1997 Toyota Camry

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY WITH GOODYEAR KELLY NAVIGATOR GOLD TIRES. THE TIRE SIZE WAS P195/70/R14 AND THE DOT NUMBER WAS M7RW17KR2407. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE VIBRATES, CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO SHAKE EXCESSIVELY. WHEN THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WAS OPEN, THE CONTACT HEARD A SQUISHING NOISE AND NOTICED THAT THE BELT SEPARATED WITHIN THE TIRE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED AND OFFERED TO PRORATE THE PRICE TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF NEW TIRES. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 15,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

ON 3/21/07, I PURCHASED 4 NEW TIRES FROM MERCHANTS TIRE IN WILLIAMSBURG VA WHICH INCLUDED NEW VALVE STEMS. IMMEDIATELY AFTER I DROVE AWAY FROM THE SERVICE FACILITY, MY RF TIRE WAS FLAT. AFTER FURTHER EXAMINATION BY THE SERVICE WRITER AT MERCHANTS, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A LEAK HAD DEVELOPED FROM A CUT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE VALVE STEM. IT WAS THE SERVICE WRITERS THEORY THAT THE VALVE STEM WAS NOT REPLACED DURING THE TIRE SERVICE. THE VALVE STEM WAS REPLACED AND NO PROBLEMS OCCURRED UNTIL THE FOLLOWING YEAR. ON 3/11/08, I COMPLAINED TO THE SAME FACILITY ABOUT ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH A CUT VALVE STEM BUT NO LEAKAGE OCCURRED. PROMPT REPLACEMENT WAS EFFECTED ON REQUEST AND AS OF THIS DATE, I HAVE NOT NOTICED ANY FURTHER PROBLEMS. *TR

REFERENCE: NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 06T016000. COOPER TIRE RECALL# 147 A STARFIRE FLITELINE IV TIRE CAN APART ON MY CAR DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. I TOOK TIRE AND CAR TO A COOPER TIRE STORE (CORNER TIRE STORE PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA) AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL (COOPER RECALL# 147). I FEEL THAT THE SCOPE OF THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE OTHER STARFIRE FLITELINE IV TIRES. THIS TIRE IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS, IF IT HAD COME APART AT HIGH SPEED, NO ONE WOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS DANGEROUS TIRE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON I-95 APPROACHING BALTIMORE, MD I BEGAN TO FEEL A SHAKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL IN THE 1997 TOYOTA CAMRY, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN A LOUD KNOCKING LIKE SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT TIRE. I THOUGHT I HAD A BLOWOUT. I STEERED THE CAR TO THE NEAREST LOCATION ON THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE AND FOUND THAT THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE CONTINENTAL - SPORTIVE METRIC 195/ TUBULES RADIAL TIRE. THIS TIRE COMPLETELY RIPPED OFF AND BENT THE EXTERIOR CAR PANEL RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE BIDDER AND TO THE LEFT AND BELOW THE HOOD WHICH COVERS THE WHEEL WELL AND RIPPED UP MY WIRING HARNESS. A COURTESY VEHICLE STOPPED TO ASSIST ME AND CALLED IT IN TO AAA WHO SENT TOW TRUCK TO BRING ME TO A AUTO REPAIR SHOP. I STILL HAVE NOT THE DAMAGE REPAIRED. HOWEVER, THE REPAIR MAN WAS ABLE TO RECONNECT THE WIRES THAT POWERED THE ELECTRONIC FUEL PUMP, POWER STEERING, LIGHTS, ETC AND REPLACED THE FUSES THAT BLEW. HOWEVER THE CAR WILL NEED SOME BODY/ELECTRICAL WORK TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE TIRE. I KEPT THE TIRE AND THE PIECES IN THE TRUNK.*AK

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 1997 CAMRY V6 WITH AMERI GENERAL G4S TIRES WHOSE SIZE IS 205/65 R15 AND DOT # IS A3UR 442 2301 AND ALL OF A SUDDEN ON RTE. 287 NORTH NEAR 14B EXIT FOR BRIDGEWATER MALL , THE RIGHT REAR TIRE JUST BLEW OFF INTO PIECES. THE WHOLE TREAD JUST CAME OFF THE REAR WHEEL AFTER A LOUD NOISE AND WHEN SHE STOPPED SHE FOUND TIRE COMPLETELY DIS-INTEGRATED. IT IS THE FIRST TIME EVER IN OUR LIFE THAT THIS KIND OF THING HAS HAPPENED AND I AM LUCKY THAT MY WIFE IS ALIVE AND NOTHING HAPPENED. BUT SHE IS COMPLETELY UNDER SHOCK AND AFRAID TO DRIVE NOW. AFTER ANALYZING THE WHEEL AT STS TIRE CENTER, THEY JUST WANTED TO GIVE 25% ON NEW SAME TIRE AND NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANY DEFECT WITH TIRE. I WAS COMPLETELY SURPRISED BUT REALIZED LATER THAT "HOW WILL THEY ACCEPT FAULT OPENLY" HOWEVER, WHEN I CALLED CONTINENTAL DIRECT BY PHONE, THEY ASKED ME TO HANDOVER THE TIRE TO THEM AND I AM AFRAID THAT THEY WILL DEFINITELY NOT REVEAL THE REAL REASON AND JUST OFFER ME PROBABLY FREE 1 TIRE REPLACEMENT. SINCE I AM AWARE OF SEVERAL SUCH INCIDENTS IN THE NEWS, I THOUGHT OF CONTACTING YOUR OFFICE FOR PROPER ACTION. HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOUR OFFICE SOON. I HAVE ALSO VERBALLY COMPLAINED OVER PHONE. AWAITING BHARAT AIDASANI. *AK