1996 Toyota 4runner Tires Problems

ON JULY 7, 2012, I WAS DRIVING MY 1996 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER WHEN THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE FAILED. THE FOUR TIRES WERE DUNLOP GRAND TREK AT21 P265170R16 (111S M+S 014814), PURCHASED NEW AND INSTALLED IN JUNE 2007. I DRIVE LESS THAN 8,000 MILES PER YEAR ON THIS VEHICLE. THE MILEAGE ON THE FAILED TIRE WAS ONLY 25,843 MILES. IT WAS PROPERLY INFLATED. I DID NOT STRIKE ANY OBJECT ON THE FREEWAY. THE SUV WAS IN EXCELLENT RUNNING ORDER AND WELL MAINTAINED. AT THE TIME OF THE TIRE FAILURE, I WAS TRAVELING 70 MPH ON INTERSTATE I-80 IN IOWA ON MY WAY FROM KANSAS CITY TO CHICAGO. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT MILEPOST 287.5, WEST OF DAVENPORT, IOWA. I TRIED TO CONTROL THE SUV, BUT I STRUCK THE MEDIAN MADE OF STEEL POSTS AND ANTI-CROSSOVER CABLES, FIRST SUSTAINING DAMAGE TO THE DRIVER?S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THEN, THE SUV HIT A POTHOLE IN THE MEDIAN AND SPUN 180 DEGREES STRIKING THE POST AND CABLE BARRIER MEDIAN AGAIN WITH THE OTHER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHICH BENT THE FRAME AND CAUSE MAJOR DAMAGE TO ALL BODY PANELS ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. I CAME TO REST ALONG THE MEDIAN FACING BACKWARDS, IN THE DIRECTION OF THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC. LUCKILY, I DID NOT HIT ANY OTHER VEHICLE, AND MY PASSENGER SUSTAINED ONLY A VERY SORE KNEE THAT BUMPED AGAINST THE DASHBOARD. THE IOWA STATE PATROL ARRIVED AND HANDLED THE SITUATION (REPORT AND PHOTOS AVAILABLE). THE SUV WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE WHERE BOTH REAR TIRES WERE REPLACED AND THE BODY METAL WAS PULLED OUT. -- THE MECHANIC AT THE STORE SAID IT APPEARED THAT THE BAD TIRE MAY HAVE DELAMINATED BEFORE COMPLETELY FAILING, AND FROM THE VERY GOOD CONDITION OF THE OTHER 3 TIRES, IT WAS PROBABLY DEFECTIVE. -- THE SUV WAS DRIVABLE THE NEXT DAY DESPITE THE EXTENSIVE BODY DAMAGE TO NEARLY ALL BODY PANELS. THE BODY WORK WAS ESTIMATED AT $7,026 AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY. I REPORTED THE TIRE FAILURE AND ACCIDENT TO DUNLOP/GOODYEAR, WHICH SAID THEY COULD DO NOTHING AT ALL BECAUSE I DID NOT KEEP THE FAILED TIRE. *TR

WITHIN A ONE WEEK PERIOD, I EXPERIENCED SEPARATION IN TWO TIRES. THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH TIRES PRIOR TO FAILURE, HOWEVER A SEVERE VIBRATION WAS DETECTED PRIOR TO REPLACEMENT. THE TIRES IN QUESTIONS WERE MANUFACTURED BY DEAN TIRE AND RUBBER. WILDCAT RADIAL LT. 265/75R16. DESIGN 8126. OTHER NUMBERS ON THE TIRE ARE 14589-2 AND R5512. *TR

HELLO, I WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT OVER THIS WEEKEND DUE TO A DEFECTIVE TIRE. THE TIRE BLEW FOR NO APPARENT REASON CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND SMASHING INTO A CEMENT CONCRETE DIVIDER. THE TIRE IS A GOODYEAR WRANGLER RT/S. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND MANY MANY MANY OTHERS WITH THE SAME TIRES HAVE HAD THE SAME OR SIMILAR ISSUES WITH THE TIRES BLOWING OR TREAD SEPARATING FROM THE TIRE. PLEASE DO ALL YOU CAN TO PREVENT THESE TIRES FROM KILLING ANYONE. THANK YOU, TRUC NGUYEN BELOW IS JUST A FEW COMPLAINTS I FOUND WHILE DOING MY RESEARCH FOR YOUR REVIEW. THESE TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE AND THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE WARNED! CHERYL OF TAXARKANA TX (3/10/04): MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING MY NEW CAR, A 2002 ISUZU AXIOM. THE TIRE BLEW FROM THE SIDEWALL AND HE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT THE CENTER WALL UNDER AN OVERPASS. DID ABOUT $6,000 IN DAMAGE. THE POLICEMAN WHO DID THE REPORT SAID TIRE DEFECT. THE GENERAL MANAGER FROM M&M GOODYEAR SAID, TIRE DEFECT. SEVERAL OF GOODYEAR COMPETITORS (COOPER TIRE CO.) SAID TIRE WAS A DEFECT. CHARLES OF SOUTHSIDE AL (3/8/04): BOUGHT NEW SET OF REPLACEMENT GOODYEAR WRANGLE RT/S TIRES 02/22/04. 527 MILES LATER ON 03/03/04 THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLOWS OUT CAUSING ME TO LEAVE THE ROAD WITH MINOR DAMAGE. SEARS FINALLY REPLACES THE TIRE 3 DAYS LATER DUE TO NOT BEING IN STOCK. THIS WAS LAST SATURDAY. THIS MORNING ANOTHER TIRE BLOWS OUT ON THE FRONT LEFT SIDE (NOW ONLY 686 MILES). THIS TIME NO WRECK BUT THE RIM IS DAMAGED. BERNARD OF NORTH LITTLE ROCK AR (7/9/01): I HAD AN INCIDENT WHERE MY TIRE BLEW OUT IN A CURVE AND FORCED ME TO HAVE TO DRIVE ACROSS A MEDIAN DRAINAGE DITCH. I AM NOT TRYING TO BRING ON SOME MAJOR LAW SUIT, I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHO DO I TALK TO TO GET MY EXPENDITURE RECOUPED WITH A MAJOR INCIDENT. I DON'T HAVE ANY MAJOR INJURIES, AND I AM ONLY LOOKING TO GET MY TRUCK PUT BACK IN PROPER WORKING CONDITION. *NM

WHILE DRIVING AT 120 KMPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE BLEW. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND CHANGED THE TIRE. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE CAUSE WAS NOT DETERMINED. DUNLOP#26560R16 DOT#DB72A16 . *LA *LA

DRIVER WAS EXITING A FREEWAY OFF RAMP AND LOST COMTROL OF THE TRUCK AFTER THE FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT ON A CURVE DOING 30MPH. *AK( DOT NUMBER: N/A TIRE SIZE: 225 75R/14 )

TIRE BLEWOUT DURING LONG-DISTANCE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY DRIVING. DAYLIGHT. CLEAR SKIES. SAFELY PULLED VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. TREAD SEPERATED. FAILURE DEBRIS DAMAGED FENDER, RUNNING BOARD, AND MUD GUARD UNDER FENDER.( DOT NUMBER: W2H AWB TIRE SIZE: P225/75R15 )

RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW/DISINTEGRATED ON INTERSTATE WESTBOUND FROM A LAS VEGAS EVENT. REMAINING TIRES SEEM TO HAVE AN ODD WEAR PATTERN EVEN THOUGH TIRE PRESSURES ARE KEPT AT 30PSI( DOT NUMBER: WZHH-AWB TIRE SIZE: P225/75R15 )

THE SUBJECT RIGHT REAR TIRE CAME APART WHEN THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE CASING.( DOT NUMBER: WZHH AWB TIRE SIZE: P225/75R15 )

TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT LEFT REAR TIRE WAS BEGINNING TO SEPARATE. REPLACED ALL FOUR FIRESTONES-STILL HAVE ONE AS SPARE( DOT NUMBER: W2HHAWB TIRE SIZE: P22575R15 )

TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT LEFT REAR TIRE WAS BEGINNING TO SEPARATE. REPLACED ALL FOUR FIRESTONES-STILL HAVE ONE AS SPARE( DOT NUMBER: W2HHAWB TIRE SIZE: P22575R15 )

THE SUBJECT RIGHT REAR TIRE CAME APART WHEN THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE CASING.( DOT NUMBER: WZHH AWB TIRE SIZE: P225/75R15 )

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE EXPERIENCED BLOWOUT ALONG THE INNER WALL OF THE TIRE. *SLC

TIRE FAILED WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE AND WAS LOST (COULDN'T SEE IT AT NIGHT). LOCATION WAS ON INTERSTATE 15 JUST SOUTH OF BARSTOW CALIFORNIA. TEMPERATURE WAS APPROXIMATELY IN THE IN LOW 50S. BEFORE THE TIRE FAILUE, I FELT A VIBRATION IN THE VEHICLE FOR A FEW MILES, WHICH GRADUALLY GREW LARGER. SUDDENLY THE SOUND OF THE CAR CHANGED DRASTICALLY (AS THE TREAD SEPARATED, I PRESUME) AND I HEARD MUCH ROAD NOISE. AT FIRST I THOUGHT THAT THE ROAD HAD CHANGED ITS SURFACE FROM ASPHALT TO SOMETHING MORE NOISY, LIKE A "CHIP-SEALED" ROAD SURFACE WITH OIL AND CINDERS, BUT THEN I HEARD MORE NOISE AND A BIT OF SIDEWAYS SHAKING, AND I PULLED OVER. I NEVER FELT THE CAR PULL SIDEWAYS AT ALL, OR EVEN SLOW DOWN (BUT, THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON). WHEN I PULLED OVER, I HAD DRIVEN A GOOD 1/4 MILE OR SO ON THE FAILED TIRE. I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT LOST AIR PRESSURE, BUT BY THE TIME I GOT OFF THE ROAD, I COULD SEE THAT THERE WAS NO TREAD, AND THAT THE REMAINING SURFACE OF THE TIRE HAD BEEN SLICED BY THE RIM, AS IT ROLLED ON THE TIRE ONCE PRESSURE WAS LOST. I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THIS TIRE FAILURE UNTIL THE PUBLICIZED REPORTS OF SIMILAR FAILURES ON SIMILAR SIZED TIRES OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL. I SUSPECT THE ISSUE WITH THE P235 SIZED FIRESTONE TIRES MAY WELL APPLY TO OTHER SIZES, SUCH AS MY P225 TIRES. WE ARE GOING TO REPLACE ALL OF OUR REMAINING TIRES WITH NEW ONES, AND WILL HOLD ON TO THE OLD ONES, IN CASE OF A RECALL ON THAT SIZE.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P225/75R15 )

A SECOND TIRE HAD TO BE REMOVED BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE WEAR IN ONE SECTION OF ITS TREAD. IT IS NOW MY SPARE TIRE.( DOT NUMBER: W2HH AWB TIRE SIZE: P225/75R15 )

FIRESTONE TIRE BLEW OUT ON FREEWAY.

DUNLOP TIRES FAILED/BLEW OUT.