Spare Tire problems of the 1996 Chevrolet Suburban

The contact owns a 1996 Chevrolet Suburban 2500 with bf goodrich tires, all terrain tako, size lp245/75r/16e. While driving 70 mph the vehicle began to shake. He pulled over and inspected the tires. The front passenger side tire had a bulge. He changed the tire with his spare and purchased a new tire. Two other tires also failed and one blew out and the other had a bulge. Two days ago his spare tire blew out inside the vehicle. He stated that when the tire blew it damaged the lining of the roof, molding,seat belt holder and the tire cover. No one was in the vehicle at the time. The failure mileage was 132,000 and the current mileage 136,490. Updated 12/22/10 updated 12/3/jb.

On the three separate occasions, I felt vibrations that seemed like a loose wheel and immediately stopped my vehicle. On one occasion, the left rear tire tread separated from the steel and was half gone around the tire. On the two other occasions, I could feel the same vibration and when stopping, I could see the tread separation from the steel belt in the form of large bumps completely around the tires. I attribute my safely stopping to 35 years of trained professional driving and always being conscientious of any unusual vehicle sounds and actions. Each time the tires were replaced by the same firestone dealer. A prorated charge was made on each tire and the dealer denied any manufacturing problems with the tires and my tires were just flukes. I took the fourth tire off the vehicle and placed it inside as a spare tire with 26,000 miles on it, fearing it would too separate. Had these incidents occurred when either my wife or daughters had been driving the Suburban, I believe that their lives could have been endangered. If you wish examine the fourth original tire or any of the replacement tires, feel free to contact me. I believe that these 16-inch tires, due to my experience, are just as likely to fail as the 15-inch tires. ( dot number: sp872kr03l tire size: lt24575r16 ).