NHTSA Complaint #10152572 — 2002 FORD F-350 SD

I HAVE A 2002 FORD F-350 SUPER DUTY WITH DUAL REARS. THE TRUCK CAME WITH SEVEN GENERAL TIRES, 23585R16. OF THE SEVEN TIRES, FOUR HAVE FAILED SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY WITH TREAD/PLY SEPARATION AND BLOWOUTS. THE MOST SERIOUS WAS A LEFT FRONT THAT SUDDENLY BLEW OUT IN VERY HEAVY TRAFFIC ON I-35 JUST SOUTH OF THE TWIN CITIES AND AT 70 MPH. THAT FAILURE WAS A VERY NEAR ACCIDENT, BUT OTHER DRIVERS WERE ABLE TO GET OUT OF MY WAY AS I FOUGHT TO RETAIN CONTROL AND GET THE VEHICLE STOPPED. THE OTHER THREE BLOWOUTS WERE ON THE REAR AND THE DUAL WHEELS SAVED ME FROM A SERIOUS LOSS OF CONTROL. TWO OTHER ORIGINAL TIRES SHOWED EVIDENCE OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND WERE REMOVED FROM SERVICE BEFORE FAILURE. ONLY ONE OF THE SEVEN ORIGINAL TIRES HAS NOT FAILED AND THAT ONE HAS SPENT MOST OF ITS LIFE AS A SPARE. SO OVERALL SIX OUT OF SEVEN TIRES HAVE PREMATURELY FAILED BY TREAD/PLY SEPARATION WITH FOUR POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING FAILURES. *NM