1997 Nissan Maxima

FAILURES WITH TWO DIFFERENT SETS OF GOODYEAR EAGLE TIRES. FIRST FAILURES WERE CRACKS ON OUTSIDE OF TIRES NEXT TO RIM AFTER APPROX. 29K MILES. GOODYEAR GAVE SOME CREDIT AND NEW SET OF EAGLES (SAME SIZE AND MODEL) INSTALLED IN JUNE '99.. IN OCT. 2001DURING ROUTINE ROTATION AND BALANCE SEVERE CRACKS NEXT TO RIM ON INSIDE OF REPLACEMENT TIRES WAS OBSERVED BY TECHNICIAN. THESE TIRES HAD APPROX. 38K MILES ON THEM. CAR IS CAREFULLY MAINTAINED AND TIRES ARE ALWAYS ROTATED AND BALANCED EVERY 6K MILES.*AK (TIRESIZE: 215 55 H16)

TRAVELING 60 MPH AT 12:45 PM ON I-95 NB IN MA, 2 MILES SOUTH OF EXIT 8. CLEAR WEATHER, TEMPERATURE IN MID 60'S, SMOOTH ASPHALT PAVEMENT. SUDDEN LOUD ROARING NOISE. I THOUGHT AT FIRST IT WAS SOME SORT OF ENGINE FAILURE, BLUE SMOKE COMING OUT OF REAR OF CAR. NEXT WERE VIBRATIONS AND SHORT LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. I REGAINED CONTROL AND PULLED OFF TO RIGHT SHOULDER. BOTH SIDEWALLS WERE DISINTEGRATED ALL THE WAY AROUND, WITH ONLY A FEW CORDS AND BELTS HOLDING THE TOP PART OF THE SIDEWALLS AND TREAD CAP TO THE INNER PART OF THE SIDEWALLS ON THE RIM. THERE WAS NO INCIDENT PRIOR TO THIS THAT WOULD INDICATE ANY SORT OF DAMAGE TO THE TIRE THAT FAILED. I IMMEDIATELY REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES WITH A DIFFERENT MANUFACTURER AND BRAND OF TIRES. I BELIEVE THAT THIS FAILURE SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE ON THE TIRES, IN THE CONDITION THE TIRES WERE IN.*AK (DOT NUMBER: M6B2LNER TIRESIZE: P215/55R16)