1996 Toyota Tacoma

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE TIRES LOST PRESSURE WITHOUT WARNING. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VALVE STEMS WERE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VALVE STEM INFORMATION WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN. UPDATED 6/29/09 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE VALVE STEM REPLACEMENT WERE FAILING AS WELL. HE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE VALVE STEMS WITH STEEL ONES. UPDATED 06/30/09.*JB

INITIALLY FELT A VIBRATION IN MY STEERING WHEEL AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL. WAS TRYING TO DECIDE FROM WHERE THE PROBLEM CAME WHEN MY LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW IT'S ENTIRE TREAD, WHICH THEN WRAPPED AROUND MY AXLE, CAUSING ME TO SPIN 360 DEGREES AND OFF THE HIGHWAY AND DOWN A GRASSY SLOPE, WHICH, FORTUNATELY, WAS SOFT ENOUGH TO STOP ME WITHOUT MAKING ME FLIP OVER. DAMAGE: WHEEL RIM AND COVER, WHEEL WELL LINER RIPPED OFF, THEREBY BENDING IT'S REAR BRACKET, WHICH IN TURN PULLED MY FENDER IN. TREAD WRAPPED AROUND AXLE BENT, BUT DID NOT CRIMP, MY HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINE. I MANAGED TO GET THE VEHICLE TO THE ASPHALT TO CHANGE THE TIRE, BUT IT CAME TO A HALT BECAUSE OF THE AXLE BEING WRAPPED. WAS UNABLE TO PUT ON SAFETY BRAKE UNTIL I LIFTED THE VEHICLE ENOUGH TO UNWRAP THE TREAD FROM THE AXLE. HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH FIRESTONE AND EXPECT THEM TO PAY FOR MY DAMAGES. THEIR POLICY IS TO DEMAND THE OLD TIRE BACK BEFORE ANY PAYOUT CAN BE MADE AND I INTEND TO FIGHT THAT, SINCE THE DEALER HAS ALREADY DISPOSED OF THE EVIDENCE. MY FEELING IS THAT THE DEALER WAS EITHER IGNORANT OF THAT POLICY OR NEGLIGENT IN TELLING ME OF IT OR THAT FIRESTONE INSTRUCTED THEM NOT TO TELL CUSTOMERS OF THAT REQUIREMENT. I DID TELL THE DEALER THAT I INTENDED TO FILE A CLAIM WITH FIRESTONE. DEALER AS MUCH AS ADMITTED A FAULTY PRODUCT SINCE THEY DID NOT CHARGE ME FOR A NEW TIRE. THEY DID, HOWEVER, CHARGE ME LABOR. ROTATION AND COURTESY CHECK WERE PERFORMED BY DEALER ON 20 JULY 2005 AND THEY STATED THEY HAD CHECKED TIRE PRESSURE. *NM *NM