2000 Chevrolet Suburban Tires & Wheels Problems

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 01T001000, CONCERNING THE TIRES:TREAD/BELT. THE VEHICLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL. THIS CAUSED THE TIRE TO BLOWOUT ON THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE. WHEN HE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, THEY CLAIMED THE TIRE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO THE SERIAL NUMBER. THE TIRE HAS BEEN REPLACED AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. *AK

MY 3 YR OLD SON HAS RECEIVED 2ND DEGREE BURNS TO 3 OF HIS FINGERS FROM REACHING THROUGH THE RIM OF OUR SUBURBAN. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ALL CAR MAKERS TO MAKE THE RIMS DIFFERENTLY SO LITTLE FINGERS DO NOT GET INTO DANGER! I HAVE CALLED GM AS OF 10-13-05. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME TYPE OF GUARD PLACED ON ALL RIMS TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING TO SOMEONE ELSE. PLEASE CONTACT ME TO ADVISE ME OF YOUR FINDINGS. *JB

2000 SUBURBAN TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. *TS THE TIRE REMAINED INFLATED ALTHOUGH THE TREAD SEPARATED. THE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *NM

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. *AK

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS LE, OEM TIRE EXPERIENCED A SIDEWALL BLOWOUT OF APPROXIMATELY 3" LONG FROM RIM TO TREAD. *LA

CENTER HUB OF FACTORY ALLOY WHEEL (LEFT FRONT) HAS 2 VISIBLE RADIAL CRACKS. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR SERVICE AND GM IS REPLACING THE CRACKED WHEEL AND CHECKING THE OTHER 3. *NLM

THE REAR RIGHT TIRE BLEW OUT.*JB

AT THE END OF A 1320 MILE (ROUND) TRIP FROM FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA TO BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA AND BACK, THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL HUB SUDDENLY DISASSEMBLED, LOCKING UP THE WHEEL AND SENDING MY 2000 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN OUT OF CONTROL. FORTUNATELY, I HAD LEFT I-95, WHER I HAD BEEN TRAVELLING FOR 10 1/2 HOURS AT 70 MPH, AND WAS TRAVELLING ON A SIDE ROAD. THERE WAS NO WARNING. THE WHEEL MADE A LOUD, GRINDING NOISE AND THEN IMMEDIATELY LOCKED UP. UPON HAVING THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER FOR REPAIR, THE TECHNICIANS EXAMINED THE WHEEL AND FOUND NO APPARENT REASON WHY THE WHEEL SHOULD HAVE DISASSEMBLED ITSELF. I SEE NO OTHER OPTION OTHER THAN A DEFECT IN THE PRODUCT. CONSIDERING THE WAY THAT THE VEHICLE HANDLED WHEN THIS HAPPENED, I AM SURE THAT IF IT HAD HAPPENED 10 MINUTES EARLIER, WHILE I WAS TRAVELLING ON I-95 AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD HVE CAREENED OUT OF CONTROL CAUSING MAXIMUM DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND SERIOUS INJURY TO MYSELF AND FAMILY. COINCIDENTIALLY, I HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED JUST THE DAY BEFORE AT THE LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER IN BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA, AND HAD REQUESTED THAT THE FRONT END BE EXAMINED PRIOR TO THE LONG DRIVE AHEAD AND DUE TO A RATTLE THAT I HAD NOTICED. IT HAD ALSO BEEN CHECKED APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS PRIOR. I WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING OTHER THAN LUBRICATION THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE IN THE DRIVE SHAFT. THERE WAS NOTHING UNUSUAL NOTICED WITH THE WHEELS, ETC. THE FINAL NOTE IN THIS SITUATION IS THAT I HAVE PAID $570.80 FOR THIS DEFECT TO BE REPAIRED, AND BEEN WITHOUT MY VEHICLE FOR A WEEK. AGAIN, THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS OCCURANCE, EVEN AT A SLOWER SPEED THAN I HAD TRAVELLED AT ALL DAY LONG.

WHILE DRIVING IN A 2000 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN WITH ONLY THE DRIVER A THUMPING SOUND WAS HEARD. PULLED OVER AND NOTICED LEFT REAR TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE, ORIGNIAL EQUIPMENT, FIRESTONE WILDERNESS LE TIRE SIZE P265/70R16, DOT# V672WL2. *AK TIRE SPECIALIST FOUND RUN LOW SIDEWALL FLEX FAILED CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *TT

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. FIRESTONE, 16INCH.*AK *YH

TIRE FAILED SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. TREAD SEPARATED VIOLENTLY BREAKING OUT INTERNAL WHEEL WELL COMPONENT AND ADJACENT WINDOW WASH LINE. LOCATION WAS IH35 SOUTH OF SAN ANTONIO. LEVEL, SMOOTH ROAD SURFACE. TIME - 9:00 PM TEMPERATURE - 70 F. *AK (DOT NUMBER: MEXICO TIRESIZE: P265/70R16)

THE TREAD ON THE LEFT REAR TIRE SEPARATED WITHOUT WARNING, RESULTING IN IMMEDIATE TIRE FAILURE. I WAS TRAVELING AT SEVENTY MILES PER HOUR ON A FLAT SECTION OF IH 35 SOUTH OF SAN ANTONIO. TEMPERATURE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55 DEGREES F. TIME WAS APPROXIMATELY 9:00 PM. THE TIRE LITERALLY CAME APART WITH FLYING PIECES BREAKING OUT THE PLASTIC INTERNAL WHEEL WELL ASSEMBLY AND REAR WINDOW WASH HOSE LINES. ON 3/12/02 THE DEALER SERVICE CENTER WILL CHECK FOR ANY ADDITIONAL DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE REMAINED RELATIVELY STABLE BUT DID CROSS OVER THE ADJACENT LANE AND ON TO THE ROAD SHOULDER. I HAVE TAKEN PHOTOGRAPHS OF ( AND WILL RETAIN) THE TIRE. WHEN TROUBLE WITH FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES WAS INTIALLY MADE PUBLIC I CONTACTED THE CHEVROLET DEALER AND WAS ASSURED THAT THE PROBLEM TIRES WERE A DIFFERENT TYPE. WHEN I REPORTED THE SUBJECT INCIDENT TO THE DEALER HE SUGGESTED THAT I CONTACT THE AREA GMC SERVICE CENTER (1 800 222 1020). AFTER REVIEWING THE PROBLEM WITH THE GMC REPRESENTIVE I WAS INFORMED THAT "TO HER PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE" I WAS THE FIRST TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. I THEN ASKED IF SOMEONE CALLS IN AT SOME FUTURE TIME AND ASKS IF THERE HAS BEEN ANY TROUBLE WITH THIS TIRE WOULD THEY BE TOLD THAT AT LEAST ONE PERSON HAS HAD TROUBLE. I WAS TOLD THAT GMC'S INFORMATION SYSTEM THAT SHE USES DID NOT HAVE THE CAPABILLITY TO DISTRIBUTE THIS INFORMATION IN A COMPREHENSIVE MANNER. SHE DID ASSURE ME THAT THE DESIGN ENGINEERS WOULD BE MADE AWARE. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT I PROBABLY WOULD NOT HEAR FROM GMC AGAIN ABOUT THIS MATTER. I INFORMED THE REPRESENTIVE THAT I WANTED SOME ASSURANCE THAT THE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM WITH THIS TIRE BE, AT THE LEAST, MADE AVAILABLE TO THE NEXT PERSON THAT INQUIRES ABOUT THIS MODEL OF FIRESTONE TIRE. SHE SUGGESTED THAT I CALL FIRESTONE (1 800 356 4644). THIS REP., IN TURN, ASSURED ME THAT "TO HER KNOWLEDGE" THERE HAVE BEEN NO PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL TIRE, ETC, ETC.*AK (DOT NUMBER: MEXICO TIRESIZE: P265/70R16)

CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE LEFT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION.(FIRESTONE WILDERNESS LE P265/70R16).*JB

P265/70R16, DOT UNKNOWN, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 2000, CHEVROLET, SUBURBAN WITH 4000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING 15-20 MPH REAR LEFT TIRE EXPLODED, NO INJURIES.*AK FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES. *SLC

FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS LE, P265/70R16, DOT V672WL11200, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 2000, CHEVROLET, SUBURBAN WITH 22000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH REAR PASSENGERS TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING WITH MY 3 CHILDREN AND PREAGNANT WIFE WE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE LEFT REAR TIRE. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 80MPH, I HEARD A REPEATING THUD WHICH SOUNDED LIKE THE THUD PRODUCED WHEN DRIVING OVER EXPANSION JOINTS, HOWEVER, I NOTICED IT WAS LOUDER THAN TYPICAL AND DIDN'T COINCIDE WITH EXPENATION JOINT TIMING. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS AND BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN BY COASTING. ALL THIS TRANSPIRED IN ABOUT 4 TO 10 SECONDS. THEN BANG, WE HEAR A LOUD NOISE, AND OUR VEHICLE REAR DROPS. I LOOKED BEHIND ME AND I SEE TREAD AND PEICES OF TIRE FLYING EVERYWHERE. I COASTED FOR A FEW SECONDS, NOT WANTING TO UPSET THE BALANCE OF THE VEHICLE AND THEN GENTLY APPLIED THE BRAKES. WE STOPPED. THE ONLY THING LEFT ON THE RIM WERE THE TWO SIDE WALLS. THERE WASN'T ANY TREAD LEFT. I HAVE SINCE RETRIVED THE TREAD. THE TREAD IS SEPARATED FROM THE CARCUS OF THE TIRE. I ASSUME THIS IS THE REPEATING THUD SOUND I HEARD. THEN THE TIRE CARCUS AND TREAD RIPPED COMPLETELY FROM THE SIDE WALLS. MY RIM IS SCRATCHED AND DENTED. GM SAYS THIS COST $480. TIRE IS OBVIOUSLY GONE. ABOUT 2,000 MILES EARLIER I HAD FIRESTONE, CHECK, AND ROTATE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE AND AFTER THE INCIDENT I CHECKED THE OTHER TIRES AND TIRE PRESSURES WHERE 35PSI +OR - 2PSI. UPON EXAMINATION OF THE TREAD THAT CAME OFF TIRE IT CAN BE SEEN THAT THERE IS A PUNCTURE WHICH LOOKS LIKE A NAIL OR SCREW PENETRATED THE TIRE. MY GM DEALERSHIP IS SAYING THAT THIS CAUSED THE TIRE PRESSUE TO GO DOWN AND I DROVE ON IT SO IT GOT HOT AND THIS CAUSED THE FAULURE. I BELIEVE THAT THE TIRE MAY HAVE LOST SOME PRESSURE, BUT I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY A SLOW LEAK. MY WIFE AND I DIDN'T NOTICE A LOW TIRE BY THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS HANDLING. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE LOW PRESSURE MAY HAVE PRECIPITATED THE TIRE FAILURE, BUT THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE BECAUSE IT SHOULDN'T HAVE FAILED SO CATASTOPHICALLY WITH ONLY A MINOR TIRE PRESSURE LOSS. IF THE TIRE WOULD HAVE BEEN ALMOST FLAT, THEN WE WOULD NOT HAVE FELT THE VEHICLE DROP.*AK

TIRE HAD BUBBLE THAT WAS CAUGHT BEFORE IT FAILED. *AK (TIRESIZE: P265/70R16)

PE 00 020/TREAD SEPARATION, WHILE TRAVELING AT 65-70 MPH LEFT REAR TIRE HAD A TREAD SEPARATION, AND FIVE RIPS/TEARS ON SIDEWALL WITH DRIVER ONLY IN A 2000, CHEVROLET, SUBURBAN, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT; TIRE SIZE P265/70R16; DOT# V672WL1389. FIRESTONE WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AKDOTV672WL1389 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS LE P265/70R16. *NLM

ORIGINAL WHEEL HAS A CRACK GOING THROUGH THE ENTIRE RIM. NO EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO THE RIM JUST A CRACK THAT APPEARS TO BE READY TO CAUSE COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE RIM. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE CRACKED WHEEL WHICH IS VERY SCAREY WHEN YOU IMAGINE OUR FAMILY OF 6 DRIVING AT 65-70 MPH WHILE ON VACATION. I HAVE KEPT THE WHEEL FOR REVIEW BY ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT IN HOPES THAT IF THERE IS A PROBLEM, THIS MIGHT HELP AVOID UNNECESSARY PROBLEMS. THE CRACK APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN THERE FOR SOME TIME AS IT IS NOT A CLEAN METAL APPEARANCE. IT IS FILLED WITH WHAT APPEARS TO BE ROAD DIRT AND LOOKS AS IF IT HAS BEEN THERE FOR A WHILE.*AK

RR TIRE BLEW OUT. NO ROAD HAZARD SEEN. NO FORIEGN OBJECT FOUND IN TIRE. *AK (TIRESIZE: P265 70R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P265 70R16 )