Complaint 485207

Complaint Summary

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

Owner Narrative

DUNLOP LIGHT TRUCK TIRES LT 235-75R15 RADIAL ROVER AT FIRST PROBLEM WAS A TIRE BLISTER THAT CAUSED AN UNEVEN TIRE WEAR PROBLEM. I BROUGHT THE TIRE BACK TO THE TIRE STORE, WHERE I PURCHASED SAID TIRES, AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A ROAD HAZARD THAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. NO WARRANTY COVERAGE ON THE TIRE, EVEN THOUGH I HAD PUT LESS THAN 50% WEAR ON TIRE. ON JUNE 13, 2004, WHILE RETURNING FRIM A TRIP DOWN TO LONG BEACH, HEADING NORTH BOUND ON INTERSTATE 5 IN CALIFORNIA I EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE TIRE FAILURE OF THE LEFT REAR TIRE. THE TIRE DETREADED OR BLEW ITS TREAD OFF AND THIS CAUSED ME TO LOOSE CONTROL OF MY FORD EXPLORER ( BUBBLES, WAS THE CARS NAME SINCE SHE WAS CHAMPAGNE COLORED ). I SLID BETWEEN THE LANES OF THE HIGHWAY TRYING TO REGAIN CONTROL OF MY CAR. I DIDN'T REGAIN CONTROLL BUT ENDED UP ROLLING IT DOWN THE SHOULDER AND AFTER BOUNCING AROUND LANDED UPRIGHT ON MY TIRES FACING THE WRONG DIRECTION. SOME HOW I DIDN'T GET HURT BUT I DID DESTROY MY 1993 EXPLORER. THE TRUCK I LOVED AND SINCE I DIDN'T GET HURT IN THE ROLL OVER I HAVE ZERO COMPLAINTS ABOUT MY FORD IN FACT I THINK I WILL TELL THEM ABOUT THE ROLL OVER AND THANK THEM FOR BUILDING A CAR THAT I ROLLED AND STILL DIDN'T GET HURT. MY DUNLOPS TIRES ON THE OTHER HAND I HAVE MANY COMPLAINTS, ONE COMPLETE TIRE FAILURE THAT DIRECTLY LEAD TO ME WRECKING MY CAR AND ONE BLISTER THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN A ROAD HAZARD. I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT THIS TO YOU TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THESE TIRES AND IF YOU NEED TO RESEARCH INTO THIS. I KNOW I AM LUCKY TO NOT HAVE BEEN INJURED BUT FEEL LIKE YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME. *AK, *GEM

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.