1996 Dodge RAM 2500

THIS REPORT IS REGARDING THE FAILURE OF A GOODYEAR WRANGLER ATS TIRE, LOAD RANGE D, SIZE 305/70R16. FOR SEVERAL MONTHS THE VEHICLE HAS HAD A MILD TO MODERATE TIRE SHAKE OR IN-BALANCE. A GOODYEAR DEALER RE-BALANCED THE TIRES, BUT THERE WAS NO CHANGE IN THE SHAKE. WE RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE SAME DEALER WHO THEN STATED THE TIRES WERE OUT OF ROUND AND COULDN'T BE BALANCED. THEY DID NOT ADVISE US TO REPLACE THE TIRES OR TO STOP USING THE VEHICLE. TWO MONTHS LATER, AFTER AN HOUR AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE TIRE SUDDENLY DELAMINATED. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED OVER $3,000 IN DAMAGE FROM THE TIRE EXPLOSION. CONTROL WAS NOT LOST. LOOKING AT THE TIRE, IT'S VERY OBVIOUS THIS WAS THE RESULT OF A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. HALF OF THE STEEL BELTS ARE COVERED WITH A LAYER OF BONDED RUBBER. THE OTHER HALF OF THE BELTS ARE EXPOSED. THE SEPARATING LINE IS RIGHT DOWN THE CENTER OF THE TIRE. THE SMALL PORTION OF TREAD THAT REMAINS IS SEPARATED FROM THE BELTS, BUT IS STILL BONDED ON THE OTHER SIDE. IT APPEARS TWO STRIPS OF RUBBER WERE PLACED LATERALLY ON THE FACE OF THE TIRE AND ONE OF THEM DID NOT BOND PROPERLY. I DON'T SEE ANY SIGNS OF PATCHES. ALTHOUGH NOW RUSTED, THE STEEL BELTS WERE BRIGHT WHEN THE TIRE FIRST SEPARATED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE RAM 2500. THE VEHICLE HAD A SET OF BRAND NEW COOPER DOMINATOR SPORT A/T TIRES. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE TIRES BLEW OUT AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO DRIVE INTO A DITCH. THE DEALER REMOVED THE FAILED TIRE AND REPLACED IT WITH ONE OF A DIFFERENT BRAND. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ISSUED FOR THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE JUST RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL STATING THAT HIS TIRES WERE ON RECALL AND HE WOULD NEED TO BRING THE DEFECTIVE TIRES IN FOR INSPECTION. THE BLOW OUT WAS CAUSED BY TREAD SEPARATION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAS NO PROOF IN ORDER TO GET REIMBURSED FOR THE TIRES BECAUSE THE DEALER WOULD NOT RETURN THE TIRE. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 350,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 340,000.

MY 1996 DODGE RAM 2500 CAME NEW WITH 5 GOODYEAR WRANGLER RT/S 245/75 R16 TIRES. I REPLACED 4 TIRES AT 78,000 MILES WITH 3 NEW RT/S TIRES AND ROTATED IN THE ORIGINAL SPARE. I KEPT THE BEST 2 TIRES FOR SPARES.*AK I USED AN OLD SPARE FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND NOTICED SOME VIBRATION. THE GOODYEAR DEALER INDICATED THE TREAD WAS SEPARATING. WHILE ON THE TURNPIKE, THE TREAD ON THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE SEPARATED CATASTROPHICALLY AT 75 MPH AND DAMAGED THE QUARTER PANEL, WHEEL WELL, LOWER PASSENGER DOORFRAME, STEERING MECHANISM (TRACK BAR), FRONT BUMPER COWLING, AND DENTED THE RIGHT REAR QUARTER PANEL. THE TIRE DIDNT GO FLAT, BUT THREW OFF ALL THE TREAD. FORTUNATELY, I RETAINED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND NO ONE WAS INJURED. THE TIRE THAT SEPARATED WAS THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT SPARE, MANUFACTURED IN 1996. THIS TIRE FAILED AT ABOUT 30,000 MILES. I BROUGHT THE FAILED TIRE TO THE LOCAL GOODYEAR DEALERSHIP, PERRY TIRE AND ALIGNMENT IN STILLWATER, WHERE THE OWNER FORCED ME TO SEND IT TO GOODYEAR FOR ANALYSIS. AS THE TIRE WAS OVER 4 YEARS OLD, HE CLAIMED GOODYEAR WOULD NOT WARRANTEE THE TIRE, BUT MIGHT MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENT. I STUPIDLY DID THIS, ACTING IN GOOD FAITH AND TRUSTING THE INTEGRITY OF BOTH COMPANIES. ITS ONE YEAR LATER, AND GUESS WHAT: I HAVE RECEIVED NO NOTIFICATION FROM EITHER COMPANY, PERRY TIRE HAS CHANGED OWNERSHIP, AND GOODYEAR HAS "LOST" MY TIRE. BY THE WAY, GOODYEAR'S REPRESENTATIVE SAID THEY NEVER DEAL DIRECTLY WITH THE CUSTOMER - DEALERS DO THAT, THEN GOODYEAR DEALS WITH THEM. AT ABOUT 55,000 MILES, ONE OF THE NEWER TIRES HAD TREAD SEPARATION; ANOTHER HAS WORN UNEVENLY TO SHOW THE BELT. BOTH WERE DETECTED BEFORE FAILURE ON THE ROAD. THE BOTTOM LINE: 3 OF 8 OF MY GOODYEAR WRANGLER RT/S TIRES FAILED DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION, ONE PROVIDING SIGNIFICANT RISK TO MY FAMILY AND OTHERS. I AM WITHOUT THE TIRE THAT DISINTEGRATED, AND AM CONSIDERING SEEKING LEGAL ACTION. I UNDERSTAND TIRES WEAR OUT, BUT THEY SHOULD NOT FAIL IN THIS MANNER EVEN IF WORN DOWN TO THE BELTS.

WHILE DRIVING WITH MY WIFE & TWO GRAND DAUGHTERS, AT 60-65 MPH IN A 1996 DODGE RAM 2500 PULLING CHALLENGER TRAVEL TRAILOR, LEFT REAR TIRE HAD A TREAD SEPARATION; ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, TIRE SIZE LT245/75R16, DAMAGING LEFT REAR FENDER WELL AND SIDE PANEL. I HAD TO REPLACE PICKUP BOX SIDE PANEL. THE TREAD WRAPPED AROUND AXLE AND DAMAGED LEFT REAR BRAKE LINE. THE TIRE DID NOT BLOW-OUT. I MAINTAINED CONTROL OF VEHICLES, WHICH WERE FISH-TAILING, AND WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN AND STOP ON SHOULDER OF HIWAY. THE HIWAY WAS CLEAR OF DEBRIS AND I HAD BEEN DRIVING ABOUT 1 HOUR WITH TEMPERATURES OF 90 - 95F.*AK