Eagle GT

GOODYEAR EAGLE GT 205 45/R17 88V TIRES ON A MAZDA MX-5 GRAND TOUR, 2006. THE TIRES HAD ABOUT 25000 MILES ON THEM WITH LOTS OF TREAD LEFT WHEN THE INCIDENT HAPPENED. ONE TIRE WENT FLAT AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT ALL FOUR, INCLUDING THE FLAT, TIRES HAD DEVELOPED SLICES OR CRACKS ALONG THE ENTIRE INTER WALL OF ALL FOUR TIRES. IT APPEARS LIKE THE WALL AND INNER BELT HAVE SEPARATED AND THE RUBBER JUST BECOMES STRESSED AND WEEK AND CRACKS. THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN MULTIPLE (POSSIBLE ALL FOUR) TIRES FROM GOING FLAT AT THE SAME TIME. I HAVE PICTURES AND AM CONTACTING GOODYEAR THROUGH SAM'S CLUB TIRES.

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD MUSTANG EQUIPPED WITH 4 GOODYEAR GT TIRES, SIZE: 234/45/17. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 70 MPH WHEN THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE FAILED. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A GUARDRAIL. THE POLICE WERE NOTIFIED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE TIRES WERE INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE TIRE TREAD WAS 10/32. THE TIRE WAS NOT REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE WAS 75,294. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM THE GROCERY STORE (LESS THAN 2 MILES AWAY), I EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT OF THE FOREMENTIONED TIRE. MY SPEED AT THE TIME WAS LESS THAN 30 MPH, AS I HAD JUST COMPLETED A LEFT TURN AFTER A FULL STOP AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL. UPON REMOVING THE TIRE, I FOUND A SLASH ON THE INWARD WALL, WITH NO OTHER SIGNS OF DAMAGE. THE SLASH IS APPX 3 INCHES LONG, 2 INCHES FROM THE TREAD, PERPENDICULAR TO THE RIM.

WHILE DRIVING ON A FREEWAY I EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT ON THE FRONT LEFT TIRE (DRIVER SIDE). WHEN I REMOVED THE TIRE I DISCOVERED THE INNER SIDEWALL OF MY GOODYEAR EAGLE GT II (P215/60R16) HAD A SLASH/SPLIT AND THE RUBBER ON THE SIDEWALL WAS PEELING AWAY FROM THE REINFORCING FABRIC INSIDE THE TIRES. ON MAY 30, 2003, I HAD AN IDENTICAL FAILURE ON THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE, WHILE TRAVELING ON THE SAME ROAD, UNDER THE SAME WEATHER CONDITIONS, AT THE SAME TIME OF DAY, AFTER DRIVING THE SAME DISTANCE (ABOUT 10-12 MILES FROM HOME). ALL FOUR TIRES ON THE CAR WERE PURCHASED FROM A GOODYEAR DEALERSHIP ON NOVEMBER 25, 2000, AND HAVE APPROXIMATELY 40,000 MILES OF WEAR. INFLATION PRESSURE WAS ROUTINELY CHECKED AND THE TIRES WERE ROTATED EVERY 5,000 TO 7,000 MILES. AS A PRECAUTION I AM REPLACING THE REMAINING TWO TIRES.