2012 Chevrolet Silverado

I HAD DRIVEN BACK HOME FROM TAHOE AROUND 6:00PM AND THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR 2 HOURS WHEN WE ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE SLIDE ON THE 5TH WHEEL. I FOUND THE SLIDE ON THE TRAILER WOULD NOT OPEN DUE TO A LACK OF POWER ON THE 5TH WHEEL. AT THIS TIME THE PIGTAIL WAS STILL CONNECTED TO THE TRUCK. I DISCONNECTED THE PIGTAIL FROM THE TRUCK AND PLUGGED THE TRAILER INTO A 50 AMP PLUG AND THE SLIDE OPENED NORMALLY. I THOUGHT IT WAS STRANGE THAT THE BATTERY HAD DISCHARGED AFTER SUCH A SHORT TIME. AROUND 10:45PM MY GIRLFRIEND SCREAMED THE TRAILER WAS ON FIRE AND WHEN I REACHED THE BACKDOOR THE ENTIRE TRAILER WAS ENGULFED AND THE REAR OF THE TRUCK WAS ALREADY ON FIRE. BOTH THE VEHICLES WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED ALONG WITH A BARN THAT WAS APPROXIMATELY10 FEET AWAY SUFFERING MAJOR DAMAGE.

THIS INVOLVES AN OEM TIRE ON A 2012 CHEVROLET PICK UP TRUCK, SILVERADO 1500. I'M A RETIRED AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEER. TIRE IS MADE BY GENERAL TIRE, SIZE P245/75R/17, DOT P583 BN1. I AM ORIGINAL OWNER AND ONLY DRIVER. THIS TIRE HAS NEVER RUN OVER ANYTHING BUT ROADWAY SURFACE. I WAS TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE SIDEWALL PLIES BROKE INTERNALLY CAUSING THE TIRE TO DE-BEAD. I PULLED OVER TO INSPECT. TIRE WAS SMOKING FROM THE INSIDE. IT WAS FULLY READY TO CATCH FIRE. COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF SMOKE. I POURED MY ICE TEA DOWN THE INSIDE PART OF RIM AND BACKED TRUCK UP TO SLOSH ICE TEA AROUND INSIDE OF SMOKING TIRE. THERE ARE NO CUTS, STONE BRUISES, OR OTHER OUTSIDE INFLUENCES. THIS TIRE BROKE ITS SIDEWALL. YOU CAN BOTH SEE AND FEEL IT. TREAD AND CROWN AT SAME AREA ARE FINE. TIRE HAS 6/32" TREAD REMAINING. WHEN TIRE WAS REPLACED, THERE WERE HANDFULS OF SHREDDED RUBBER FOUND INSIDE THE TIRE BY TIRE SHOP. I KEPT THE TIRE IF ANY REP WANTS TO INSPECT IT. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. THIS TIRE FAILURE COULD HAVE CAUSED A FATALITY.. *TR

I HAD A TIRE BLOW OUT AND DEFLATION WITHIN 10 SECONDS ON A DIRT ROAD. I LOOSENED THE LUG NUTS WITH THE SUPPLIED TIRE IRON AND PULLED MY LOWER BACK MUSCLES (TIRE IRON TOO SHORT). THE LUG NUTS CORNERS ROUNDED OFF (NOT HARDENED STEEL AS THEY SHOULD BE), AND MOST SERIOUS, THE JACK IS A POTENTIAL KILLER. IT HAS A SMALL DIAMETER DISK (APPROX 1AND 1/2 INCH DIAMETER) ON TOP, WITH FOUR SMALL BUMPS ON IT AT 90 DEGREES FROM EACH OTHER. THE INSTRUCTIONS ARE TO LOCATE THE JACK UNDER THE REAR AXLE APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES INBOARD FROM THE SHOCK ABSORBER ALL BY PUSHING THE JACK WITH THE 4 FOOT LONG JACK HANDLE. VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO LOCATE IT PROPERLY UNDER THE AXLE. I CRAWLED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND GAVE UP AS I COULD NOT HOLD IT IN PLACE UNDER THE AXLE AND CRANK THE HANDLE AT THE SAME TIME. A GOOD SAMARITAN PASSERBY STOPPED AND HE TRIED TO HOLD THE JACK IN PLACE (REACHING OVER THE TOP OF THE FLAT TIRE) AS I CRANKED THE HANDLE. THE VEHICLE WENT UP AND IMMEDIATELY SLIPPED OFF THE AXLE (ON A GRAVEL ROAD). THERE IS NO WAY THAT FOUR LITTLE BUMPS ON THE TOP OF THE JACK WILL HOLD THE JACK IN PLACE UNDER THE AXLE WHILE A PERSON JACKS IT UP. IF YOU CAN KEEP IT IN PLACE AND MANAGE TO JACK THE TRUCK UP, TRY TO REMOVE THE WHEEL AND PUT THE SPARE ON WITHOUT THE JACK FLIPPING OUT OF POSITION AND THE VEHICLE CRASHING DOWN.. IT IS A POTENTIAL KILLER. I WILL NEVER USE THE TIRE JACK AGAIN.... THIS ALL WAS WITH PERFECT CONDITIONS; (EXCEPT THE GRAVEL ROAD) OFF THE HIGHWAY, PERFECT WEATHER, AND DAYLIGHT. TRY IT IN THE RAIN OR SNOW ON THE SIDE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY IN THE DARK.... *TR