1995 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER Tires Problems

1995 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER LEFT REAR TIRE EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH.*MR THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE PRIOR TO THE BLOWOUT. THE VEHICLE ROLLED 3 1/2 TIME ACCORDING TO A WITNESS AND CAME TO REST ON IT'S SIDE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A SHOULDER INJURY, THE DRIVER'S DAUGHTER WAS UNHURT BUT THE DRIVER'S DOG DIED IN THE ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TIRE DEALER THE WEEK EARLIER TO HAVE AN OLDER TIRE REPLACED AND THE OTHERS INSPECTED. (CONTINENTAL CONTRACT SUV TIRES). *NM

Mileage: 44,000

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH AND WITH NO WARNING RIGHT FRONT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OVER. THIS CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. FIRESTONE, SIZE# UNKNOWN DOT# UNKNOWN.. DEALER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

ARMSTRONG DESSERT DOG, 31X1.5R15 DOTCH60GP4208. THE CONSUMER STATED THE LEFT REAR TIRE VIBRATED WHILE DRIVING. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND NOTICED A 8 INCH LONG BULGE IN TIRE. TOOK TO AAA, AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT "THE BONDING OF THE TIRE CAME LOOSE FROM THE STEEL BELT. CONSUMER REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES. *AK *CB *JB

Mileage: 44,000

THE TIRES SHOWED SIGNS OF CRACKING AROUND THE WHEEL CONTACT AREA AFTER ONLY 17000 MILES OF USE. AS A PRECAUTION I REPLACED THESE TIRES WITH NEW MICHELIN TIRES. THE NHTSA INFO ADVISED BRIDGESTONE WOULD REIMBURSE THE COST OF REPLACEMENT. AS AN INITIAL ACTION, I HAD REQUESTIED A TOTAL REIMBURSEMENT OF THE COST INVOLVED IN THE AMOUNT OF $531.77. THE SUBJECT TIRES WERE INSPECTED BY THEIR AUTHORIZED DEALER ON 2/14/03 AND FOUND TO HAVE CRACKS AS STATED ABOVE. BRIDGESTONES (CASE FILE 534305) RESPONDED WITH AN OFFER OF $100 COUPON ONLY BECAUSE THEY CLAIM THAT THE TIRES WERE MANUFACTURED IN 1994, TIRES WERE NOT ROTATED AT A DEALERSHIP BUT THEY WILL NOT CERTIFY THAT THE TIRE ARE SAFE TO USE. BECAUSE THE TIRES ARE SHOWING CRACKS AT SIMILAR AREAS ON ALL THE TIRES, I FEEL THAT THE CRACKS ARE DUE TO MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND BRIDGESTONE SHOULD AT LEAST REIMBURSE THE COST OF REPLACEMENT. *JB

WHILE TRAVELING, CONSUMER SLOWED DOWN PREPARING TO STOP BECAUSE OF MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH HIS RIGHT REAR TIRE. CONSUMER FELT IT WAS GOING FLAT. UPON DOING SO, ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED CONSUMER.(GEORGIA UNIFORM MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT REPORT) *JG

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES 30X9.5/R15 DOT VD66AW2238 EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE WEAR, ON 2 OCCASIONS THE TIRES HAVE BEEN PUNCTURED BY ROCKS, CONSUMER STATES TIRES ARE WEARING ON OUTSIDE EDGE. *SLC

I WAS DRIVING MY EX-FIANCE'S SUV ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEED OF 70 MPH. I STARTED HEARING A NOISE AND THOUGHT MAYBE IT'S JUST THE CAR IN BACK OF ME. THEN THE CAR STARTED OUT OF CONTROL. I COULDN'T STEER IT IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I HIT THE CAR ON RIGHT SIDE, BUT MY CAR WOULDN'T STOP. SO THE CAR KEEP GOING AND I HIT THE GUARD RAIL OF THE HIGHWAY. MY CAR THEN FLIPPED AT IMPACT. WITNESS SAID THAT I ROLLED OVER 6 TIMES, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD NEVER STOP. I CAME OUT ONLY TO HAVE CUTS TO ME ELBOW WHICH REQUIRES 8 STICHES. I WAS IN SHOCK AND STILL AM NOW EVERYTIME I DRIVE MY CAR. I DON'T DARE DRIVE AN SUV ANYMORE. WHAT HAPPEN WAS THAT THE TREAD OF MY TIRES CAME OFF, WHICH CAUSE THE TIRE BLOWOUT. I'M STILL SCARE AND SHOCKED FROM ALL THAT HAD HAPPEN, BUT I AM LUCKY AND THANK GOD THAT I'M STILL ALIVE. (TIRESIZE: ATX)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: ATX )

JUST TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW, THESE TIRES LOOKED NEW, ON THE FREEWAY ANOTHER COMUTER WARNED ME OF A FLAT TIRE. THANK GOODNESS SHE WARNED ME, BY THE TIME I COULD PULL OVER THE TREAD HAD PEALED OFF, THE TIRE WAS BLOWN, AND MY WHEEL WELL WAS POLISHED/ SCRATCHED UP. I DIDN'T HAVE THE RECEIPT FOR THE TIRES SO I JUST REPLACED THEM. (QUICKLY!) I HAVE MANY WITNESSES WHO WERE ASTONISHED AT THE WAY THE TIRE LOOKED AFTER BLOWING OUT.( DOT NUMBER: ? TIRE SIZE: P23575R15 )

WE HAVE NOTICED THAT THE TREAD HAS BEGUN TO CRACK OFF OF THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE OF MY 4-RUNNER. WHEN THE TIRES WERE INITIALLY PURCHASED EIGHTEEN MONTHS AGO, TWO (RIGHT REAR AND LEFT FRONT) WERE DEEMED DEFECTIVE BY THE TIRE STORE AFTER I COMPLAINED THAT THE RIDE WAS CONSIDERABLY ROUGHER THAN SHOULD BE, AND THOSE TWO WERE REPLACED DAYS AFTER PURCHASED. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 225/75/R15 )

I HAD 2 BLOWOUTS WITH THESE TIRES WITHIN 5 DAYS. ONE CENTER TREAD AND ONE SIDEWALL BLOW OUT. THE TIRES HAVE ONLY ABOUT 25,000 MILES ON THEM. THEY WERE BOTH REAR TIRES AND I FEEL LUCKY TO BE ALIVE. I HAVE REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES TO BE SAFE. THANKS!*AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 225/75/15 )