2002 Toyota Sienna

DRIVING SOUTH ON I-15 NORTH OF LAS VEGAS, TIRE TREAD ON PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL SEPARATED WITHOUT WARNING. IT WAS A HOT DAY (AROUND 110 DEGREES) AND THE HIGHWAY SPEED THERE IS 75 M.P.H. THE TREAD FLEW UP AND SMASHED THE SIDE WINDOW OF THE SIENNA MINIVAN, TORE OFF PART OF THE SIDE FENDER AND DAMAGED THE SLIDING DOOR. THE TIRES HAD BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND HAD BEEN INPECTED WITHIN THE PREVIOUS MONTH AT THE TOYOTA DEALER. NONETHELESS, FIRESTONE HAS REFUSED TO COMPENSATE US FOR THE MONETARY LOSS AND HAS TRIED TO SHIFT THE BLAME TO US, SAYING THERE WAS PROOF THAT THE TIRE HAD BEEN RUN LOW, ETC. (WE HAD TO DRIVE ON THE TIRE AFTER WE LOST THE TREAD AS WE WERE IN A REMOTE AREA. SINCE THERE WAS STILL AIR IN THE TIRE I DROVE SLOWLY TO WHERE WE COULD GET HELP.) THUS I HAVE ARGUED THAT THE WEAR FOUND BY THEIR "ENGINEERS" WAS DUE TO DRIVING ON A TREADLESS TIRE WHICH WAS LOSING AIR. I HAVE REQUESTED FIRESTONE TO SEND US BACK THE DAMAGED TIRE. THE DAMAGE REPAIR BILL WAS $1780, PLUS THE COST OF THE RENTAL CAR ETC.*AK

TIRES FIRESTONE: FR680, P205/70R15 95S, M+S. ON A TOYOTA SIENNA 2002. 2 TIRES WERE COMPLETELY WORN DOWN TO NOTHING. GOT TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO DO A WHEEL ALIGNMENT & REPLACE 2 TIRES FOR FREE SINCE I HAD BEEN GOING TO THEM FOR ALL SERVICE & THEY NEVER NOTICED THE WORN TIRES. NOW ONE REAR TIRE HAS A SIDEWALL TEAR. I TOOK IT TO A FIRESTONE DEALER, AND HE SAID IT'S NOT UNDER WARRANTY -- JUST WEAR AND TEAR -- RIM HAD A SLIGHT DENT SO HE DEDUCTED IT WAS BECAUSE WE HIT A BUMP OR SIDEWALK. BUT THERE IS ALSO A CRACK IN THE SIDEWALL AS WELL.*AK

I REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO TOYOTA AND GOT FILE#200208160275 AND TO DUNLOP AND GOT REPORT#568588, NONE OF THE TWO SEEM TO REALLY CARE ABOUT THE PROBLEM, TOYOTA MENTIONED IT WAS A DUNLOP PROBLEM AND THAT TOYOTA DOES NOT WARRANTY THE TIRES, DUNLOP MENTIONS THAT I HAVE TO TAKE THE TIRE TO A DUNLOP DEALER AND THEY WILL ONLY REPLACE THE TIRE BLOWN BUT NOT THE ONE AT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CAR. WE FEEL REALLY UNSAFE WITH THESE TIRES AS THERE WAS NO VISIBLE CASUE TO THE PROBLEM EXCEPT FOR THE HEAT AND THE SPEED, WE ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR.*AK

TIRE BURST AT LESS THAN 30MPH. 3+ INCH RIP THROUGH EXTERIOR SIDEWALL ALONG RADIAL LINE OF TIRE. NO IMPACTS OR OTHER ADVERSE INITIATING EVENTS. NO SIGNS OF OTHER PUNCTURE. MY WIFE WAS ACCELERATING FROM A STOP LIGHT. WE ARE IN THE DC AREA AND STILL HAVE THE TIRE (AT THE MOMENT) FOR EXAMINATION. THIS IS A BRAND NEW TIRE WITH ABOUT 1000 MILES ON IT. *AK (TIRESIZE: P215/65R15)