1999 Dodge Grand Caravan

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WITH GOODYEAR ALLEGRA TIRES, LINE SIZE P205 75/R14 DOT PJKC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THREE OF THE TIRES FAILED BETWEEN 12,000 AND 26,000 MILES. THE CONTACT OBSERVED SEVERAL SMALL CRACKS ON THE TIRES PRIOR TO THE THEM FAILING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE TIRE DISTRIBUTOR PRIOR TO THE FAILURE AND HE WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TIRES. THE DISTRIBUTOR ALSO ADVISED THAT THE TIRES WERE NO LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,499 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 159,819.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE VEHICLE HAS KELLY SPRINGFIELD TIRES, SIZE P21570R15. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD THE TREAD SEPARATING AND STRIKING THE WHEEL WELL. HE PULLED OVER AND NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE HAD PARTIALLY SEPARATED. HE PLACED THE SPARE TIRE ON THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE ALSO SEPARATED IN THE SAME MANNER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 115,000.

ON DEC 30, 2004 I PURCHASED 4 NEW COOPER TIRES LABELED SIGMA REGENT (SG00721655). ON JUNE 13, 2006 I REPLACED ONE OF THESE TIRES DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION (23,924 MILES). ON OCT 12, 2006 I REPLACED TWO MORE OF THE ORIGINAL FOUR TIRES DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION (28,405 MILES). THAT IS THREE OUT OF FOUR TIRES THAT DEVELOPED TREAD SEPARATION. FORTUNATELY, I NOTICED EACH EVENT BEFORE AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED. NONETHELESS, I THINK YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE EXCESSIVE TREAD SEPARATION PROBLEMS WE'VE HAD WITH COOPER TIRES. P.S. YOUR FORM DID ALLOW FOR THE ACTUAL TIRE SIZE I PURCHASED. THE TIRES I PURCHASED ARE: 215/65SR15, 9M65. *NM

I TOOK VAN INTO SAID DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THE REAR TIRES HAD UNEVEN WEAR SPOTS AND THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE VAN AND ASKED ME TO CONTACT THE TIRE MANUFACTUROR WITH A 800 NUMBER. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL GOODYEAR FACILITY IN ROYAL OAK, MI. I WAS TOLD BY THE MANAGER OF THE STORE THERE THAT HE SEES AT LEAST 4 OR 5 DODGE/CHRYSLER MINIVANS A WEEK WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO STEM FROM NOT ROTATING THE TIRES. I DO NOT BELIEVE IN ROTATING TIRES AND NEVER HAVE IN THE PAST. ON A FRONT WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE, SUCH AS MY GRAND CARAVAN, YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR TIRES IF YOU NEVER ROTATE THE TIRES. I HAD A 1985 HONDA PRELUDE WITH FRONT WHEEL DRIVE THAT I NEVER ROTATED THE TIRES AND GOT 80,000 MILES OUT OF THE REAR TIRES. I HAD TO CHANGE THE TIRES AT THAT POINT BECAUSE OF DRY ROT, NOT WEAR. GOODYEAR TOLD ME THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE TIRES SINCE I DID NOT ROTATE THE TIRES. HERE I AM, MY WIFE AND CHILD RIDE IN THIS VEHICLE ALL THE TIME, WITH TIRES THAT ARE NOT EVEN CLOSE TO BEING SAFE. THE VAN VIBRATES AT ALL SPEEDS AND THE NOISE ON THE HIGHWAY FROM THE TIRES IS REAL BAD, ESPECIALLY IN THE BACK SEATS. BOTH GOODYEAR AND THE DEALERSHIP AGREED THAT I HAVE BAD TIRES, YET NOONE WANTS TO TAKE THE BLAME FOR THIS AND I AM REALLY FRUSTRATED. (DOT NUMBER: 089 TIRESIZE: 205/75/R14)

REGULAR INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE (ROTATION) HAS BEEN DONE AS RECOMMENDED BY MANUFACTURER. ON THE HIGHWAY, LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT (IN SEVEN SPOTS) NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE TIRE BLEW IN SEVEN SPOTS FROM THE INSIDE-OUT. THE TREADS IN EACH HOLE BLEW OUTWARD. I SURELY WOULD HAVE BEEN INJURED OR KILLED IF THIS HAPPENED TO ONE OF THE FRONT TIRES. I DO NOT CARRY HEAVY LOADS AND I CHECK MY TIRE PRESSURE EVERY OTHER TIME I FILL UP MY GAS TANK. THIS IS A VERY POPULAR VEHICLE FOR WOMEN WITH CHILDREN. THE OUTCOME COULD HAVE BEEN DEVASTATING. MY TIRE WARRANTY EXPIRED IN MID-JULY AND I AM WORRIED THAT ONE OF THE OTHER TIRES WILL DO THE SAME THING.( DOT NUMBER: )