NHTSA Complaint #10062420 — 1998 THOR DUTCHMEN

I EXPERIENCED TWO TIRE BLOWOUTS WITHIN 200 MILES OF EACH OTHER WITH FIRESTONE STEELTEX TIRES. THE TIRE SIZE IS LT225/75R16, LOAD RANGE E. EACH TIRE HAD OVER 3/8'S OF AN INCH OF TREAD LEFT. THE MILEAGE ON THE TIRES WAS APPROXIMATELY 29,500. BOTH BLOWOUTS WERE THE INNER TIRE OF A DUAL REAR SET. THE VEHICLE INVOLVED IS A 1998 DUTCHMEN CLASS C MOTORHOME ON A FORD SUPER DUTY VAN CHASSIS. THE FIRST BLOWOUT WAS VERY EXPLOSIVE AND VIOLENT. THE EXPLOSION LIFTED THE REAR OF THE MOTORHOME AND CAUSED A MOMENT OF UNCONTROLLABLE SLIDING. THE BLOWOUT OCCURRED AT ABOUT 75 MPH. IT WAS A COMPLETE TREAD SEPARATION. THIS BLOWOUT ALSO DAMAGED THE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE. ON THE RETURN TRIP HOME, ABOUT 200 MILES LATER, THE OTHER INSIDE REAR TIRE BLEW. THIS BLOWOUT WAS MUCH TAMER. IT WAS A SIDEWALL SPLIT AND THE TREAD REMAINED ATTACHED. THIS BLOWOUT OCCURRED AT 65 MPH. NO ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE MOTORHOME OCCURRED AND MANUVERABILITY OF THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COMPROMISED. THE AIR PRESSURE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIP WAS CHECKED - 65 FRONT, 75 REAR. BEFORE RETURNING FOR HOME, THE PRESSURE WAS CHECKED AGAIN - 65 FRONT, 75 REAR. *NM