2000 SUBARU OUTBACK Tires Problems

DT: THE CALLER USED SPARE TIRE AND THE SIDEWALL BLEW OUT. TIRE HAD 110 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. THE CALLER WAS GOING BETWEEN 60 AND 65 MPH. THE TIRE WAS FULL OF BLACK POWDER AND THE RUBBER WAS CRUMBLING. THE CALLER HEARD A RUMBLE, AND WHEN HE WAS TRYING TO PULL OVER TO SEE WHAT IT WAS ,THE TIRE BLEW OUT. TIRE WAS ONLY ON VEHICLE FOR A WEEK. MANUFACTURER TOLD THE CALLER TO GO TO DEALER AND THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE TIRE. DEALER WOULD OFFER NO HELP. HOWEVER, MANUFACTURER DID PAY FOR TIRE. *AK *NM

Mileage: 52,940

WHILE DRIVING 20-25 MPH, THE RIGHT REAR FIRESTONE HT P225/60R16 (DOT UNKNOWN) TIRE EXPLODED. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO CONTROL AND STOP THE VEHICLE AFTER DRIVING THROUGH A FIELD. TEN MONTHS LATER, THE RIGHT FRONT FIRESTONE HT (DOT UNKNOWN) TIRE BLEW OUT. ON BOTH OCCASIONS, TIRE MERCHANT WOULD NOT REPLACE TIRE AND COULD NOT FIND CAUSE OF BLOWOUT. THE FIRST TIRE HAD LESS THAN 12,000 MILES AND THE SECOND TIRE HAD LESS THAN 21,O00 MILES. *TT

TREAD SEPARATED AND TIRE BLEW WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 60 MPH ON PARKWAY. DIDN'T FILL OUT ALL INFORMATION ON CAR SINCE IT DIDN'T APPLY AND DEALER HAS RECORD. *AK *JB *****DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS******760752.

MY SUBARU CAME STOCK WITH FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES. WHEN THE FORD/FIRESTONE INCIDENT WAS HAPPENING, THE SUBARU WEBSITE POSTED A MESSAGE THAT THE TIRES USED ON THE SUBARU'S WERE NOT IN THE RECALL. THIS MORNING, I HAD A BLOW OUT THAT CAUSED ME TO SWERVE VIOLENTLY INTO THE #3 LANE CAUSING THE TRAFFIC TO SWERVE. WHEN I PULLED OVER AND INSPECTED THE TIRE, I NOTICED THAT THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE HAS DELAMINATED FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE. NO OTHER FOREIGN OBJECTS OR OTHER VISIBLE SIGNS CAN BE SEEN TO HAVE CAUSED THE BLOW OUT. IT'S PLAIN TO SEE THAT IT'S DEFINITELY A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. I CONTACTED SUBARU AND THEY INSIST THAT THE TIRES THAT CAME ON THE VEHICLE ARE NOT A PART OF THE RECALL FROM FORD. AND THAT I SHOULD GO TO A SUBARU DEALER TO HAVE THEM INSPECT THE TIRE.*AK (TIRESIZE: 225 60/16)

THIS CAR COMES WITH FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES MADE ESPECIALLY FOR THE OUTBACK. AT ONLY 24000 MILES, I HAD A BLOWOUT IN WHICH THE COMPLETE LEFT SIDE OF THE TIRE DISINTEGRATED. A FEW MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR AND HEARD OF THE TROUBLE WITH FIRESTONE TIRES, I CALLED THE DEALER WHO ASSURED ME THAT THESE TIRES WERE SAFE AND NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. WHEN THIS DANGEROUS INCIDENT HAPPENED TWO DAYS AGO, I WENT TO A LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER WHO TOLD ME HE COULD NOT GET THESE WILDERNESS TIRES, AND DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THEM IN HIS COMPUTER. HE WANTED TO BLAME SUBARU FOR THE FAILURE. I CALLED BOTH MY SUBARU DEALER AND THE HEAD OFFICE IN GEORGIA (SPOKE WITH MANAGER KEVIN TRIPLETT), AND HE WANTED TO BLAME FIRESTONE. THESE TIRES ARE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE, AS IT SIMPLY DISINTEGRATED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. I WILL BE HAPPY TO EMAIL YOU PICTURES OR TO SHOW YOU THE TIRE IN PERSON. AFTER WARNING BOTH FIRESTONE & SUBARU OF THIS DEFECTIVE PRODUCT, THEY WOULD ONLY AGREE TO PUT THE SAME PROBLEM TIRE ON MY CAR, AND I REFUSE TO PUT MY FAMILY'S LIFE IN JEOPARDY WITH A DEFECTIVE TIRE. *AK (TIRESIZE: 16)

PHOTOS OF THE TIRE DAMAGE ARE POSTED AT HTTP://WWW.SPEAKEASY.ORG/~DERVISH/FIRESTONE/FIRESTONE.HTML. I REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES DESPITE THE SUBSTANTIAL TREAD LIFE REMAINING ON THE FIRESTONES. THE FIRESTONES WERE WELL-MAINTAINED: ROTATED, INFLATED, ETC.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W2X0W66070 TIRESIZE: P225/60R16)

WHEN I WENT TO CHANGE A TIRE THAT I HAVE BEEN NURSING A SLOW LEAK ON FOR A FEW WEEKS, I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A NICE SMOOTH HALF CIRCLE IN THE COVERING ABOUT WHERE I THINK THE TIRE MEETS THE TREAD. IT APPEARED TO ME AS THE FIRST SIGN OF TREAD SEPARATION.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W2XOW66140 TIRESIZE: P22560R169)

TIRE COULD NOT BE BALANCED, TREAD FOUND TO BE SEPARATED. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2X0W66070 TIRESIZE: P225/60R16)

AFTER PUTTING 1000 MILES ON THE TIRES THE CONSUMER NOTICED A DARK BROWN RING ABOUT 1 INCH FROM THE TOP OF THE OUTSIDE TREAD WALL, FIRESTONE COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM AND OFFERED TO REPLACED THAT TIRE, THE CONSUMER DECIDED TO REPLACE ALL TIRES WITH A DIFFERENT BRAND(FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES P225/60R16 97H M+S). NLM

TIRE SEAM BLEW OUT, IN A PERFECT CIRCUMFERENCE, ACCOMPANIED BY PROFUSE SMOKE. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE I COULD NOT SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO MY CAR DUE TO THE SMOKE. I THOUGHT I BLEW A GASKET. BROUGHT TIRE TO FIRESTONE DEALER, WHERE THEY DID A SOAP TEST. NO PUNCTURES WERE THERE EXCEPT THE COMPLETE BREAKDOWN OF THE SEAM ON THE OUTSIDE OF TIRE. THEY REPLACED IT, HOWEVER, THEY REPLACED IT WITH ANOTHERK WILDERNESS TIRE. IN THYE 28 YEARS OF DRIVING I HAVE HAD, I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A BLOW OUT LIKE THIS, OR EVEN SEEN ONE. THE DEGREE OF SMOKE, AND PERFECT FAILURE OF THE SEAM POINT TO A PROBLEM WORTHY OF YOUR INVESTIGATION., PLEASE NOTIFY ME, IN KIND, OF THE PROCEDURE YOU WILL UNDER TAKE TO INSURE THAT THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DRIVING THE NEW 2000 OUTBACK EQUIPED WITH THE WILDERNESS TIRES WILL BE SAFE FROM HARM. I BELIEVE WITH ALL MY HEART THAT THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM HERE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT IN THIS MATTER. (DOT NUMBER: W 2XOW66 TIRESIZE: P225/60R16)

TIRE SEAM BLEW OUT, IN A PERFECT CIRCUMFERENCE, ACCOMPANIED BY PROFUSE SMOKE. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE I COULD NOT SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO MY CAR DUE TO THE SMOKE. I THOUGHT I BLEW A GASKET. BROUGHT TIRE TO FIRESTONE DEALER, WHERE THEY DID A SOAP TEST. NO PUNCTURES WERE THERE EXCEPT THE COMPLETE BREAKDOWN OF THE SEAM ON THE OUTSIDE OF TIRE. THEY REPLACED IT, HOWEVER, THEY REPLACED IT WITH ANOTHERK WILDERNESS TIRE. IN THYE 28 YEARS OF DRIVING I HAVE HAD, I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A BLOW OUT LIKE THIS, OR EVEN SEEN ONE. THE DEGREE OF SMOKE, AND PERFECT FAILURE OF THE SEAM POINT TO A PROBLEM WORTHY OF YOUR INVESTIGATION., PLEASE NOTIFY ME, IN KIND, OF THE PROCEDURE YOU WILL UNDER TAKE TO INSURE THAT THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DRIVING THE NEW 2000 OUTBACK EQUIPED WITH THE WILDERNESS TIRES WILL BE SAFE FROM HARM. I BELIEVE WITH ALL MY HEART THAT THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM HERE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT IN THIS MATTER.( DOT NUMBER: W 2XOW66 TIRE SIZE: P225/60R16 )

TIRE SEAM BLEW OUT, IN A PERFECT CIRCUMFERENCE, ACCOMPANIED BY PROFUSE SMOKE. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE I COULD NOT SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO MY CAR DUE TO THE SMOKE. I THOUGHT I BLEW A GASKET. BROUGHT TIRE TO FIRESTONE DEALER, WHERE THEY DID A SOAP TEST. NO PUNCTURES WERE THERE EXCEPT THE COMPLETE BREAKDOWN OF THE SEAM ON THE OUTSIDE OF TIRE. THEY REPLACED IT, HOWEVER, THEY REPLACED IT WITH ANOTHERK WILDERNESS TIRE. IN THYE 28 YEARS OF DRIVING I HAVE HAD, I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A BLOW OUT LIKE THIS, OR EVEN SEEN ONE. THE DEGREE OF SMOKE, AND PERFECT FAILURE OF THE SEAM POINT TO A PROBLEM WORTHY OF YOUR INVESTIGATION., PLEASE NOTIFY ME, IN KIND, OF THE PROCEDURE YOU WILL UNDER TAKE TO INSURE THAT THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DRIVING THE NEW 2000 OUTBACK EQUIPED WITH THE WILDERNESS TIRES WILL BE SAFE FROM HARM. I BELIEVE WITH ALL MY HEART THAT THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM HERE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT IN THIS MATTER.

TIRE SEAM BLEW OUT IN PERFECT CIRCUMFERENCE ACCOMPANIED BY PROFUSE SMOKE. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE I COULD NOT SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO MY CAR DUE TO THE SMOKE. I THOUGHT I BLEW A GASKET. BROUGHT TIRE TO FIRESTONE DEALER WHERE THEY DID A SOAP TEST. NO PUNCTURES WERE THERE EXCEPT THE COMPLETE BREAKDOWN OF THE SEAM ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TIRE. THEY REPLACED IT, HOWEVER THEY REPLACED IT WITH ANOTHER WILDERNESS TIRE. IN THE 28 YEARS OF DRIVING I HAVE HAD, I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A BLOW OUT LIKE THIS OR EVEN SEEN ONE. THE DEGREE OF SMOKE AND PERFECT FAILURE OF THE SEAM POINT TO A PROBLEM WORTHY OF YOUR INVESTIGATION. PLEASE NOTIFY ME, IN KIND, OF THE PROCEDURE YOU WILL UNDER TAKE TO INSURE THAT THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DRIVING THE NEW 2000 OUTBACK EQUIPPED WITH THE WILDERNESS TIRES WILL BE SAFE FROM HARM. I BELIEVE WITH ALL MY HEART THAT THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM HERE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT IN THIS MATTER. *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*734292

Mileage: 16,000

I WAS GOING THE SPEED LIMIT OUTSIDE OF LA AND MY TIRE SHREDDED INTO 3 PERFECT PIECES. THERE IS A TINY HOLE IN THE TIRE BUT I HAVE ONLY SEEN A TIRE DETERIORATE SUCH AS THIS ON THE NEWS WITH THE CASES OF RECALLED TIRES. PLEASE TELL ME THAT THERE ARE MORE TIRES OUT THERE THAN MINE DOING THIS AND IT IS NOT JUST COINCIDENCE MY TIRE WAS MADE IN THE SAME PLANT AS ALL OF THE RECALLED TOO. JUNK....JUST JUNK I TELL YA. AND IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING AN EXPLORER I PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE HERE WRITTING YOU TODAY. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2XO W66 TIRESIZE: 225/60R16)

RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD SUDDEN AND CATOSTROPHIC DISINTEGRATION OF SIDEWALL AT HIGHWAY SPEED WITHOUT HITTING ANY DEBRI. NO LOSS OF CONTROL BUT TOTAL LOSS OF TIRE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 225/60/16 )

WITH LESS THAN 1,000 MILES ON A BRAND NEW SUBARU OUTBACK, I HAD AN UNEXPLAINED FLAT TIRE (NO NAIL/SCREW/OBVIOUS DAMAGE)ON MY WAY TO WORK. I HAD TO REPLACE THE TIRE DUE TO THE FACT I DROVE ON IT BRIEFLY AND DAMAGED THE TIRE BEYOND REPAIR (COST $165). 8/15, WITH LESS THAN 8,000 MILES ON THE CAR, I WAS DRIVING AT 25- 30 MPH AND HEARD A "POP". AS THE CAR'S HANDLING CHANGED I REALIZED I HAD HAD A BLOW OUT AND PULLED OVER. SUBARU ROADSIDE EMERGENCY SERVICE ASSISTED ME (CASE#SUB0008000902). THE FOLLOWING DAY, I PURCHASED 4 REPLACEMENT MICHELIN TIRES AND REPORTED MY PROBLEM TO FIRESTONE (FILE # 262-223). I HOPE TO GET FINANCIAL SATISFACTION FROM FIRESTONE. I RECEIVED NO SUPPORT FROM THE CAR DEALERSHIP UNINTERESTED IN MY DILEMMA.( DOT NUMBER: W2KO W66 TIRE SIZE: P22560R16 )

I HAVE NO FAITH AND FEEL UNSAFE AND INSECURE WITH THESE TIRES. I WANT THEM OFF MY CAR AND THE BEST LES SCHWAB TIRES PUT ON. FIRESTONE SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE FOR DEFECTIVE PRODUCT LINE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 225 60R 16 )

I AM NOT SURE IF I HIT THE CENTER ISLAND AND BOTH TIRES BLEW OR BOTH TIRES BLEW AND I HIT THE CENTER ISLAND. IF I HIT THE CENTER ISLAND AND BOTH TIRES BLEW, THEN THERE IS A PROBLEM SINCE THIS IS AN OFF-THE-ROAD VEHICLE AND THE TIRES SHOULD NOT HAVE SUSTAINED ANY DAMAGE. IF THE TIRES BLEW, AND THEN I HIT THE ISLAND, THEN WE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE OTHER FIRESTONE TIRES. EITHER WAY IS NOT GOOD. I LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE TEMPORARILY, BUT WAS ABLE TO BRING IT TO A STOP WITHOUT SUSTAINING ANY BODY DAMAGE. ONLY THE WHEELS WERE DESTROYED ALONG WITH BOTH LEFT SIDE TIRES. I NOTIFIED MY INSURANCE COMPANY, STATE FARM, OF MY SUSPICIONS OF FIRESTONE TIRES AND ALSO THE DEALER. BUT, THIS SIZE WAS NOT INCLUDED ON THE RECALL. I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG. STATE FARM HAS TAKEN PICTURES OF THE TIRES THROUGH THE BODY SHOP. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P22560697H )

THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS 225/60R216 TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE WHICH IS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO PULL WHILE DRIVING. *MJS

PE00020; ORGINIAL EQUIPMENT ON 2000, SUBARU, OUTBACK, TIRE SIZE P225R16. ALL FOUR TIRES HAVE CRACKS ALONG THE TREAD WHICH SEEMED THAT TREAD MAY SEPARATE. *AK FIRESTONE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE TIRES WERE NOT ON RECALL AND THE CRACKS OF THE TREADS WAS DUE TO BAD ALIGNMENT. *YH

WHILE PASSING A VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY THE RIGHT FRONT FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRE (P225/60R160 BLEWOUT, IT APPEARED THAT THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED COMPLETELY FROM THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. NLM

CONSUMER BELIEVES FAULTY FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES (225/60R16) CAUSED SEVERE STEERING WHEEL PULL WHILE DRIVING WHICH REQUIRED CONSTANT PRESSURE ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO KEEP VEHICLE FROM AVOIDING ONCOMING TRAFFIC OF GOING OFF THE SHOULDER. NLM

WHILE DRIVING THE TIRES (FIRESTONE WILDERNESS) FEEL AS IF THEY STICK TO THE ROAD SURFACE. *MJS

FRONT LEFT TIRE SPLIT AFTER OWNING VEHICLE ONLY THREE DAYS; HAPPENED ON INTERSTATE AT HIGHWAY SPEED; NO WARNING OF PROBLEM; CHANGED TO TEMPORARY SPARE; REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP AND TIRE WAS REPLACED. THIS APPEARS TO BE VERY SIMILAR TO THE INCIDENTS REPORTED RECENTLY ON THE FORD EXPLORERS, BUT THIS SPECIFIC TIRE HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED YET. PLEASE SERIOUSLY CONSIDER RECALLING THIS MODEL.

THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS 225/60R16 EXPERIENCED BLOWOUT WHICH RESULTED IN VEHICLE ACCIDENT. *MJS

I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF ALL WILDERNESS TIRES ON MY VEHICLE.( DOT NUMBER: ? TIRE SIZE: P22560R/16 )

REAR LEFT TIRE BLEW OUT WHIE TRAVELLING DOWN RTE 95 S FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE. IT WAS A COOL, OVERCAST DAY (70-78:). TIRE SHREDDED AROUND THE RIM, NEARLY COMING OFF COMPLETELY. WE PAID FOR AND REPLACED THE TIRE WITH AN IDENTICAL ONE FROM FIRESTONE.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P225/60R16 )

I HAVE A 2000 SUBARU WHICH CAME EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES. LAST WEEK WHILE DRIVING 65 MILES PER HOUR ONE OF THE FRONT TIRES COMPLETELY BLEW APART. LESS THAN 12,000 MILES ON IT. THE TIRE WAS COMPLETELY SHREDDED. I SAFELY STOPPED THE CAR. I DON'T HAVE A FIRESTONE DEALER IN MY AREA SO I CONTACTED THEM BY PHONE. THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE THE TIRE. I BELIEVE THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P225 60R16 )

AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE MILEAGE, I HAVE A BRAND NEW SUBARU OUTBACK LEGACY STATIONWAGON AND IT IS A BEAUTIFUL MACHINE. IT CAME EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES AND WE ARE VERY CONCERNED. I DO NOT WANT TO SEE MY OUTBACK FLIPPED OVER IN THE ROAD WITH ME OR MY HUSBAND IN IT. WE BOUGHT THIS CAR TO REPLACE OUR SATURN WHICH WAS TOTALLED IN AN ACCIDENT WHEN SOMEONE HIT IT AT 50 MPH. I WORK FOR THE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION AND AS YOU MAY BE AWARE WE DO LOTS OF RECALLS ON DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS. THE ACCIDENTS ARE RACKING UP ALMOST DAILY WITH THESE TIRES. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL. I DON'T WANT TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY AND HAVE TO GO OUT AND REPLACE BRAND NEW TIRES ON A BRAND NEW CAR. LIVES ARE AT STAKE HERE AND SO IS MAY BRAND NEW SUBARU! HELP!*AK( DOT NUMBER: )

TIRE BLEW OUT ON HIGHWAY CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. NO KNOWN OBJECTS HIT. ACCIDENT OCCURRED AFTER DRIVING FROM SOUTH CAROLINA TO VIRGINIA IN HOT WEATHER. TIRE WAS SHREDDED LEAVING LITTLE TIRE ON WHEEL. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 225/60R16 )

THE TIRE BLEW OUT ON A CURVE, IN WINTER, THOUGH THERE WAS ONLY 6725 MILES ON IT. THE DEALER SAID IT MUST BE THAT I WAS PARKING ON CURBS AND IT WAS MY FAULT. I LIVE IN THE COUNTRY AND HARDLY EVER PARK AT CURBS, SO THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURES DEFECT. I DIDN'T REPORT IT UNTIL NOW BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW HOW. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

AFTER PULLING OVER FROM DRIVING 65MPH AND THEN TAKING OFF AGAIN, DRIVER REALIZED THAT TREAD WAS TORN OFF THE FLAT TIRE. TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH ANOTHER OF THE SAME. *AK FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT 225/60/R16 *MW