1997 Dodge Grand Caravan

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE VEHICLE HAS TOYO TIRES, SIZE 215/70/R15. THE CONTACT CLOSELY INSPECTED THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE AND NOTICED A BULGE. THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS NORMAL. HE TOOK THE TIRE TO A TIRE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE NO LONGER MANUFACTURED. THE CONTACT STILL HAS POSSESSION OF THE TIRE. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND IS WAITING FOR A RESPONSE. THE DOT NUMBER AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 11/6/08 *CN UPDATED 11/10/08. *JB

I OWN 8 MX4 MICHELIN TIRES I ROTATE AND USE 4 IN THE WINTER AND FOUR IN THE SUMMER. WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH I EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC BLOW-OUT ON MY FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE IM A PROFESSIONAL DRIVER AND HAVE LOGGED OVER 1.5 MILLION MILES IN COMMERCIAL AND PERSONAL VEHICLES AND I UTILIZE THE SMITH SYSTEM .THE ROAD WAS CLEAR WITH LITTLE TRAFFIC AND NO ROAD HAZARDS PRESENT. TWO WEEKS LATER ON THE HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH. ANOTHER MASSIVE BLOW-OUT LEFT REAR BOTH TIMES LARGE HOLES IN THE SIDEWALLS ONE TIER MANUFACTURED IN 2000 THE OTHER IN 1999 MILES ON BOTH TIRES 17K TIERS INSPECTED AND CONFIRMED BLOWOUT ORIGINATED FROM THE INSIDE .SIMILAR OCCURRENCES HAVE BEEN REPORTED. MY REMAINING SIX TIRES HAVE BEEN INSPECTED FOR SIDE WALL DAMAGE OR UNUSUAL WEAR AND NONE FOUND VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED AND NO DEFECTS FOUND.*AK

THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE AND TRANSFER CASE. WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER NOTICED A FLAT TIRE. THE SPARE TIRE WAS PLACED ON THE VEHICLE AND THE CONSUMER STARTED TO DRIVE FOR 10 MILES WHEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN THE REPAIR SHOP AND THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT TRANSFER CASE HAD BURNED OUT DUE TO THE SPARE TIRE NOT BEING THE SAME SIZE AS THE REGULAR TIRE. THE TRANSFER CASE BURNED OUT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS ON ALL WHEEL DRIVE. (AS STATED IN THE TSB 21 05 00, BUT CONSUMER'S WARRANTY EXPIRED) THE CONSUMER REQUESTED A FULL REIMBURSEMENT OF THE MONIES SPENT ON REPAIR(S). *AK *SCC *JB

WE KEEP THE TIRES AT THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDED 35 PSI. THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE WAS BETWEEN 75 AND 80 DEG. WE WERE TRAVELING ABOUT 30 MPH AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT HEAVILY LOADED. WE DID NOT HIT ANY OBJECT IN THE ROAD NOR ANY POTHOLE. THERE WAS NO WARNING SUCH AS VIBRATION IN THE REAR OR BOUNCING OF THE WHEEL. THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE RUPTURED SUDDENLY WITH A RIP IN THE SIDEWALL ALMOST FROM WHERE IT MEETS THE RIM, STRAIGHT ACROSS THE SIDEWALL RADIALLY AND SLIGHTLY INTO THE TREAD. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS INSTEAD OF IN A 30 MPH ZONE, THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE SUDDENNESS OF THE TIRE FAILURE.*AK

IN THE STATE OF PA ON 06/07/2002 WHILE TRAVELING NORTH ON ROUTE 33 HEADING TOWARDS ROUTE 80 THE NEW LEFT REAR TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE RIM WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN THROUGH A CURVE IN THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY SWERVED AND ROCKED VIOLENTLY BUT CONTROL WAS REGAINED WITHOUT ANY PASSENGERS BEING INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPLACED THE DESTROYED LEFT REAR TIRE AND CLAIMS TO HAVE RECHECKED THE VEHICLE. IN NJ ON 06/14/2002 WHILE TRAVELING NORTH ON ROUTE 202 IN BRANCHBURG TOWNSHIP NJ THE NEW RIGHT REAR TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE RIM WHILE TRAVELING ON A STRAIGHT SECTION OF THE ROADWAY. MINIMAL LOSS OF CONTROL OCCURRED WITH THIS SECOND TIRE FAILURE.*AK

THESE TIRES WERE REPLACED AS PART OF A RECALL IN APPROXIMATELY 1998. THE THREAD ON THIS TIRE HAS VIRTUALLY NO WEAR. THERE IS PROBABLY ABOUT 12-15,000 MILES ON THESE TIRES. MY SON AND I WERE DRIVNG DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE TIRE COMPLETELY BLEW OUT, NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I HATE TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED HAD A CAR BEEN CLOSER TO US THAN THEY WERE, AND WE WERE NOT ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY SAFELY AND QUICKLY. UPON INSPECTION OF THE TIRE, I SAW THAT THE THREAD HAD COMPLETELY COME OFF THE SIDES OF THE TIRE. THE TIRE WAS IN THREE DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT PARTS. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER WHO CAME TO CHANGE THE TIRE WAS FLABERGASTED AT THE CONDITION OF THE TIRE. HE SAID THAT THE ONLY OTHER TIRES HE HAS SEEN THAT LOOKED LIKE THIS WERE THE FIRESTORE TIRES ON THE SUVS. WHEN I WENT TO THE TIRE DEALER TO REPLACE THE TIRE, HE HAD THE SAME TYPE OF COMMENTS. IT WAS OBVIOUS TO THE TWO REPAIR MEN THAT THESE TIRES WERE DEFECTVIE. BOTH SAID WE WERE LUCKY TO BE ALIVE GIVEN THE CONDITION OF THE TIRE. MY QUESTION IS NOW, WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH THE OTHER ONE THAT IS ON THERE, AND CAN I GET RETRIBUTION FOR THE COST OF THESE TIRES. ALSO, HOW CAN I FIND OUT IF THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHERS IN THE PAST? SHOULD I CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP OR THE MANUFACTURER. IF YOU COULD SUPPLY ME WITH THIS INFORMATION, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. *AK (TIRESIZE: P215/65R15)

WE NOTICED SOME WOBBLE IN THE FRONT END WHILE DRIVING DURING THE WEEK, BUT ATTRIBUTED THAT TO A PREVIOUSLY REPLACED REAR BUMPER AND NEED FOR REALLIGNMENT DUE TO THAT ACCIDENT. WHEN WE STOPPED FOR GAS ON 6/30/01 WE NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE WAS VERY LOW. WE FILLED IT WITH AIR AND DROVE LESS THAN A MILE. AT THAT POINT, THE TIRE WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY FLAT AND WE CALLED AAA FOR SERVICE. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER REMOVED THE FRONT TIRE AND DISCOVERED ONE 6" TEAR AND ONE 2-3" TEAR . THE TEARS WERE DEEP ENOUGH TO REVEAL THE STEEL BELTS. HE SAID THAT THE TIRE APPEARED TO BE DEFFECTIVE, AND THAT THE DAMAGE WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED AS THE RESULT OF DRIVING OVER SOMETHING.*AK (TIRESIZE: P215/65R15)

TODAY I HAD A FLAT TIRE, WHICH IS REALLY NOT A BIG DEAL. I TOOK THE CAR TO A TIRE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. IMAGINE MY SURPRISE WHEN I THEY SHOWED ME THAT 3 OUT OF 4 OF MY TIRES (WITH ONLY 11,000 MILES ON THEM) WERE SEPARATED NEAR THE INSIDE RIM OF THE WHEEL! IF IT WASN'T FOR THE NAIL THAT PUNCTURED MY TIRE AND FLATTENED IT, MY FAMILY AND I WOULD BE DRIVING ON FREEWAYS WHILE THE TIRES WERE JUST WAITING TO EXPLODE! *AK (TIRESIZE: 215/65 15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 215/65 15 )