In June 2003, I purchased a new 2003 Ford F250. It had Firestone steeltex R4S lt 265/75 R16 tires on it. On March 16, 2004, the rear driver's side tire went completely flat as I was sitting at a red light. I pulled over to the side of the road and found that the tire had a rip across the side wall approximately 5 inches long. The tires (and truck) have less than 12,000 miles on them. I called Ford, and they referred me to a local Firestone dealer. At the Firestone dealer, one of the mechanics looked at the tire and said there was no apparent reason for the tire to split, but a manager would have to look at it before it could be replaced. The manager looked at it and said I must have hit a large rock or something. I explained that I was sitting at a signal light when it happened and that the truck had never been off the pavement. He said maybe somebody came by and cut it or stuck an ice pick in it (as if I wouldn't have noticed that in my rear view mirror). Then he told me it was Ford's fault because they were using the wrong kind of tire for such a big vehicle, but he would sell me a new one at a discount. The Firestone website has specs for this tire, and specifically states they are for Ford F250/F350. I refused his offer, and called Ford again. This time they referred me to Firestone customer care. I called and they told me that there was no recall on these tires, but that they would note my complaint in their system. They also told me several times to make sure I safely buckle my children when they are in the vehicle. I've found a number of similar complaints about these tires on the internet. At this point, for the safety of my family, I'm having all four tires replaced with something other than Firestone/Bridgestone tires. I'm keeping the tire that blew out and the receipt from the new tires to submit to Firestone in the future if a recall is put in place.

- Roseville, CA, USA