NHTSA Complaint #10135345 — 2004 FOUR WINDS CLASS C

ON AUGUST 13 2005 I WAS TOWING MY 2004 FOUR WINNS 214 FUNSHIP BOAT HOME FROM DELAND FL. WE FELT A STRANGE VIBRATION COMING FROM THE TRAILER,THEN THE RIGHT REAR TIRE ON THE TRAILER BLEW. THE TREAD ON THE TIRE HAD SEPARATED FROM THE CASING. THERE WAS STEEL COMING THROUGH THE TREAD. THE TIRES ARE CARLISLE ST205-75R14 RADIAL TRAIL. IT WAS SATURDAY NIGHT AND NO TIRE STORES WERE OPEN. WE WERE FORCED TO IMPROVISE AND TOW THE BOAT HOME ON THREE WHEELS.(AT THE TIME I DID NOT CARRY A SPARE) I CONTACTED CARLISLE TO COMPLAIN (THE TIRES HAVE LESS THAN 1000 MILES ON THEM) AND THEY OFFERED TO SEND ME TWO NEW TIRES. I REQUESTED FOUR, BEING SUSPICIOUS OF ALL OF THEM, BUT THEY SAID THEY WOULD ONLY REPLACE THE TIRE THAT FAILED AND THE TIRE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE TRAILER. THE TIRES ARRIVED A FEW DAYS LATTER AND I HAD THEM MOUNTED ON THE EXISTING RIMS. ON SEPT 4, 2005 AGAIN WE WERE TOWING OUR BOAT HOME FROM DELAND FL WHEN THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE ON OUR TRAILER BLEW. WE HAD ONE OF THE TIRES THAT CARLISLE REPLACED MOUNTED ON A NEWLY PURCHASED RIM AS A SPARE, WHICH WE REPLACED AND MADE IT HOME. THE FAILURE WAS THE SAME AS BEFORE. THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE CASING. WE HAVE HEARD THAT THERE IS A PENDING CLASS ACTION SUIT AND WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED TO THAT SUIT. *JB