I WAS DRIVING DOWN I-390 AT APPROX 70MPH WHEN WE STARTED HEARING A STRANGE NOISE. I SLOWED DOWN TO APPROX. 60MPH AND CHANGED LANES TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS JUST ROAD NOISE. WITHIN SECONDS, PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO KEEP VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL AND STOP SAFELY. FIRESTONE TOLD ME THAT I PROBABLY RAN OVER SOMETHING, WHICH WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. AFTER THEY EXAMINED THE TIRE, HOWEVER, THEY REPLACED IT FREE OF CHARGE (SIDEWALL WAS PRETTY MUCH GONE).( DOT NUMBER: W2?????? TIRE SIZE: P255/70R16 )
1999
STEERING:RACK AND PINION:PINION SHAFT
CONSUMER STATED THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVE TRAIN, CONSUMER BEGAN HEARING AN ODD N OISE IN AUGUST 2000, AND IN APRIL 2001, AT THAT TIME DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, THE DEALERSHIP HOWEVER DID REPLACE THE DRIVESHAFT ASSEMBLY, AND THE JOINT ASSEMBLY SPINDLE-ARM, SEVERAL MONTHS LATER THE OUTER TIE-ROD ENDS WERE REPLACED, LOWER STEERING SHAFT WHICH WAS LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID, THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND THE RACK AND PINION, ALSO PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT RELEASE, AND THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE WAS REPLACED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED.*AK *SLC