1993 Nissan Pathfinder

*NOTE: THE TIRES IN QUESTION ARE SIZE 235/75R15...THIS SIZE OPTION WAS NOT AVAILABLE IN THE DROP DOWN BOX./// BLOWOUT AND NEAR ACCIDENT OCCURRED. AFTER FURTHER EVALUATION IT WAS DETERMINED THE SIDEWALLS OF THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE HAD COLLAPSED UPON ENTERING A SLOW CURVE. THE CONDITION HAD EXISTED EARLIER AS THE SIDEWALLS WERE WORN TO THE THREADS BEING EXPOSED. AFTER FURTHER EVALUATION ;ALL FOUR TIRES SEEM TO HAVE A VERY FLIMSY AND SUB-STANDARD SIDEWALL CONSTRUCTION. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT BE DRIVEN UNTIL ALL FOUR TIRES CAN BE REPLACED. *TR

I'M A CONSUMER WHO JUST HAD FOUR NEW COOPER DISCOVERER AST II TIRES INSTALLED ON A '93 NISSAN PATHFINDER. ALL FAILED WITHIN 709 MILES, APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH OF DRIVING. AFTER DRIVING TWO WEEKS AND 555 MILES, THE FRONT LEFT TIRE SUDDENLY BLEW OUT IN MY DRIVEWAY. IT APPEARED TO FAIL AT THE BEAD. MY TIRE DEALER TURNED THE TIRE OVER TO A COOPER REP WHO EXAMINED THE TIRE AND SAID THE SHOP INSTALLED IT IMPROPERLY, LEADING TO THE FAILURE. THE SHOP DISAGREED WITH THE FINDING, BUT THEY REPLACED THE TIRE FREE OF CHARGE. TWO WEEKS AND 154 MILES LATER, I NOTICED THE THREE OTHER COOPERS WERE FAILING. THE REARS HAD SOFTBALL-SIZED BULGES ON THE TIRE WALL EXTENDING FROM THE BEAD TOWARD THE TREAD. THE RIGHT FRONT HAD A BASEBALL-SIZED BULGE IN THE SAME LOCATION. ALL THE BULGES WERE ON THE INBOARD, WHITEWALL SIDE OF THE TIRE. MY SHOP'S OWNER PERSONALLY PULLED THE TIRES, EXAMINED THEM, AND FOUND BARE BEAD WIRE ADJACENT TO THE BULGE. THE BARE WIRE WAS 1-2 INCHES LONG. HE SAYS THE LOCATION OF THE BARE WIRE/BULGE FALLS ON THE BOTTOM SIDE OF THE TIRE DURING MOUNTING--A SPOT NOT CONTACTED BY THE MOUNTING BAR DURING INSTALLATION. FURTHERMORE, HE SAID HE FOUND NO SCUFFING INSIDE THE TIRE INDICATING CONTACT WITH THE MOUNTING BAR AND NO LOOSE RUBBER INSIDE THE TIRE, FURTHER INDICATIVE OF DAMAGE DURING MOUNTING. HE TRUSTS HIS INSTALLER, A 10-YEAR EMPLOYEE WHO INSTALLS 100 TIRES A WEEK. HE'S CONVINCED THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVELY MANUFACTURED. MY DEALER HAS FOLLOWED UP WITH COOPER. THE COMPANY INSISTS THE TIRES WERE DAMAGED DURING INSTALLATION, BUT IT WENT AHEAD AND CREDITED THE SHOP THE COST OF THE TIRES. MY DEALER HAD A SIMILAR FAILURE ON A COOPER LIFELINER SLE TIRE A MONTH EARLIER, AND COOPER DENIED ANY PROBLEMS ON THEIR PART IN THAT INCIDENT AS WELL. THE TIRES ARE COOPER ASTII, P235-75-15 I PULLED ONE DOT#...3D1TCLA2305 THANKS --- BRUCE STOFF, ITHACA NY. *NM

ON JUNE 14, 2000 MY SPOUSE AND I WERE RETURNING FROM VACATION DRIVING APPROX. 70 MPH ON I-35 EAST OF GREENVILLE, TX AND HAD JUST PASSED AN 18 WHEELER WHEN THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. WE WERE IN THE LEFT HAND LANE AND WERE VERY FORTUNATE IN MOVING IN FRONT OF THE 18 WHEELER AND OVER TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER WITHOUT ROLLING THE VEHICLE. IT WAS VERY SCARY. THE TREAD CAME OFF AND TORE UP PART OF THE FENDER AREA AND WRAPPED UP OVER THE REAR BUMPER AND BROKE THE RIGHT REAR TAILLIGHT ASSEMBLY. WE HAVE GONE THROUGH ALL THE PROCESS TO BE REIMBURSED BY FIRESTONE FOR OUR REPLACEMENT TIRES. THE REGIONAL FIRESTONE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP. IN FORT WORTH SUGGESTET THAT IN ADDITIONAL TO THE $400.00 AMOUNT REQUESTED FOR NEW TIRES THAT WE ALSO REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE $80.00 EXPENSE TO HAVE THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY REPLACED. WE SUBMITTED ALL APPROPRIATE PAPERWORK ON AUGUST 16, 0000. AS OF OCTOBER 4, 0000 (SEVEN WEEKS) WE HAVE NOT HEARD FROM FIRESTONE. WE ARE VERY UPSET WITH THEIR LACK OF RESPONSE. PLEASE ADVISE. BY THE WAY, WE HAD NINE TIRES ON TWO VEHICLES WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED. FIVE OF THE TIRES (GOODYEAR) WERE REPLACED VERY QUICKLY AFTER WE RAISED CANE AND NO REIMBURSEMENT IS REQUIRED ON THESE FIVE TIRES. THANKS! (TIRESIZE: 23575R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 23575R15 )