NHTSA Complaint #10127254 — 1992 FORD E-150

THIS COMPLAINT IS ABOUT MILESTONE TIRES, MANUFACTURED IN CHINA, MODEL NUMBER MILESTONE RL828, G104/101S, STANDARD RIM 61/2J, SIZE LT 235/75. THREE OF THE FOUR TIRES BY THIS MANUFACTURER THAT WERE INSTALLED ON MY FORD E150 CONVERSION VAN HAVE HAD BELT FAILURES. THE TIRE THAT FAILED ON JUNE 28 HAD APPROXIMATELY 5,000 MILES ON IT, AND THE TIRE HAD JUST BEEN INFLATED TO FULL PRESSURE DURING AN OIL CHANGE APPROXIMATELY 200 MILES PRIOR TO FAILURE. THE PROBLEM WITH THESE TIRES IS APPARENTLY A BELT SEPARATION. TWO TIRES WERE REPLACED BY MY MECHANIC UPON INSPECTION IN SEPTEMBER OF 2004 AFTER APPROXIMATELY 8,000 MILES, AND PARTIALLY WARRANTEED BY THE DISTRIBUTOR. THE DISTRIBUTOR AT THAT TIME ACKNOWLEDGED PROBLEMS WITH THESE TIRES, AND INDICATED THAT THESE PROBLEMS HAD BEEN SOLVED WITH THE REPLACEMENT TIRES. HOWEVER, ONE OF THE REPLACEMENT TIRES BLEW OUT ON JUNE 28, 2005. THE DISTRIBUTOR IS REQUESTING THAT I PROVIDE THE TIRE, WHICH WAS LOST, ALONG WITH THE RIM, WHEN IT DISINTEGRATED WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES PER HOUR. TO DATE, MY MECHANIC IS RECEIVING VERY LITTLE COOPERATION FROM THE TIRE DISTRIBUTOR. MY MECHANIC IS HARRY'S SERVICE, 315 689-6448, LOCATED IN JORDAN, NEW YORK. DAMAGES INCLUDED LOSS OF THE TIRE, LOSS OF THE RIM, DESTRUCTION OF THE DRIVER SIDE BRAKE ROTOR, AND FRONT END DAMAGES. THE FACT THAT MY FAMILY AND I ARE STILL ALIVE HAS MORE TO DO WITH MY EXPERIENCE AS A DRIVER THAN WITH THE EXTENT OF THE FAILURE -- THE CONVERSION VAN COULD VERY EASILY HAVE ROLLED OVER, KILLING EVERYONE INSIDE. PLEASE STOP THE DISTRIBUTION OF THESE DANGEROUS TIRES IN THE UNITED STATES, AND FINE THE DISTRIBUTOR FOR KNOWINGLY CONTINUING DISTRIBUTION OF UNSAFE TIRES. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME AT ANY TIME. THANK YOU. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR