1998 Toyota Sienna

I REPLACED THE FIRESTONE TIRES WHICH OUR SIENNA CAME EQUIPPED WITH WHEN NEW BECAUSE THE VEHICLE BEGAN STEERING VERY POORLY, TO THE POINT OF MY BECOMING FEARFUL OF DRIVING ON THEM. I ROTATED THE TIRES MYSELF (FRONTS TO REARS) AND FOUND THAT THE STEERING PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. OF COURSE I THEN KNEW THAT AT LEAST ONE OF THE REAR TIRES WAS NO GOOD. WHEN I PURCHASED THE FOUR NEW TIRES, I ASKED TO EXAMINE THE OLD FIRESTONES JUST REMOVED. TWO EMPLOYEES OF THE DISCOUNT TIRE AND MYSELF FOUND BUBBLES INDICATING THAT SEPARATION WAS OCCURRING. I KEPT THE TIRES. THEY MAY BE EXAMINED AT MY HOME. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205/70R15 )

THE LEFT REAR TIRE WENT FLAT AS I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 60 MILES PER HOUR. I FOUND THE SIDE WALL OF THE TIRE (THE SIDE FACING IN TOWARDS THE CAR) HAD SPLIT IN 4 PLACES. THE TIRE CAME WITH THE CAR AT TIME OF PURCHASE AND THERFORE ONLY HAD 21100 MILES LOGGED ON TO THE TIRE. THE MINIVAN IS TYPICALLY USED IN LOCAL TRAFFIC AT A AVERAGE SPEED OF 35 MILES PER HOUR. *AK( DOT NUMBER: W2VF TIRE SIZE: P215/65R15 )

ON 9 AUGUST, 2000 EXPERIENCE A SEVERE STEERING WHEEL FLUCTUATION WHEN DEPARTING A PARKING LOT AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH. STOPPED AND CHECKED TIRES, APPEARED OKAY. PROCEEDED TO DRIVE HOME, AT NIGHT, CHANGED TO LESSENING VIBRATION WITH INCREASE OF SPEED. TOOK CAR TO DEALER TO HAVE CHECKED OUT. THEY REPORTED THAT STEERING AND CHASSIS SYSTEMS WERE GOOD, THAT THE PROBLEM WAS BAD TIRES. THEY DID NOT ELABORATE ON WHAT WAS BAD WITH THE TIRES.......TOOK VEHICLE TO TIRE DEALER, NOT FIRESTONE, AND HAD THEM INSPECT AND SUBSEQUENTLY REPLACE ALL 4 TIRES. THEY STATED THAT THE TREAD WAS SEPARATING ON THE INSIDE AREA OF THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. RETAINED OLD TIRES AT MY HOME FOR REVIEW IF NECESSARY. ONLY THING I NOTICED WAS ABNORMAL WEAR ON INSIDE AREAS OF ALL 4 TIRES.......NO VIBRATION EXPERIENCED AFTER TIRES REPLACED......ORIGINAL TIRES HAD BEEN BALANCED, ROTATED AND ALIGNMENT COMPLIED WITH AT THE DEALERS AT PRESCRIBED INTERVALS.....NO PROBLEMS WITH TIRES OR VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UP TO THE TIME OF FAILURE( DOT NUMBER: W2MOF6L178 TIRE SIZE: P205/70R15 )

WHEN I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR A YEARLY WV STATE INSPECTION, I WAS TOLD IT FAILED DUE TO THE TIRES BEING "SHOT". I WAS SHOWN WHERE THE TREAD ON BOTH FRONT TIRES WAS SEPARATING FROM THE TIRE. MY VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT NEW AND HAD ONLY 24,000 MILES ON IT AT THAT TIME. AN ALIGNMENT CHECK WAS DONE AND THE VEHICLE WAS FOUND TO BE IN PERFECT ALIGNMENT. THEY COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY THIS TYPE OF WEAR AND TREAD SEPARATION WOULD OCCUR WITH ONLY 24,000 MILES ON THESE TIRES. THE NEXT DAY WAS WHEN THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE CONCERNING FORD VEHICLES AND THE FIRESTONE TIRES . I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION AND WAS DISMISSED WITH THE COMMENT TO VOICE MY CONCERNS TO THE FIRESTONE COMPANY. I HAVE WAITED FOR TOYOTA TO EITHER MAKE A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT OR SEND A QUESTIONAIRE TO ITS CONSUMERS ASKING THEM TO CHECK THEIR TIRES AND BE AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR TREAD SEPARATION ON THE AFFINITY FIRESTONE TIRES THAT WERE PLACED ON THESE VEHICLES. I AM OUT THE COST OF REPLACING THESE TIRES , BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, HAD MY STATE NOT HAD AN INSPECTION PROGRAM, I NEVER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT TO CHECK THESE TIRES AT THIS TIME AND MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE BECOME ANOTHER STATISTIC SOON AFTER. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME ANYTIME. I AM REQUESTING THAT THIS COMPLAINT AND MY CONCERNS BE PASSED ON TO SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN AND NHTSA ADMINISTRATOR SUE BAILEY IMMEDIATELY.( DOT NUMBER: W2VF A1T TIRE SIZE: P215/65R15 )