Bulletins


BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
TIRES - TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE
PG0050308/19/200310003563Spare tire carrier operation. various modlels including the 2004 landcruiser and 4 runner. *tt10/23/2003

Consumer Complaints


Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
TIRES
11/17/20036000110/27/1999
 The tires were disintegrating and caused the vehicle to ride extremely rough and choppy. *ak the tires felt less smooth. firestone admitted that the tires felt choppy and refused replacement. the problem worsened as time went on. *sc *jb
106/01/2099
 Tires: the tires did not physically fail, however after only 10,000 miles, they were practically bald - all 4. i requested that the dealer replace the tires which they refused to do althought they acknowledged that the tires were dangerously worn. the service technician informed me off the record that they knew this to be a problem with the vehicle - that the tires which came stock from the factory were in fact too small to bear the weight of the vehicle. in light of the safety issues regarding bridgestone?firestone at that time, i elected to replace all 4 tires at my cost. tail lights: the taillights began failing very shortly after i purchased the vehicle. whenever i took it into the dealer, they informed me that it was just a burned out lamp which was not covered by my warranty. this has continued to occur and now i don't even bother with the dealer. i have noted numerous 4runners on the road with the same problem which is what prompted me to check your web site. at one point the service manager at the dealership mentioned his suprise that the warning indicator light did not come on when the lamp went out. apparently there is an indicator light that should alert the driver to a blown bulb...i've never seen one and mine has gone out 3 times. now it is habit for me to check my tail lights whenever i drive at night. brakes: on various occasions, i have experienced a severe shuddering of the car and a loud clanking noise when going from high speed to lower speed (not sudden braking) as in exiting the highway . one time, the car was shuddering so violently that it jerked into another lane. the dealer basically told me i was imagining things. this shuddering has occurred on 3 separate occasions and each time i returned the car to the dealer and was told there was no problem. one time, they agreed to manually check all 4 brakes - at my cost and declared that there was nothing wrong. i hesitate to drive in slippery conditions. ts
07/08/20021
 Tire exploded while driving 70 mph along straight highway, 10:30 am, outside temperature 85 f, tread separated, tire disintegrated quickly.*ak
07/13/2001101/25/1999
 While driving a 65mph, suddenly heard an explosion. press the brake to slow the vehicle down, notice the outer side of the tire is torn out of the main tire body.
08/27/2001105/01/1999
 Sb on i-24 n. of chatanooga, left rear tire blew. exam showed tread had separated from outside tire wall. outside tire wall had a dozen or more slices like a sliced pie. tire not unusually hot; load not unusually heavy (only driver was in car); tire pressure was normal (33psi). need to know how to prevent other 4 tires from doing the same thing!*ak (tiresize: p265/70r16)
02/08/2001
 Experiencing vibration when driving at speeds in excess of 65mph,and the vehicle seems to veer to the left, vehicle was taken in for service for an alignment that did not alleviate problem, consumer returned and then was advised a cross rotation of the front tires would solve the problem, consumer was advised that tires were chopped but not to the point of replacement, with the vibration still occuring the vehicle is now veering to the right, mechanic advised consumer that even though tires were chopped replacing them would solve the problem, however consumer was advised by a mechanic at firestone that it would not be neccesary to replace tires, and that other vehicles have had this problem, mechanic believed it to be the design of the vehicle. *jb
03/01/2000
 Two blowouts on front tires, replaced with goodyear tires, i would like for these wilderness at ii tires investigated for possible recall*ak( dot number: )
06/10/20001
 The original bridgestone/firestone front passenger side tire experienced a blowout while driving (225/75r15 dot w2hh awb). nlm
03/15/200012/01/1998
 These tires had been a problem with cracked sidewalls, which i had to fight with firestone to replace on one tire and the spare. finally in march a freewy blowout forced me to replace the tires. all 5 including the spare. the blowout had the tread seperate from the casing just like the ford problem. after seeing all that's going on i contacted toyota who continue to advise me that these are not the same tires call firestone. i reeated me dialogue with toyota as a long time customer that i didn't by the tires from firestone i bought a truck from toyota. they ate not phased at all. they just continue to say call firstone. well they have lost a customer with this cavalier attitude. i believe the firstone's problem is greated than just the ford explorer. the nhtsa should expand immediatley this probe to other makes and models.( dot number: tire size: 15 )
08/22/1999308/01/1999
 These tires have never held air they always need to be reinflated. after a 3 hour trip (we make this trip often) accross the florida panhandle we always have to put air back into the tires. given the resent problems with these tires failure to hole air with ours seems like a bigger deal than we have thought. when we went to the dealer they said our tires were not the ones on the recall. if the tires are safe then we believe they should not be replaced but.we cant get anyone to say they are safe? the only thing we have noticed it the air pressure problem on all four tires/ and the truck feeling like it is scraping around the left side without reguard to tire rotation. i have children i just want someone to tell me that these tires are indeed safe and why they will not hold air properly.( dot number: tire size: p225/75r15 )
04/14/2000103/01/1999
 High speed blowout occurred april 14, 2000 on i-5 one & a half hours north of bakersfield. the drivers-side rear tire completely seperated at the seam. nowwith the recent recall of the other firestone tires i suspect that my tires are also defective. i have already replaced one, and now am driving on four that are possible death-traps. please advise.( dot number: tire size: p225/75r15 )
03/01/2000112/01/1998
 Cracks - blowouts... i replaced tires at my expense. toyota refers me to firestone. i didn't buy tires from firestone , toyota did. *ak( dot number: ? tire size: 15 )
10/15/1999101/01/1999
 Tires explored with nothing left only the rim. *ak( dot number: tire size: ? )
06/10/2000102/01/1999
 While driving, front passenger firestone wilderness at tire p225/75r15 experienced blowout, consumer was driving on the rim. *slc
05/20/20000
 After driving out of town heard noise coming from tires, and found out that the left rear tire was flat without a reason. then, at second time right rear tire was flat without a nail. *ak
11/20/19990
 Tires put on by manufacturer performed very poorly. tires forced vehicle to go from side to side, and sometimes vehicle went off the road, extreme difficult to control vehicle during normal driving. dealer told consumer nothing would help. *ak
01/12/20004
 Tires on his vehicle are worn out at under 10,000 miles. consumer stated had replaced three set of tires already. *ak
 Tires on the vehicle at the time of purchase were of the incorrect size which caused speedodmeter to register incorrect speeds. please give any further details. *ak
TIRES - SIDEWALL
10/10/2000101/01/1999
 I had been traveling at highway speeds for five hours when the side wall of the tire blew out. goodyear has examined the tire and found no external cause for the blowout. i have photos of the defective tire and can e-mail them to you if you want. allison@bdaniels.com.*ak (dot number: mk72 tiresize: 265/70r16)
05/27/2000102/22/1999
 At 72 mph left rear sidewall separated from tire. tire size p225/75r15 on a 99 4 runner. *ak firestone should replace all five defective tires. *yh
TIRES - TREAD/BELT
08/19/1999204/01/1999
 On 2 occasions the tires experienced tread separation, the second separation caused damage to the vehicle, however the tire remained inflated.*jb
02/20/20010
 Consumer was traveling 70mph on highway and felt vibration. he was able to pull over to shoulders, and noticed driver's side rear tire tread separated.*ak
5
 Firestone wilderness at tire p225 75 r15 experienced sidewall and tread separation, consumer wants dealer to replace all 5 tires. *slc
11/01/2000108/01/1999
 There was a split down the tread about 12 long.*ak (tiresize: p225/75r15)( dot number: tire size: p225/75r15 )
5
 Firestone wilderness at tire p225 75 r15 experienced sidewall and tread separation, consumer wants dealer to replace all 5 tires. *slc
08/01/2000110/01/1999
 The firestone wilderness at 225/70r15 tires have experienced cracks in the area between the sidewall and tread. *mjs
06/01/1999
 Would like more information into the investigation of firestone wilderness tires peeling off their casings. i think that 21 deaths and 193 problems should warrant a call back immediately. i'am afraid to drive my vehicle when a problem of this nature involves deaths. *ak
10/01/199901/10/1999
 While traveling at 55-60 mph noticed a loud noise. pulled vehicle and tires had a blowout. please provide further information . *ak firestone wilderness at p225/75/r15 *mw