2003 MINI Cooper Tires & Wheels Problems

The contact owns a 2003 Mini Cooper S equipped with Falken Tires, Tire Line: Sincera SN250 A/S, Tire Size: 235/45R17, DOT Number: FMHR3120. The contact stated that while washing the vehicle, he noticed that a bubble had developed on the front driver’s side tire. The contact was concerned for his safety while driving the vehicle. The contact stated that he rotated the tire to the rear driver’s side but was concerned and uncertain if the bubble might cause a risk to his safety while driving. The vehicle had not yet been diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.

While driving on I-81 to NY state, I experienced serious tire vibration followed by tire loss of air. All tires were checked for proper tire inflation before trip. The service center in which I ended up in said that the tire belts had separated and caused the rapid tire deflation.

While driving on I-81 to NY state, I experienced serious tire vibration followed by tire loss of air. All tires were checked for proper tire inflation before trip. After pulling off to the side of the road, I witnessed a large hole with metal fiber sticking through the tire tread. I believe the tread separation was the cause.

THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS BALD. THE CONSUMER STATED IT WAS NOT FROM ROUGH DRIVING. *NLM PH *JB

WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON HIGHWAY, CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE FROM THE RIGHT REAR TIRE. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDERS. TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE OUTISIDE WHEEL. FIRESTONE, P22575R16 STEELTEX.*AK CONSUMER STATED THAT THE SEPARATED TREAD WAS WRAPPED AROUND TAILPIPE AND DAMAGED WHEEL WELL. *YH

AT 65MPH REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE TREAD STARTED TO SEPARATE CAUSING A BLOWOUT OUT. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A VEHICLE CRASH. SIZE 22517R16, DOT UNKNOWN.*AK THE DOT OF THE TIRE IS VD1L1XD WITH A DATE CODE OF 368. CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT. *JG

PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A NOISE. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER ONTO THE SHOULDER, AND NOTICED THAT RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD HAD BEGAN TO SEPARATE. TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE STEELTEX, R4S #LT 225/7516M/S. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT.*AK DOT#VD1L1XD298. *SLC

WE HAD A TIRE BLOWOUT WITH TREAD SEPARATION, AND LEARNED FROM THE DOT NUMBERS THAT THE TIRES ON OUR MOTORHOME CAME FROM THE SAME PLANT THAT THE RECALLED TIRES HAVE COME FROM, AND WE ARE VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE OF THE TREAD SEPARATION THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, AND THAT IT MAY HAPPEN TO ANY OF THE OTHER TIRES. WE HAVE GOTTEN NO HELP FROM FIRESTONE OR FORD MOTOR COMPANY, ALL THAT THEY WILL SAY IS THAT THESE ARE NOT THE TIRES ON THE RECALL LIST. WELL, WE ARE WELL AWARE OF THAT, BUT, ARE THEY SAFE? IF THE WHOLE FACTORY WAS BEING SHODILY RUN, ARE MY TIRES SAFE?( DOT NUMBER: VDIL TIRE SIZE: 225/75R16 )