NHTSA complaint: FIRESTONE TERRAIN — TIRES:TREAD/BELT
ON OCT 12, 1999, WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON A 2-LANE STATE HIGHWAY NEAR MOJAVE, CA ON A HOT, AUTUMN DAY, MY RIGHT REAR TIRE LOST TREAD/DELAMINATED CAUSING A TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL. I SWERVED SEVERAL TIMES TRYING TO REGAIN CONTROL, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE SUV ROLLED COMPLETELY TO THE RIGHT, LANDING UPRIGHT FACING THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO ONCOMING OR TRAILING TRAFFIC, SO NO OTHER VEHICLES/PERSONS WERE INVOLVED. I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT & WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO SUSTAIN ONLY VERY MINOR INJURIES & WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE SUV W/ SOME ASSISTANCE FROM PEOPLE WHO STOPPED TO HELP. AS I COMPLAINED OF NECK PAIN, I WAS AMBULANCED TO THE ANTELOPE VALLEY HOSPITAL, BUT WAS RELEASED W/ ONLY MINOR BRUISES, CUTS & SORE MUSCLES. MY INSURANCE COMPANY (20TH CENTURY) DECLARED THE VEHICLE A TOTAL LOSS (PICTURES AVAILABLE) AND PAID ME $24,072.70, PLUS COVERED MY AMBULANCE & EMERGENCY ROOM BILLS. PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT I HAD ALWAYS MAINTAINED MY SUV IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. TIRE PRESSURE WAS ROUTINELY CHECKED IN CONJUNCTION W/ REGULAR OIL CHANGES EVERY 3000 MILES. ALL TIRES HAD PLENTY OF REMAINING TREAD & HAD BEEN RECENTLY ROTATED & BALANCED. I CONTEND THAT THIS ACCIDENT WAS DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE DESIGN OF THE FIRESTONE AT TIRES. I HAVE SINCE PURCHASED A 2000 EDDIE BAUER EXPLORER W/ THE INSURANCE PROCEEDS PLUS ANOTHER APPROXIMATE $11,000 OUT OF MY OWN POCKET. ADDITIONALLY, I IMMEDIATELY TRADED IN THE STANDARD FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES FOR MORE
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation