NHTSA Complaint #10140382 — 2004 DUTCHMEN TRAILER

FOR OUR FIRST LONG DISTANT TRIP FROM NC TO TX IN OUR 2004 VICTORY LANE DUTCHMEN 35SRV 5TH WHEEL CAMPER, WE CHECKED ALL TIRES (CARLISLE LT235 85R16) AND PRESSURE BEFORE LEAVING. THIS WAS ON 03/21/2005 WHEN THE FIRST BLOWOUT OCCURRED THAT ENDED UP CAUSING OVER $1800.00 IN DAMAGE AND WE HAD LESS THAN 500 MILES ON ALL THE TIRES. WE HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT ABOUT 60-65 MPH ON I-40. THE TIRE COMPLETELY SEPARATED AND BLEW APART. HAD TO PULL OVER 3 LANES ON I-40 TO THE SHOULDER AND CHANGE THE TIRE WHICH WAS CLOSE TO WINSTON-SALEM AT AN EXIT RAMP THAT HAD A BOTTLE NECK OF TRAFFIC AT RUSH HOUR. WE CHANGED THE TIRE AND HAD TO LOOK FOR ANOTHER SPARE TO BUY. ON THE WAY BACK FROM TX TO NC, WE HAD ANOTHER BLOWOUT OF CARLISLE TIRE #2 ALMOST IN THE SAME LOCATION. WE STILL HAD UNDER 2000 MILES ON THE TIRES. HAD TO LOOK AND PAY FOR ANOTHER SPARE TIRE. ONLY MADE A COUPLE MORE LOCAL TRIPS AFTER THAT TO THE NEAREST CAMPGROUND UNTIL 10/14/2005. WE MADE A TRIP TO MYRTLE BEACH ABOUT 155 MILES AWAY. WE HAD TRAVELED ABOUT 100 MILES GOING ABOUT 50 MPH WHEN A BLOWOUT OF CARLISLE TIRE #3. CHANGED TIRE WITH SPARE AND WAS LOOKING TO BUY ANTHER SPARE WHEN ANOTHER BLOWOUT OF CARLISLE #4 HAPPENED ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER. NO SPARE THIS TIME. WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE AND COULD NOT GET OFF THE ROAD. THERE WAS NO SHOULDER TO MOVE TO. WE GOT LUCKY AND A MAN CAME BUY ON A TRACTOR AND HELPED US GET TO A PLACE TO GET A TIRE. THIS COST US MOST OF THAT VACATION DAY JUST CHANGING AND LOOKING FOR TIRES. AND WE STILL HAD UNDER 3000 MILES ON THE OLDEST TIRES THAT HAD A BLOWOUT. WE HAVE NOT BEEN REIMBURSED FOR ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TIRE PROBLEMS AND IT HAS CAUSED MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO RAISE MY PREMIUMS AND CEDE MY POLICY TO THE NC INSURANCE FACILITY. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ON OTHER FORUMS, THESE TIRES ARE A VERY POOR QUALITY/DEFECTIVE AND IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THERE IS A SERIOUS INJURY. *NM