2001 Subaru Outback

HI, ON FEBRUARY 25, 2003 WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY MY LEFT REAR FIRESTONE TIRE ON MY SUBARU OUTBACK BLEW UP. I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT NO ONE WAS NEXT TO MY CAR AT THE TIME THE TIRE BLEW AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE. THE TIRE WAS FIRESTONE WILDERNESS 225 60-16 H-RATED. PART # 074772. THE CAR IS A SUBARU 2001 AND IT HAD ONLY 21000 MILES WHEN THE TIRE BLEW. I CONTACTED FIRESTONE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPT. AND THE FIRESTONE SHOP ON DEMPSTER IN SKOKIE, ILLINOIS AND WAS INFORMED THAT I WILL HAVE TO PURCHASE 4 NEW TIRES BECAUSE IF I REPLACE ONLY THE TIRE THAT BLEW, IT WILL DAMAGE MY TRANSMISSION. I ASKED WHY THE TIRE BLEW WITH ONLY 21,000 MILES ON IT AND THEY COULD NOT EXPLAIN BUT SAID THEY WILL SEND IT BACK TO THEIR FACTORY FOR INVESTIGATION. THEY WERE WILLING TO PRORATE ONLY THE TIRE THAT BLEW, NOT ALL 4 NEW TIRES. I HAD TO PAY CLOSE TO $400 FOR 4 NEW TIRES. I CONTACTED YOUR OFFICE BY PHONE THE SAME WEEK AND EXPLAINED MY PROBLEM TO A LADY IN YOUR OFFICE. I WAS TOLD THAT I WILL GET A FORM IN THE MAIL TO BE FILLED OUT BY ME BUT I DID NOT GET IT SO I DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU BY E-MAIL. A FEW WEEKS LATER, WHEN I CHANGED MY OIL AT THE SUBARU DEALER ON GRAND AVENUE IN NAPERVILLE ILLINOIS, AN EMPLOYEE IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT HE WAS AWARE OF ANOTHER INCIDENT ABOUT A MONTH EARLIER THAT A LADY CAME INTO THE SHOP WITH A SIMILAR BLOW OUT ON THE SAME FIRESTONE TYPE WILDERNESS TIRE AND SHE HAD TO BUY 4 TIRES ALSO. I AM CONCERNED THAT THERE MIGHT BE MORE SUCH INSTANCES AND SOMEONE NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. THE TIRE SEPARATED 360 DEGREES ON ITS SIDE AROUND WHERE THE WHITE CIRCLE IS ON THE SIDEWALL. I TOOK A NUMBER OF DIGITAL PICTURES OF THE TIRE THAT BLEW BEFORE FIRESTONE TOOK IT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEND THEM TO YOU EITHER BY E-MAIL OR I CAN MAKE PRINTS. *JB PLEASE ADVISE. ZELIG

WHEN THE ORIGINAL RECALLS OF THE WILDERNESS TIRES OCCURRED WE WERE TOLD BY SUBARU AND FIRESTONE THAT OUR SIZE TIRE WAS NOT EFFECTED. THESE TIRES WERE THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON THE CAR. LAST NIGHT WE WERE DRIVING HOME AT ABOUT 11:00 AND COMING DOWN THE EXIT RAMP FROM ROUTE 270 ONTO MIDDLEBROOK ROAD IN GERMANTOWN. MY HUSBAND HEARD A HISSING SOUND AND AT FIRST WE DISMISSED IT. ABOUT A HALF MILE LATER AT A LIGHT WE HEARD AN ADDITIONAL SOUND AND REALIZED THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE HAD GONE FLAT. MY HUSBAND PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND GOT OUT TO DISCOVER THE SIDEWALL HAD SEPARATED AND THE TIRE WAS EXTREMELY HOT. IT DID NOT SEPARATE TO THE POINT OF RIPPING THE TIRE ALL THE WAY THROUGH, BUT ENOUGH OF A GAP YOU COULD PUT YOUR FINGER IN. IT LOOKS LIKE THE SEPARATION GOES AT LEAST HALF WAY AROUND THE SIDE WALL (180 DEGREES) AND PROBABLY MORE. WE ROAD ON THE FLAT (AT A SNAIL'S PACE) THE MILE TO OUR HOME SINCE WE STILL HAD RUBBER BETWEEN THE RIM AND ROAD. THE SCAREY PART IS THAT IT WAS LATE, DARK AND IF WE'D GOTTEN STUCK ON ROUTE 270 IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PLEASANT FOR MY HUSBAND TO CHANGE A TIRE UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS--IN FACT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS. ISN'T THIS THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENED TO ALL THOSE OTHER WILDERNESS TIRES--THAT THE SIDEWALL SEPARATED, RIPPED AND THE TIRE WRAPPED AROUND THE AXLE AND FLIPPED VEHICLES?! LUCKILY, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, OURS DIDN'T GO THAT FAR, BUT IT COULD HAVE. OUR OUTBACK IS A WONDERFUL CAR AND WE LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF DRIVING IT, BUT FOR A STATIONWAGON ITS CENTER OF GRAVITY IS A LITTLE HIGHER THAN AVERAGE. JUST LIKE THOSE SUVS WE COULD HAVE FLIPPED OUR BEAUTIFUL CAR IF THINGS DIDN'T TURN OUT THE WAY THEY DID. NEEDLESS TO SAY, MY HUSBAND IS PISSED OFF. HE CALLED THE FITZGERALD SUBARU IN GAITHERSBURG FOR ADVICE AND THEY SAID WE'LL HAVE TO DEAL WITH FIRESTONE. DO I NEED TO FEAR THE THREE OTHER TIRES ON MY CAR NOW? THANKS! JOYCE MCDONALD. *AK