1998 Toyota 4Runner Tires & wheels Problems

2009 MICHELIN LATITUDE TOUR ALL SEASON LUXURY TIRES P265/70R16 WERE PURCHASED AT COSTCO 12/16/09. WE WENT TO OUR MECHANIC ON 2/17/15 FOR A VIBRATION PROBLEM ON FRONT END OF OUR 1998 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER. AFTER INSPECTION HE INFORMED US THAT OUR TIRES WERE CRACKED ON SIDE WALL. IN ADDITION THE ROAD FORCE BALANCE TEST SHOWS SEVERE RUNOUT ON FRONT TIRES AND WE SHOULD REPLACE ALL 4 TIRES. WE HAVE ONLY PUT 18,000 MILES ON THESE TIRES. MY TIRES DON'T FALL UNDER THE RECALLS BUT THIS DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT FOR THAT KIND OF FAILURE TO OCCUR WITH SUCH LOW MILAGE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10683915

Incident

Feb 17, 2015

Mileage

97,595 mi

4 DUNLOP RADIAL ROVERS 235/75 R15 INSTALLED 2 OR 3 YEARS AND 30,000 MILES AGO ON MY 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. I ALWAYS MAINTAINED RECOMMENDED PRESSURES AND JUST ROTATED THEM MYSELF LAST WEEK AFTER OUR PREVIOUS LAS VEGAS TRIP. ON OUR WAY BACK FROM LAS VEGAS JULY 19, 2004 2 PM NEAR FONTANA THE CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE PROGRESSIVELY UNTIL IT WAS UNDRIVEABLE ABOVE 45 MPH SO I PULLED OVER TO A SMALL TURNOUT. I CHANGED THE LEFT REAR TIRE THAT I FOUND HAD A MAJOR BULGE (3 INCH DIAMETER BUBBLE ON SIDEWALL WHICH CONTINUED ANOTHER 3 INCHES INTO THE TREAD.) CHANGED IT TO THE SPARE AND CAR STILL SHOOK WHEN DRIVEN. FOUND OUT THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE WAS WORSE, ABOUT 1/3 THE CIRCUMFERENCE WAS BUBBLED MAKING THE TIRE LOOK EGG SHAPED FROM THE SIDE. LOOKS LIKE MORE THAN TREAD SEPARATION, POSSIBLY BROKEN BELTS SINCE THE BUBBLES HAD AIR PRESSURE. DROVE 10 MILES TO A DISCOUNT TIRE CENTER AND HAD 2 TIRES CHANGED AT A PRORATED CHARGE (KUMHO VENTURE) THEY KEPT THE OLD TIRES. 45 MILES LATER AND JUST BEFORE MY EXIT ON THE FREEWAY THE CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE. LUCKILY WE HIT TRAFFIC NEAR OUR EXIT AND WE WERE GOING 10 MPH WHEN THE THIRD DUNLOP WENT TOTALLY FLAT. I WILL HAVE THAT TIRE AND THE 4TH ONE CHANGED TODAY. *LA

NHTSA ID

10082281

Incident

Jul 19, 2004

Mileage

116,400 mi

WAS DRIVING DOWN I-95 AT 70 MILES AN HOUR AND MY FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE EXPLODED. THE SIDE WALL BLEW OUT ON MY SUV. MY TIRES ARE 109S S2 KELLY SAFARI SUV, WITH GOODYEAR AS THE SUPPLIER. I TOOK THE TIRE INTO GOODYEAR AND TOLD THEM THAT I DID NOT FEEL SAFE WITH THOSE TIRES, THEY HAD LESS THAN 30,000 MILES ON THEM. *JB

NHTSA ID

10078404

Incident

Jun 17, 2004

WHILE DRIVING LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED AND DAMAGED THE REAR FENDER OF THE VEHICLE. FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT II TIRE. *AK *LA

NHTSA ID

10034055

Incident

Aug 14, 2003

Mileage

23,000 mi

VEHICLE HAD A FLAT TIRE WHILE DRIVING. WHEN CHANGING TIRE, CONSUMER DISCOVERED THAT SPARE TIRE HAD A STEEL WHEEL WHILE VEHICLE'S WHEELS WERE ALLOY. WHILE PURCHASING REPLACEMENT TIRES DEALER ADVISED CONSUMER THAT SPARE TIRE WAS VERY UNSAFE BECAUSE THE LOCKING LUG WAS ONLY GRIPPING WHEEL BY A FEW THREADS. LUG WAS 1/2 INCH AWAY FROM WHEEL.*AKJLG

NHTSA ID

8019134

Incident

Sep 1, 2002

2 FRONT REPLACEMENT TIRES FAILED AFTER LESS THAN 5 MONTHS OF USE - SEPARATION. *AK (DOT NUMBER: 8XHL TIRESIZE: 235/75/R15) (DOT NUMBER: 8XHL TIRESIZE: 235/75/R15)

NHTSA ID

759228

Incident

Aug 7, 2000

WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH TREAD ON RIGHT REAR TIRE COMPLETELY SEPARATED, TIRE SIZE P26570R16, TIRE MILEAGE 46,000, ORIGINAL MANUFACTURED EQUIPMENT ON A TOYOTA, 4 RUNNER, 1999. *AK *YD

NHTSA ID

897229

Incident

Sep 30, 2001

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 60 MPH THE VEHICLE STARTED VIBRATING IN AN UNCONTROLABLE WAY. THEN, WHILE DRIVING ON ROAD TIRE EXPLODED DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION. *AK FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE, P225/75R15, DOT NUMBER W2HHAWB259. *SLC

NHTSA ID

895808

Incident

Sep 1, 2001

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER COULD HEAR A LOT OF NOISE COMING FROM FRONT. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR CHECK UP, AND FOUND OUT THAT TIRES WERE EXPERIENCING TREAD SEPARATION.*AK TIRE SIZE P225/75R15MS, DOT W2HHAWB048. *SLC

NHTSA ID

882136

Incident

Feb 8, 2001

JOINT THAT CONECTS TIRE TO STEERING WHEEL BROKE AND CAUSED TIRE TO POP AND FLIP OVER. *AK

NHTSA ID

881448

Incident

Feb 26, 2001

WHILE DRIVING, RIGHT REAR FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE P225/75R15 EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, TIRES WERE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, DOT W2HHAWB487. *SLC

NHTSA ID

876880

Incident

Dec 20, 2000

WE HAVE A THUMPING NOISE IN ONE OF THE TIRES. FIRESTONE WILL NOT HONOR THE RECAL ON THIS AS IT IS A 225 . DO WE HAVE ANY RECOURSE? I AM CONCERNED THAT ALL THE TIRES ARE DANGEROUS AT THIS POINT. (TIRESIZE: 22575R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 22575R15 )

NHTSA ID

734739

Incident

Oct 18, 2000

THE TIRE SHREDDED WHILE DRIVING ALONG THE HIGHWAY. I DO HAVE PHOTOS OF THE TIRE SHOWING THE DISINTEGRATION OF THE TIRE TREAD. THIS IS NOT ONE OF THE RECALLED TIRES. HOWEVER, DUE TO THIS INCIDENT, I FEEL I SHOULD HAVE MY TIRES REPLACED BY FIRESTONE. I WILL FORWARD THE PHOTS TO YOUR OFFICE. (DOT NUMBER: W2HHAWB068 TIRESIZE: P225 75R15)

NHTSA ID

734639

Incident

Aug 31, 1998

PE 00 020/ TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY GOODYEAR CENTER AND INFORMED THAT THREE OF THE TIRES SHOWED SIGN OF TREAD SEPARATION ON A 1998 TOYOTA, 4 RUNNER; ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, P225/75R15, DOT# W2HHAWB048 & W2HHAWBO38(TWO). FIRSTONE NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TIRES WERE NOT COVER UNDER RECALL. TIRES WERE AVAILABLE FOR ANALYSIS. *AK

NHTSA ID

872654

Incident

Oct 6, 2000

REPLACEMENT OF ALL FIVE TIRES AS TWO WERE ALREADY SEPARATING,HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH ONE LOOSING AIR SINCE BOUGHT,UNABLE TO FIND REASON,TIRES WERE REPLACED BY GOODYEAR AND FIRESTONE ADVISED CAN'T REEMBURSE BECAUSE OF ALREADY TAKEN OFF,OTHER FIRESTONE SAID TIRES ARE TWO YEARS OLD AND NEEDED REPLACING ANYWAY. I SPOKE WITH ROBERT OPER.50 AT NHTSA. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2HHAWB048 TIRESIZE: P225/75R15)

NHTSA ID

733613

Incident

Oct 6, 2000

UPON SWITCHING MY FIRESTONE TIRES TO ANOTHER BRAND, I NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE TIRES REMOVED FROM MY VEHICLE HAD A DEFINITE CRACK BETWEEN THE TREAD. IT WAS AN OLDER TIRE, 2 YEARS, 40K MILES, BUT THE DEEP CRACK BETWEEN THE TREADS CONCERNED ME, AS I HAD NOT SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE. NONE OF THE OTHER 3 TIRES EXHIBITED THIS UNUSUAL WEAR CHARACTERISTIC. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2HH TIRESIZE: P225/75R15)

NHTSA ID

733116

Incident

Oct 1, 2000

BOTH FAILURES WERE BLOWOUTS WHILE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS AT APPROX. 75 MILES PER HOUR. THE FIRST FAILURE IN 1998 WAS IN THE EARLY EVENING ON INTERSTATE 45 IN HOUSTON TEXAS. THE LEFT TIRE BLEW WITH NO WARNING. THE TREAD SEPERATED AND THE TIRE WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. A NEW TIRE WAS INSTALLED. THE SECOND FAILURE WAS ON INTERSTATE 285 IN ATLANTA GA. AGAIN THE TIRE FAILED INSTANTANEOUSLY AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE TWO REMAINING TIRES ARE IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT WITH 49000 + MILES. ONE OF THE TWO TIRES THAT WERE INSTALLED ARE STILL ON THE CAR. IT IS ON THE FRONT. EVER SINCE THEY WERE INSTALLED THE VEHICLE HAS HAD A VIBRATION. ONE OF THE ORIGINAL TIRES IS STILL ON THE VEHICLE AND THE SPARE IS IN USE. I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE ORIGINAL SOON. IF YOU HAVE ANY DESIRE TO SEE IT YOU MUST RESPOND SOON. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P265/70R16 )

NHTSA ID

731532

Incident

Jun 4, 1999

PE00 020; VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND FRONT RIGHT TIRE BLEWOUT. WHEN HE CHANGED TIRES THERE WAS ONE AND HALF INCH TEAR LOCATED IN THE INNER SIDE OF TIRE. TIRE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS#AT, P22575R15. FIRESTONE WAS NOTIFIED. *AK ONE OF THE TWO FIRESTONE DEALERS STATED THAT THE TIRE WAS DAMAGED DUE TO INCORRECT PRESSURE USED AND THE SECOND DEALER CLAIMED IT TO BE DUE TO ROAD HAZARD. *YH

NHTSA ID

870528

Incident

Sep 12, 2000

PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND TIRE TREAD WAS WEARING OFF ALSO, THERE WERE STRESS MARKS AND BUMPS AROUND THE TIRES. CONSUMER CONTACTED FIRESTONE. *AK THE VEHICLE SKIDS WHEN BRAKE IS APPLIED. TIRES ARE UNEVENLY WEARING AND RIDES PUMPY. *YH

NHTSA ID

870494

Incident

Jun 1, 2000

WHILE DRIVING AT 70MPH REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE'S TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE. TIRE HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH SAME TYPE.*AK

NHTSA ID

870489

Incident

Apr 16, 2000

TIRE BLOWOUT -- TIRE WAS DESTROYED( DOT NUMBER: W2HHAWB487 TIRE SIZE: P225/75R15 )

NHTSA ID

730794

Incident

Aug 21, 1998

ALL FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED WITH WILDERNESS AT III 31X10.50R-15 TIRES WHICH HAVE THE SAME ROUGH RIDE AS THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT 265/75R-15 WILDERNESS TIRES. THE FIRESTONE DEALER REP SAID THAT IT WAS NORMAL FOR THOSE TIRES TO RIDE THAT ROUGH. THEY RIDE AS IF THE TIRES HAVE BULGES ON THEM YET THEY DO NOT. I HAVE OWNED OTHER BRANDS OF OFF ROAD TIRES WITH SIMULAR DESIGNED TREAD AND THEY DID NOT RIDE NEAR AS ROUGH AS THESE DO.I AM CONCERNED AS TO WHETHER THESE TIRES MAY ALSO BE DEFECTIVE AS ARE THE OTHERS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE NEWS LATELY. THE DOT NUMBERS ARE AS FOLLOWS VD60 AW4. THANK YOU FOR ATTENTION.( DOT NUMBER: NOT AVAIL. TIRE SIZE: 265/75-15 )

NHTSA ID

730048

Incident

Aug 24, 1999

BAD RIDE. BOUNCY SINCE ABOUT THE 1ST YEAR. I ROTATE & CHECK TIRE PRESSURE BUT NO CHANGE. NERVOUS THIS IS ALSO A BAD TIRE. IS THERE ANY CONCLUSIVE PROOF THAT THIS IS A GOOD/SAFE TIRE?( DOT NUMBER: W2HH TIRE SIZE: P22575R15 )

NHTSA ID

729886

THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT (P225/75/R15) TIRE BLEW OUT WITH HOLES IN THREE PLACES BETWEEN THE TREAD AND SIDEWALL. *MJS

NHTSA ID

554204

Incident

Jun 1, 2000

FRONT LEFT TIRE BEGINING TO CRACK ALONG TREAD, LOTS OF TREAD STILL ON TIRE. CAN PEAL BACK TREAD1/4 INCH IN PLACES. FRONT RIGHT HAS SMALL CRACKS SAME LOCATION.( DOT NUMBER: W2HH AWB TIRE SIZE: P225/75R15 )

NHTSA ID

728959

Incident

Aug 20, 2000