1998 Mercury Mountaineer complaints

VEHICLE WAS GOING 70MPH AND TRYING TO ACCELERATE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THROTTLE WAS STUCK. CONSUMER HAD TO STOMP ON THROTTLE TO GET IT UNSTUCK, ALMOST RUNNING OFF THE ROAD. THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK

WHEEL BEARINGS WENT OUT. *SLC

THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH ON HIGHWAY 44 NEAR SULLIVAN MO. EVEN THOUGH NO ONE WAS INJURYED IT WAS CERTAINLY A SCARY EVENT.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W2UU TIRESIZE: P225/70R15)

ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK IN IDLE POSITION AND COULD NOT BE DEPRESSED. HAPPENED IN TRAFFIC. HAD TO PULL OFF ROAD AND MANUALLY HAND MANIPULATE PEDAL TO GET IT MOVING AGAIN.

PE00 020; ALL FOUR FIRESTONE TIRES HAVE TREAD SEPARATION. FIRESTONE COMPANY HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS AT, P23575/15. *AK

CONSUMER NOTICED FIRESTONE (VNHL1PY108) TIRES SHOWING SIGNS OF CRACKING AROUND THE TREAD, ALL 4 TIRES WERE REPLACED AND FIRESTONE AGREED TO GIVE CONSUMER PARTIAL CREDIT FOR EACH TIRE, EVEN THOUGH TIRES WERE NOT APART OF RECALL, BUT THE TIRES WERE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. *JB

ACCELERATOR HAD BEEN STICKING. ON FEBRUARY 22 VEHICLE WAS AT STOP LIGHT, LIGHT CHANGED, CONSUMER APPLIED GAS, NOTHING HAPPENED , APPLIED GAS WITH MORE FORCE AND VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AND HIT VEHICLE IN FRONT . $ 1700 DAMAGE TO CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. *AK

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES ON MERCURY, MOUNTAINEER 1998 ARE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS. THREE OF TIRES ON THE VEHICLE ARE CRACKING. *AK *SLC

GAS PEDAL CAME OFF WHILE HE DRIVING. CURRENTLY, BEING TOLD THAT IT WAS ONE PIECE AND HAD TO BE WELDED. *AK

GAS PEDAL CAME COMPLETELY APART. UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. MR *NLM *DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*741060

ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRE P235/75R15 SIZE, DOT#: W2HL. WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OF 65 MPH, LEFT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT. FIRESTONE HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK *SLC

FRONT END ALWAYS OUT OF ALIGNMENT WHEN CHECKED EVERY 3,000 MILES. HAD TO REPALCE TIRES BECAUSE OF UNEVEN TREAD WEAR 2 TIMES. FIRST TIME REPLACEMENT VEHICLE HAD ONLY 12,000 MILES. SECOND TIME WE REPLACED TIRES WAS AT 29,680 MILES. METAL-ON-METAL SOUND OFTEN COMES FROM FRONT END AS WELL. VEHICLE LOST CONTROL WITHOUT ANY DRIVER PROVOCATION AND CASHED INTO ROAD SIDE RAIL. REAR-END SPUNOUT AND VEHICLE DID A 360. NO OTHER VEHICLES PRESENT AND BRAKES NOT APPLIED LEADING TO SPIN-OUT. LIGHT SNOW WAS FALLING. DEALER ADMITS TO FRONT END/SUSPENSION PROBLEMS, BUT CLAIMS MANUFACTURER "DOES NOT STAND BEHIND PROBLEMS" MY FAMILY IS AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. *AK

BEFORE THE TIRE BLOWOUT I HAD THE TIRES INSPECTED AT THE LOCAL FIRESTONE STORE AND WAS TOLD I HAD NO TIRES THAT FELL UNDER THE TIRE RECALL. WHEN I WENT TO ANOTHER TIRE STORE TO HAVE THE BLOWOUT REPLACED I WAS INFORMED THAT TIRE WAS UNDER THE RECALL, THE VEHILCE WAS INSPECTED AGAIN AND TWO MORE TIRES WERE RECAL TIRES. I WENT BACK TO THE FIRESTONE STORE WERE THE TIRES WERE FIRST INSPECTED AND THE MANAGER TOLD ME I WAS WRONG ABOUT THE TIRES BEING RECALLED AFTER I TOLD ME ANOTHER TIRE STORE HAD REPLACED FOR FREE UNDER THE RECALL DOT NUMBER, I WAS THEN TOLD I COULD NOT PROVE THE TIRES WERE ON RECALL TO HIM SO LEGALLY HE DID NOTHING WRONG BY TELLING HE THE TIRES WERE SAFE SO NOW IT WAS MY WORD AGAINST HIS. I CALLED FIRESTONE CORPORATION AND TOLD THEM THE SAME STORY BUT GOT NO RESPONCE FROM THE COMPANY EATHER.*AK (DOT NUMBER: VDHL TIRESIZE: 235/75R15)

ALL FOUR TIRES ARE SHOWING SIGNS OF TREAD SEPARATION, TIRES HAVE CRACKS AROUND THE BASE OF THE TREAD, DEALER WILL NOT REPLACED TIRES BECAUSE TIRES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 00T-OO5. *CJ

STEEL BELT SHOWING THROUGH TIRES, CONSUMER TOOK TIRES TO FIRESTONE DEALER BUT WAS TOLD THEY WERE NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PROPER DOT CODE (FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P235/75R15 DOT W2HL). NLM

WHEN DRIVING HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. HAD IT REPAIRED, GRINDING HAPPENED AGAIN. CURRENTLY, CONSUMER CAN'T PUT IN DRIVE ONLY SECOND. *AK

THE RIGHT REAR TIRE IS CRACKING AT THE TREAD LINE, THE OTHER THREE TIRES SHOW SAME SIGNS OF CRACKING, THESE TIRES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL (FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P235-75R-15). NLM

PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 70MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A POPPING NOISE. VEHICLE VEERED OFF INTO A BAR DITCH, AND IT TRAVELED DOWN BAR DITCH, AND HIT GUARDRAIL. THEN WENT SIDEWAYS INTO THE LANE OF TRAFFIC, AND THEN HIT ENBANKMENT. INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY A TIRE BLOWOUT. *AK

VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY AT ANY SPEED. TAKEN TO DEALER ONCE A MONTH SINCE PURCHASE IN MARCH 2000, CANNOT FIND CAUSE. *AK *SLC

P23575R15; WHILE HAVING TIRES SERVICED NOTICED TREAD SEPARATION. *AK FIRESTONE PAID FOR PART OF THE TIRE EXPENSES. *YH

WAS TRAVELING 40MPH WHEN RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW. REPLACED IT WITH THE SPARE. TOWED TRUCK TO DRIVER, HE INDICATED ALL TIRES WERE BAD. CAN SEE THE STEEL BELTS COMING THROUGH RUBBER. CONTACTED FIRESTONE & INFORMED NO RECALL ON TIRES.*AK

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES (P235 75 R15) CAUSED VEHICLE TO VIBRATE, CONSUMER REPLACED TIRES WITH A DIFFERENT BRAND AND HAS NO MORE PROBLEMS WITH VIBRATION IN THE VEHICLE. *SLC

THIS TIRE WAS NOT A RECALL WITH THE VD CODE. IT SUDDENLY FAILED AT HIGHWAY SPEED BY LOSING PART OF ITS TREAD. THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE PLY FOR A DISTANCE OF APPROX 18" ON ONE SIDE OF THE TIRE. PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE. (DOT NUMBER: W2HLIPY2HL TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

CONSUMER REPLACED FIRESTONE TIRES PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT BUT STILL HAS NOT RECIVED REFUND. NLM

THE BELTS OF THE FIRESTONE TIRES WERE BROKEN AND SEPARATING CAUSING A ROUGH RIDE, CONSUMER PURCHASED FOUR NEW TIRES AND REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT BUT WAS DENIED BECAUSE THE REPLACEMENT TIRES WERE PURCHASED FROM A COMPETITOR PRIOR TO AUG 9, 2000. NLM

THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P235/75R15SL TIRES WERE REPLACED DUE TO VISIBLE CRACKS BETWEEN THE SIDEWALL AND THE TREAD, THE TIRES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE (OOT-005) RECALL, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *MJS

RIGHT REAR FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE BLEWOUT WHILE DRIVING CAUSING THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE TO BEGIN TO FISHTAIL, THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING SO LOW THAT THE JACK COULD NOT BE USED PROPERLY. NLM

PLEASE ADVISE RE: WILSON NC WILDERNESS AT RECALL POSSIBILTY - PER INFO AVAILABLE, THAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO OBTAIN, WILSON MANUFACTURED TIRES ARE EVEN MORE LIKELY THAN THOSE FROM DECATUR TO EXPERIENCE TREAD SEPARATION PROBLEMS BUT AS OF YET DO NOT APPEAR TO BE RECALLED. WHY NOT? I AM DRIVING ON DOT W2... SERIAL TIRES AND WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED TO ANY DISTRIBUTION LISTS ON THE ONGOING INVESTIGATION ON A RECALL OF ALL WILDERNESS AT TIRES AND FURTHER STATISTICAL INFORMATION ON THE WILSON LOCATION. THANK YOU. (DOT NUMBER: W2 TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES P235 75 R15 EXPERIENCED LEAKING. *SLC

I DID PROCEED TO THE MERCUERY DEALER FOR SEAT BELTS, OUR RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT WAS ON ORDER FOR 10 MONTHS AND MERCURY DEALER WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT . I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT SEAL BEALTS NOT RETRATING AND THEY WOULD STICK, I DID FOLLOW UP WITH A LAW SUIT AND LOST BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT MY SEAT BELT WASN'T A PROBLEM. THE REAR RIGHT WAS ON ORDER FOR ALMOST 10 MONTHS AND STILL NOTHING WAS DONE .IN NOV 1998 I HAD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM MY ENGINE AND THE DEALER SHIP THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. I COMPLAINED ABOUT IT A COUPLE MORE TIMES AND NOTHING WAS DONE. WILL JUNE 2000 A NEW ENGINE WAS PUT IN BECAUSE UPTOWN COULD'T FIND A PROBLEM. THE MOST I WANT IS TO HAVE FORD TAKE THIS TRUCK BACK AND FORGET THAT LAWSUIT. WHY SHOULD I PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT THE RETRACTOR ASSEMBLEYS ARE NOT WORK . ITS A SAFTEY MATTER (DOT NUMBER: VD TIRESIZE: P225/75R75)

I'VE BEEN TO A FIRESTONE DEALER AND THE PLACE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE, BOTH TELL ME THAT MY TIRES AREN'T ON RECALL, BUT CAN SELL ME NEW ONES.MY TIRES ARE CRACKING AROUND THE TREADS JUST LIKE THE RECALLED ONES I'VE SEEN ON TELEVISION, BUT THEY BOTH ARE TELLING ME THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT! I JUST CAN'T GO OUT AND AFFORD NEW ONES, AND THESE ARE CLEARLY DEFECTIVE. WHO CAN I GET TO ACTUALLY LOOK AT THESE TIRES AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY? THE FIRESTONE REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME THAT HE HAS SEEN SEVERAL OF MY TYPE OF SPLITTING, BUT THERE IS NOTHING HE CAN DO (HE WAS QUITE RUDE ALSO) ABOUT IT EXCEPT SELL ME NEW ONES. NOW IF THESE FIRESTONES AREN'T RECALLED AND ARE BAD, WHY WOULD I PURCHASE OTHER NON-RECALLED FIRESTONES. I HAVE RETAINED AN AIR PRESSURE OF APPROX. 34PSI SINCE I'VE OWNED IT. THESE TIRES ARE CRACKING AND ANYONE WHO WISHES TO VIEW THESE CAN JUST CONTACT ME AND I WILL MAKE THEM AVAILABLE AT ANY TIME. PLEASE CONTACT ME, I'M ABOUT AT THE END OF MY ROPE AND THESE TIRES SHOULD ALSO BE RECALLED, UNLESS OF COURSE MINE ARE DEFFECTIVE ALONE, AND THEN THEY (FIRESTONE OR FORD) SHOULD CORRECT THIS PROBLEM TO..THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME..V/R, J. MATT DUFFIN (DOT NUMBER: W2 TIRESIZE: P235/75R15) (DOT NUMBER: W2 TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

TREAD IS SEPERATING FROM TIRE ON SIDE WALL, TIRES ARE NOT RECALLED TIRE DOT VDHL (FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P235/75R15). *ET

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES(P235 75 R15) DON'T HOLD AIR PRESSURE, CONSUMER HAD TIRES SERVICED EVERY 3-5 WEEKS BECAUSE OF THIS. *SLC

THESE FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS/AT, P23575R15 ARE EQUIPPED ON A MERCURY, MOUNTAINEER 1998. THEY HAVE BEGAN TO DEVELOP CRACKS WERE TREAD MEETS THE SIDEWALL AROUND THE WHOLE TIRE,AND PARTS HAVE SEPARATED. FIRESTONE, AND FORD CONTACTED.*AK THESE TIRES HAVE A C HEAT RATING WHICH MEANS THEY CAN BE DRIVEN AT 85 MILES PER HOUR FOR 30 MIN. *YH

FIRESTONE TIRE EXPERIENCED UNEVEN WEAR, CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL LETTER 00T005 AFTER ALREADY REPLACING TIRES NOT KNOWING IF THESE FAULTY TIRES WERE WITH THE RECALL, CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

LEFT REAR FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRE TREAD SEPARATED AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. NLM

RIGHT FRONT FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT TIRE (P225 70 R15) EXPERIENCED BLOW OUT. *SLC

ON 09/14/00 I LEFT MY HOUSE AND ENTERED MY VEHICLE, TO RUN ERRANDS. UPON PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, I NOTICED THAT MY TIRES WERE SLIPPING. UPON GETTING OUT OF THE CAR, I NOTICED I HAD A FLAT TIRE. I CALLED A FRIEND TO CHANGE MY TIRE. ONCE THE TIRE WAS OFF THE VEHICLE, I BEGAN LOOKING FOR THE REASON THE TIRE WENT FLAT. MY FRIEND AND I BOTH SOON REALIZED THAT MY TIRE WAS FLAT BECAUSE THE TREAD WAS BEGINNING TO SEPARATE FROM THE TIRE. I STILL HAVE THE TIRE IN MY GARAGE. THANKFULLY, NO ONE WAS HURT. I HAVE CONTACTED FIRESTONE, ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT MY TIRES WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING TO MY TIRES THAT HAPPENED TO THE TIRES BEING RECALLED. I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR WITH THESE TIRES ON IT. BEING A FULL-TIME COLLEGE STUDENT, I NEED TO DRIVE MY CAR. I AM NOT IN A POSITION TO AFFORD THE EXTRA COST OF NEW TIRES EVEN IF I MAY BE REIMBURSED SOMETIME DOWN THE ROAD. FIRESTONE WILL NOT HELP ME. I'M HOPING YOU CAN DO SOMETHING FOR ME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2HL TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

SEPTEMBER 20, 2000 I OWN A 1998 MOUNTAINEER. IT CAME WITH FIRESTONE P235/75R15 WILDERNESS AT TIRES. THE FOUR MOUNTED TIRES ARE ALL DOT W2HL 1PY 397. I RECENTLY HAD THESE TIRES INSPECTED BY MY FORD DEALER'S MECHANIC BECAUSE I WAS GOING ON AN OUT OF STATE. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2HL1PY357 TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

PE 00 020/TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: LEFT REAR TIRE EXPERINCED A FLAT TIRE WHILE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH. TIRE TAKEN TO A FIRESTONE CENTER, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TIRE WAS SHOWING SIGNS OF WALL SEPARATION. THEY WOULD ONLY REPLACE IT AT A PRORATE EXCHANGE. TIRES WERE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AND MOUNTED ON A 1998 MERCURY, MOUNTAINEER; TIRE SIZE P235/75R15 AND DOT# W2HL1PY288 *AK THIS IS THE SECOND TIRE THAT HAVE BECOME DEFECTIVE. THE INNER SIDE WALL CRACKED AND THE TIRE DOES NOT HOLD AIR. *YH

PE#00020 - CONSUMER HAD EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPERATION ON THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMAELY 65 MPH. REPLACEMENT TIRE ISSUED BY FIRESTONE WAS A RECALL TIRE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO HAVE THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE REPLACED ON RECALL. THE OTHER 3 ORIGINAL TIRES, WHICH WERE THE SAME SIZE OF P235/75R15, HAVE NOT BEEN REPLACED BECAUSE PLANT CODE WAS DIFFERENT FROM THE RECALL TIRES. HOWEVER, ALL 3 TIRES EXPERIENCED CRACKING AROUND THE ENTIRE TIRE OF WHERE THE TREAD MET THE TIRE. CONSUMER HAS ADVISED FIRESTONE OF PROBLEM, WHO ALSO RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM, BUT DID NOT OFFER CONSUMER SATISFACTORY SERVICE. TIRES WERE THE ORIGINAL TIRES PURCHASED WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE A 1998, MERCURY TRUCK, MOUNTAINEER. *AK FORD COMPANY BLAMES FIRESTONE FOR THE TIRE PROBLEM. *YH

THE SIDEWALLS ON ALL FOUR TIRES CRACKED. THE CRACKS WERE LOCATED ALL THE WAY AROUND THE TIRE WHERE THE TREAD WRAPS FROM THE FACE OF THE TIRE TO THE SIDEWALL. I WENT TO TWO FIRESTONE STORES. BOTH AGREED THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND WOULD BE REPLACED ON A PRO-RATE. NO TIRES WERE AVAILABLE ON 9/18/00 DUE TO THE DEMAND ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECALL. I WAS PUT ON A WAITING LIST. DECIDING NOT TO TRUST THE TIRES ANY LONGER, I WAS ABLE TO LOCATE AND PURCHASE KELLY-SPRINGFIELD TIRES THE SAME DAY. I KEPT THE WILDERNESS AT TIRES. THREE OF THE TIRES HAVE DOT NUMBERS THAT ARE VNHL1PY397. THE OTHER HAS A DOT NUMBER VNHL1PY387. ALL FOUR TIRES WERE CONSISTENT IN THE PATERN OF THE CRACKING. I WANTED TO ADVISE YOU OF THIS DEFECT AS THE RECALLED WILDERNESS AT ARE BEING REPLACED WITH TIRES MANUFACTURED IN THE SAME CANADIAN PLANT AS THE DEFECTIVE TIRES ON MY MOUNTAINEER.*AK( DOT NUMBER: VNHL1PY397 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

BECAUSE OF THE NEWS REPORTS OF TIRE PROBLEMS I DECIDED TO ROTATE THE TIRES ON MY MOUNTAINEER. ON THE INSIDE OF THE RIGHT REAR TIRE I FOUND CRACKS WHERE THE STEEL SHOWED THROUGH. I PUT ALL THE TIRES BACK ON THE CAR AND DROVE TO A FIRESTONE DEALER. THEY WERE WILLING TO GIVE ME AN ADJUSTMENT ON THAT TIRE ONLY. I REFUSED THE OFFER AND WENT TO ANOTHER TIRE COMPANY WHERE I PURCHASED FOUR NEW TIRES. I KEPT THE WILDERNESS AT TIRES IN CASE THEY ARE NEEDED IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE OF THE ON GOING INVESTIGATION BY YOUR ORGANIZATION.( DOT NUMBER: W2HL1PY897 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

THROTTLE BODY FAILED, CAUSING STICKING. *SLC

ORIGINAL TIRES P235/75R15, DOT VNHL348, 1998, MERCURY, MOUNTAINEER. CONSUMER TOOK CAR TO BE SERVICED, AND MECHANIC SAID THAT 2 OF THE TIRES WERE CRACKING LIKE THE RECALL TIRES. THEN, DEALER NOTICED A THIRD TIRE HAD A CRACK. *AK

BEGINNING TIRE SEPERATION AND BEADING WAS DISCOVERED WHEN I HAD MY TIRES CHECKED AND UNLTIMITELY REPLACED. *AK( DOT NUMBER: VNHL1PY358 TIRE SIZE: P23575R15 )

FIRESTONE P235/75R15 DOTW2HL EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION ON RIGHT REAR PASSENGER TIRE, CONSUMER HAD JUST PREVIOUSLY HAD TIRES CHECKED AT A FIRESTONE DEALER WHO STATED TIRES WERE OKAY, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES ON THE VEHICLE ALL HAVE EXPERIENCED STRESS CRACKS, HOWEVER THE TIRES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECENT RECALL. *MJS

PE00 020; TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AFTER RECEIVING A RECALL LETTER FROM FIRESTONE. THERE WERE NO TIRES AVAILABLE. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS#AT, P2357515, #DOT VD. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *AK

PE00-020, TIRE SIZE P23575R15 DOT VNHL, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MERCURY, MOUNTAINEER, 1998. DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH RIGHT FRONT TIRE TREAD CAME OFF ,CAUSING VEHICLE TO BE PULLED OFF THE ROAD. TIRE STAYED INFLATED, BUT TREAD CAME COMPLETEY OFF ,RIGHT DOWN TO STEEL BELT, AS THOUGH IT WAS RECAP TIRE. CONSUMER TOOK TIRE TO FIRESTONE, AND WAS TOLD IT HAD CORRECT AIR PRESSURE. *AK