2003 Chevrolet Suburban Tires & Wheels Problems

WE HAVE A 2003 3/4 TON SUBURBAN WITH APPROXIMATELY 42,000 MILES. WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW IN JANUARY 2003. ON THE WAY HOME FROM CHARLESTON, SC ON INTERSTATE 26 NEAR THE I-95 INTERSECTION THE RIGHT REAR TIRE CAME APART AT HIGHWAY SPEED. THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM BOTH SIDEWALLS, AND STAYED INTACT. AIR PRESSURE WAS CHECK ON FRIDAY. THE TREAD WAS INSPECTED AND NO CUT, TEARS OR PUNCTURES WERE PRESENT. THERE WERE ONLY 2 PASSENGERS WITH LIGHT LUGGAGE IN THE VEHICLE. THE TIRE IS MANUFACTURED BY BRIGDESTONE. THE INFORMATION ON THE TIRE IS THE FOLLOWING: LT245 75R16 120/1165 M+S R265G2 E4 0012336 LOAD RANGE E 34449EX26564 MADE IN MEXICO. *JB

WHILE DRIVING ON THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY IN NJ (MILE MARKER 133.6), THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRE BLEW-OUT WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH. *JB

EXITING ONTO ON RAMP RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE CAUSING DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED HOWEVER TREAD HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM TIRE. *JB

2003 CHEVROLET K2500 SUBURBAN WITH FIRESTONE STEELTEX LT245/75R16 TIRES. ON FRIDAY JUNE 10, 2005 THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE SUDDENDLY LOST PRESSURE WHILE TRAVELING ON I95 AT 65 MPH, AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURE OF 94 DEGREES: HOWEVER, I NOTICED THE LOSS OF PRESSURE BEFORE THE TIRE WENT COMPLETELY FLAT AND WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL TO THE SHOULDER. UPON INSPECTION I FOUND NO PUNCTURES. THE INSIDE SIDE WALL HAD A 1-1/2" CRACK WHERE THE TIRE BEGAN TO SEPARATE. THE TIRE HAD 68781 MILES OF TREAD WEAR WITH APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER 10000 MILES OF TREAD LIFE LEFT. THE TIRES HAVE BEEN ROTATED AND TIRE PRESSURE CHECKED ON A REGULAR BASIS THAT IS EVIDENCED BY THE LONG LIFE OF THE TIRE. THE TIRE IS STILL IN MY POSSESSION.

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH REAR LEFT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED AND BLEW UP. CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OVER . FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS SIZE# UNKNOWN. DOT: UNKNOWN. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH ALONG TEXAS HIWAY 242, A RELATIVELY NEW HIWAY WITH UNIFORM ROAD SURFACE IN GOOD CONDITION (NORTH OF HOUSTON). VEHICLE IS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. A LOUD BUZZING SOUND WAS HEARD SIMILAR TO THAT PRODUCED BY THE RIBBED EDGE-OF-ROADWAY WARNING STRIP FOUND ON SOME HIWAYS. I AT FIRST THOUGHT THE CHARACTER OF THE ROAD SURFACE HAD CHANGED; THEN, A FEW SECONDS LATER, THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE COLLAPSED SUDDENLY. UPON STOPPING ON THE SHOULDER I FOUND THAT THE TIRE TREAD SURFACE HAD SEPARATED FROM THE SIDEWALL ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TIRE AND AROUND THE ENTIRE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE TIRE JUST AT THE MANUFACTURING SEAM WHERE THESE TWO COMPONENTS ARE JOINED. FIVE RADIAL RIPS HAD ALSO OCCURRED IN THE SIDEWALL LEADING FROM ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF THE SIDEWALL TO THE SEPARATED TREAD/SIDEWALL SEAM. THE TIRES WERE STANDARD EQUIPMENT ON THE VEHICLE (PURCHASED IN MAY 2003) AND HAVE BEEN DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 25,500 MILES. THE TREAD IS STILL VERY DEEP. THE TIRES ARE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS LE P265/70R16 111S TYPE.*AK

DT: CONTACT HAD FIRESTIONE WILDERNESS L/E TIRESON 2003 SUBURBAN. ON 5/30/05, GOING 70 MPH RIGHT REAR INNER SIDEWALL BLEW OUT. TIRE HAS 2,5000 MILES ON IT. MAXIMUM PRESSURE WAS 34 PSI.TIRES HAD 39 PSI AT THE TIME OF BLOWOUT. NO VIBRATION WAS NOTICED PRIOR TO BLOW OUT. NO VISIBLE BULGING IN THE TIRES. CONTACT STATED THAT NO OTHER DAMAGE WAS PRESENT ON TIRE, BESIDES A VERTICLE SPLIT THROUGH THE TIRE FROM THE RIM THROUGH THE TREAD. NO PROBLEMS WITH TIRES BEFORE AND NO OTHER TIRES WERE DAMAGED. RIGHT REAR TIRE.*AK

BOUGHT 4 BF GOODRICH LONG TRAIL TIRES FOR 2003 1/2 TON CHEVY SUBURBAN 4 WHEEL, IN THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF USE, TIRES EDGE(S) "BITE" AT HIGH SPEEDS 60-70 MPH CREATING LACK OF CONTROL IN MODERATE WINDS, NOT ONLY WAS CAR PUSHED IN MODERATE WIND BUT ACTUALLY WENT OUT OF CONTROL DANGEROUSLY. *AK

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2003 CHEVY SUBURBAN EQUIPED WITH FACTORY INSTALLED WRANGLER AT 265/70/17 TIRES.WHILE TOWING A BOAT IN A SNOW SQUALL,I LOST ALL TRACTION ON AN OVERPASS RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF THE BOAT,MOTOR AND TRAILER UPSIDE DOWN IN A DITCH.FORTUNATELY THE VEHICLE AND WE SURVIVED,BUT THE $15,000 BOAT WAS A TOTAL LOSS.ALSO WHILE BACKING DOWN A BOAT RAMP THAT WAS SLIPPERY,WE ALMOST ENDED UP IN THE RIVER AS WE SLID MOST OF THE WAY DOWN THE RAMP.AFTER I EXITED THE VEHICLE,IT SLID ANOTHER 5 FEET ONLY STOPPING WHEN IT HIT THE SAND AT THE WATER'S EDGE.AFTER PUTTING LARGE STONES BEHIND THE REAR WHEELS,WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE BOAT ON THE TRAILER,ONLY TO EXPERIENCE NO TRACTION AT ALL EVEN IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WHILE TRYING TO GET UP THE RAMP.AFTER MUCH TIRE SPINNING WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO INCH OUR WAY UP THE RAMP.WE SEEMED TO BE ONLY ONES HAVING THIS MUCH TRACTION PROBLEMS AS A FEW VEHICLES LAUNCHED AND RETRIEVED BOATS AFTER US WITH LITTLE DIFFICULTY.THESE TIRES MAKE NO SENSE ON A VEHICLE THAT SPENDS THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME ON THE HIGHWAY AND NOT IN A MUD HOLE,THE TRACTION SEEMS TO DISAPPEAR ON WET OR SLIPPERY SURFACES.I HAD TWO SETS OF FIRESTONE STEELFLEX TIRES ON MY PREVIOUS SUBURBAN AND NEVER ONCE HAD PROBLEMS WITH TRACTION LIKE I DO NOW.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE DRIVER HEARD A LOUD NOISE. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PULLED OVER. THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER'S REAR SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE TIRED NEEDED REPLACING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB