NHTSA Complaint #10030603 — 1992 CHEVROLET 1500

I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT A TIRE TREAD SEPARATION AND BLOW OUT ON A UNI ROYAL TIGER PAW XTM, P235/75 R15 TIRE WITH 3/16" TREAD REMAINING. THE DOT IS AVHL AA 481. OTHER NUMBERS ON THE TIRE ARE: ITEM 4165, E24405, D117C, 89C, 89B, 89A, 3452. THE TIRE FAILED ON JULY 26 AT ABOUT 10:00 PM AT THE INTERSECTION OF I255 AND I70 NORTHEAST OF ST. LOUIS. THE TIRE ORIGINALLY WAS ON A NEW 1992 CHEVROLET C1500 AND FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS HAS BEEN ON A 16 FOOT TANDEM AXLE TRAILER WITH 3500 POUND AXLES. THE TIRE HAS NEVER BEEN RUN LOW, NOR OVERLOADED, NOT RUN HOT. AT THE TIME OF FAILURE THE TIRE WAS RELATIVELY COOL CONSIDERING THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE. THE TIRE FAILED WITH A 3 FOOT SECTION OF THE TREAD SEPARATING FROM THE TIRE EXPOSING THE STEEL BELT WHICH THEN SEPARATED AND CAUSE A SIDEWALL TO SIDEWALL RUPTURE OF THE TIRE WITH A SUDDEN LOSS OF THE AIR PRESSUE. THE CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS DUE TO FAILURE OF THE VULCANIZATION OF THE TREAD TO THE TIRE. THERE IS A SECTION AT THE EDGE OF THE TREAD THAT IS LOOSE WHILE ANOTHER PART IS STILL TIGHTLY ADHERED TO THE TIRE. THE FAILURE DIDN'T CAUSE ANOTHER OTHER DAMAGE AS THE TRAILER IS STRONG IN THE FENDER AREA. ALSO BECAUSE IT IS A TANDEM AXLE TRAILER, THERE WAS NO STABILITY PROBLEM. THIS WAS JUST ONE OF THOSE INSTANCES WHERE THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE IN ONE AREA OF THE VULCANIZATION. WITH THE TREAD LOOSE IT JUST FINALLY LET GO AND THE BELT LOST ITS STRENGTH AND SEPARATED AND THEN OF COURSE THE RADIAL CORDS HAVE NO STRENGTH TO HOLD THE AIR INSIDE. *AK