Kanati mud hog -

DT: 1995 PONTIAC GRAND AM. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT AFTER BEING IN THE VEHICLE FOR 30 MINUTES. THIS WAS A NEW SUMMIT TIRE. THE DEALERSHIP GAVE THE CONSUMER HIS MONEY BACK AND PUT THE OLD TIRES ON VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS GOING 60 MPH. THIS CAUSED FRONT END DAMAGE. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE WAS A CRASH DUE TO TIRE BLOWOUT.

WHILE DRIVING MY TOW VEHICLE (PICKUP) PULLING A 5TH WHEEL TRAILER, THE TIRE IN QUESTION BEGAN TO SMOKE AS SEEN FROM MY SIDE MIRROR. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF A STATE HIGHWAY AND STOPPED. ON INVESTIGATION, I FOUND THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT TANDEM TIRE WAS FLAT AND HAD 1/3 OF THE TREAD SEPARATED SLAPPING THE WHEELWELL OF THE TRAILER (BLACK MARKS). AAA WAS CALLED TO REPLACE IT. THE TIRES WERE ALL CHECKED AND INFLATED TO 80 PSI PRIOR TO LEAVING ON THE 130 MILE TRIP. THE TRAILER HAD BEEN WEIGHED IN TRAVEL CONDITION AND FOUND TO BE UNDER MAXIMUM GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF AIR PRESSURE LEAKAGE OR UNUSUAL TREAD WEAR ON THE TIRE WHICH HAD BEEN ON THE VEHICLE FOR 4 YEARS WITH APPROXIMATELY 10,000 MILES ON IT. THE TIRES HAD BEEN STORED IN A COVERED CONDITION THROUGHOUT THE LIFE ON THE TRAILER.

THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 SATURN SL, EQUIPPED WITH SUMMIT SIENPRE 6 TIRES, SIZE 185/65/R15. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER TIRES HAD DEVELOPED LARGE BUBBLES IN THEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE TIRES WERE NOT REPLACED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES ON THE TIRE WERE APPROXIMATELY 30,000. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES ON THE VEHICLE WERE APPROXIMATELY 125,000.

PURCHASED (4) SUMMIT RADIAL TRAC PLUS HIGH PERFORMANCE TIRES. HAD (2) TIRES FAIL WITHIN (2) MONTHS WITH LESS THAN (2,000) MILES. BOTH TIRES HAD IDENTICAL BLOWOUTS IN A RADIAL DIRECTION. THE TIRES WERE PROPERLY INFLATED & HAD NO PUNCTURE MARKS.