NHTSA Complaint #10025323 — 1992 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA

ON JUNE 28, 2003 A FRIEND AND I WERE DRIVING TO LAKE GENEVA ILL. WHEN MY LEFT REAR TIRE INSIDE WALL SEPERATED FROM THE TIRE COMPLETELY. I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING ON THE ROAD THE TIRE WHEN IT BLEW OUT MADE ME LOSE CONTROL AND I WENT INTO A SMALL DITCH.*AK I CHANGED TO THE MINI SPARE AND WENT HOME. I CONTACTED DUNLOP ABOUT THE TIRE AND THEY SAID THAT SINCE THE TIRE HAD A PATCH ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE THAT THE SIDE WALL SEPERATED BECAUSE OF THE PATCH, THE PATCH IS LOCATED ON THE TREAD AREA ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE. I CONTACTED THE PERSON THAT SOLD ME THE TIRES AND HE SAID THAT MANUFACTURES PUT PATCHS IN TIRES SO THEY WILL HAVE BETTER BALANCE. DUNLOP SAID THAT THEY WILL GIVE ME A NEW TIRE IF I PAY THE STORE $33.00 PLUS MOUNTING AND BALANCING. I TOLD THEM THAT THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE AND THAT THEY SHOULD REPLACE IT AT NO COST TO ME, THEY SAID THATS THE ONLY OFFER THAT THEY WILL GIVE TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT. MY CAR IS ONLY DRIVEN IN THE SUMMER TIME, AND IS PUT AWAY IN THE WINTER ON BLOCKS AND UNDER A COVER. THE MILES ON THIS 92 MIATA ARE ONLY 39,000 MILES, THE MILES ON THE TIRES ARE ABOUT 7,000 MILES. I FEEL THAT I'M ENTITLED TO A REPLACEMENT AT NO CHARGE, BECAUSE THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE.