NHTSA Complaint #10169562 — 2004 KOMFORT 28FS

WHILE TOWING A 2004 KOMFORT TRAILBLAZER T25S TRAVEL TRAILER, HAD TWO (2) NANKANG MISSION LOADMAX TIRES ST225/75/R15 (DOT WEHH 2733103 0705) FAIL WITHIN 150 +- MILES OF EACH OTHER ON JULY 7 & JULY 9, 2006. TRAILER HAD APPROXIMATELY 6000+- MILES, OPERATED AT 55 MPH AT TRAILER MANUFACTURE RECOMMENDED PRESSURES OF 50-PSI COLD. TIRES SUFFERED CATASTROPHIC FAILURES: TIRE FAILURE #1 TREAD SEPARATED IN ONE PIECE FROM CASING / BEAD CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE AS IT WAS EJECTED. TIRE FAILURE #2 HAD PARTIAL SEPARATION OF TREAD FROM CASING / BEAD CAUSING MODERATE DAMAGE TO TRAILER SIDING AND UNDERCARRIAGE FROM TREAD / STEEL BELTING. CONTACTED 800-227-8925 NUMBER ON TIRE CASING AND SPOKE WITH A TIRECO REPRESENTATIVE. TIRECO REPLACED ALL 5 TIRES WITH A MILESTAR BRANDED TIRES AND REQUESTED THE RETURN OF OLD TIRES (2 FAILED, 3 NON-FAILED) TIRES FOR THEIR INSPECTION. TIRECO STATED THEY WOULD REVIEW A TRAILER REPAIR REQUEST PROVIDED 3 WRITTEN ESTIMATES SUBMITTED, HOWEVER THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR MOUNTING, BALANCING, CAR RENTAL, TOWING, STORAGE, LODGING, DOWNTIME OR LOST WAGES. UPON MY INSPECTION OF THE 3 NON-FAILED TIRES, I HAVE OBSERVED WHAT APPEARS TO BE STEEL WIRE STRANDS PROTRUDING THROUGH THE TREAD FACE OF 2 TIRES WELL ABOVE THE WEAR BARS, REMAINING TIRE WAS MOUNTED AS A SPARE AND HAS NO WEAR. I HAVE RESISTED RETURNING THE SET OF 5 TIRES TO TIRECO; RATHER I REQUEST NHTSA OPEN A DEFECT INVESTIGATION. I HAVE READ MANY ACCOUNTS OF MISSION LOADMAX TIRE FAILURES THROUGH RV WEBSITES ON THE INTERNET AND NOTED THAT TWO OTHERS HAVE FILED COMPLAINTS WITH NHTSA. I WILL RETAIN THE TIRES PENDING DIRECTION OF NHTSA SHOULD YOU (DOT) WISH TO EXAMINE. *JB