Complaint 538377

Complaint Summary

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

Owner Narrative

I HAD TRAVELLED FOR ABOUT 25 MILES @C.45 MPH WITH A LOAD OF C.3000 LBS IN THE BACK OF A DODGE MAXIVAN (SCHOOL BUS CONVERSION) WHEN THE MARSHALL 9.50R16.5LT TIRE WITH THE DOT H2XLYC3E276 MARKING ON IT EXPLODED AFTER BRIEFLY ACCELERATING TO C.60 MPH. WHEN THIS TIRE (ON THE LEFT REAR) EXPLODED IT LEFT THE ENTIRE TREAD LAYING IN THE PASSING LANE OF I90. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS BESIDE THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME AS I BRIEFLY LURCHED INTO THE PASSING LANE BEFORE SAFELY COMING TO A STOP ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, AFTER WHICH I IMMEDIATELY RETRIEVED THE TREAD. ODDLY, THIS WAS THE NEWEST TIRE ON THE VEHICLE (PURCHASED C. OCT. 1996) WHILE ITS MATE ON THE SAME AXLE (ALL POSITION M&S) WAS HEAVILY CHECKED AROUND THE BEAD. WITH NO MORE THAN 20,000 MILES ON THE TIRE THE TREAD IS STILL VERY DEEP. GIVEN THE AGE OF THE TIRE I AM NOT EXPECTING ANY COMPENSATION BUT IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THERE MIGHT BE A DEFECT IN THE TIRE DESIGN OR CONSTRUCTION THAT PRODUCED THIS TREAD SEPARATION. A SEARCH ON THE DOT WEBSITE REVEALS ONLY ONE OTHER TREAD SEPARATION ON A TIRE OF THIS DESCRIPTION BY MARSHAL TIRE CO.. MY ONLY MOTIVE IS TO LET THE MFG KNOW THAT THIS INCIDENT HAS OCURRED WHICH MIGHT AFFECT THEIR QUALITY CONTROL PROCEDURES IN THE FUTURE. I STILL HAVE THE REMAINS OF THE TIRE IF ANY PICTURES ARE NEEDED.

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