This complaint has nothing to do with the vehicle. It is solely related to a replacement tire failure. To replace the original tires I purchased and had installed a set of four Bridgestone tires from whittier tire and wheel in whittier ca on January 29, 2002. Ten days later, on February 8, 2002 the right front tire completely disintegrated while driving at a speed of approximately 30 mph on a surface street. The entire tread portion of the tire seperated from the sidewalls ( the tread did not seperate from the tire - the entire 'top' of the tire seperated intact from the sidewalls). On Monday February 11,2002, I returned with the defective tire to whittier tire. They immediately blamed the tire failure on the car being driven several miles with little or no air in the tire. They refused to even consider any other cause. While there a call was placed to Bridgestone who took the same position. They did inspect the tread portion of the tire and could find no evidence of a puncture, and they inspected the valve stem and concluded it was ok. The staated that the tire must have had a sidewall puncture, but the sidewalls were pretty "chewed up" because of the failure. I find it difficult to accept that the car was driven for a period of time with a very low or flat tire. My son was driving it at the time and related that prior to the tire failure the car was not handling in any unusual manner, nor did he hear any noise. He stated he was driving normally, the car abruptely started vibrating violently and the tire disintegrated. The dealer's and the manufacturer's refusal to even condiser other factors or make what I felt would be an appropriate adjustment prompted me to contact you. Charles S. middleton. (tiresize: 195/R65-15)

- Diamond Bar, CA, USA