# FIRESTONE WILDERNESS — TIRES
> NHTSA complaint `405463` · 2000-10-14 · FIRESTONE TIRE & RUBBER CO.
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** FIRESTONE
- **Model:** WILDERNESS
- **Year:** —
- **Manufacturer:** FIRESTONE TIRE & RUBBER CO.
- **Component:** TIRES
## Narrative
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
---
*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*