUSED BY THIS. THE TIRE REPLACEMENT COST WAS $55.67. IS THIS UNUSUAL? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. (DOT NUMBER: H406 TIRESIZE: P185/65R14)

TIRE TREAD SEPARATED ON BOTH FRONT TIRES ON THE INSIDE OF TIRES DOWN TO METAL BELT. WAS NOTICED BEFORE ANY FLAT OCCURED BECAUSE STRIPS OF TIRE TREAD WERE HITTING THE INSIDE OF THE FENDER WELL MAKING A LOT OF NOISE. RETURNED TIRES TO FIRESTONE DEALER BUT WAS TOLD PROBLEM WAS DUE TO ALIGNMENT WHICH I DID NOT AGREE WITH. TOOK TIRES TO ANOTHER SHOP ( SAM'S CLUB) AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TIRE FAILURES WERE NOT ALIGNMENT RELATED AND MUST BE DUE TO TIRE DEFECTS. I REPLACED THE TIRES AND THE NEW TIRES SHOW NO SIGNS OF MISALIGNMENT WEAR. THE FAILED TIRES ARE STILL IN MY POSSESION. WHAT COURSE OF ACTION DO YOU RECOMMEND NEXT?( DOT NUMBER: H48NCJN229 TIRE SIZE: P195/55R15 )