NHTSA Complaint #10175231 — 2006 KEYSTONE CAMBRIDGE

TREAD SEPARATION OCCURRED WITH A MISSION LOADMAX T-108 RADIAL TUBELESS TRAILER TIRE, SIZE ST235/80R-16E, MANUFACTURED BY NANKANG IN CHINA, AND DISTRIBUTED IN THE US BY TIRE CO, INC. THE TIRE WAS ONE OF FOUR LIKE TIRES ON MY 2006 KEYSTONE MONTANA FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER, MODEL 3400RL, PURCHASED NEW IN APRIL 2006 AND WITH LESS THAN 4000 MILES ON THE TIRES AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 65 MPH. THE DEFECTIVE TIRE DID NOT LOSE AIR, BUT THE SEPARATED TREAD FLEW OFF THE TIRE AND DAMAGED THE SHEET METAL FENDER SKIRT OF THE TRAILER. NO LOSS OF CONTROL, INJURIES, OR OTHER DAMAGE OCCURRED. BEFORE TAKING ACTION TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE TIRE, I SEARCHED THE NHTSA COMPLAINTS FILE ON THE WEB AND FOUND FOUR REPORTS ON SEPARATED OR BLOWN OUT MISSION TIRES. I ALSO SEARCHED DISCUSSION FORUMS (RV.NET, TRAILER LIFE.COM, AND OTHERS) AND FOUND DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS OF SEPARATED OR BLOWN OUT MISSION TIRES ON TRAVEL TRAILERS AND 5TH WHEELS IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. I DECIDED NOT TO TAKE ANY FURTHER RISK WITH THE MISSION TIRES AND REPLACED ALL TIRES INCLUDING THE SPARE, WITH BF GOODRICH COMMERCIAL T/A LIGHT TRUCK TIRES. AT THE TIME OF REPLACEMENT, I FOUND OVER 18" OF TREAD BULGING AND SEPARATED FROM THE CASING OF ANOTHER OF THE FOUR MISSION TIRES, AND 2" X 8" BLISTER ON THE INSIDE OF THE CASING OF THE THIRD MISSION TIRE. THE FOURTH MISSION TIRE THAT WAS ON THE GROUND AND THE SPARE (A NANKANG TIRE BRANDED MILESTAR M-108) APPEAR TO HAVE NO DEFECTS. I NOTIFIED MY KEYSTONE MONTANA DEALER OF THE INCIDENT, AND I AM IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING A CLAIM WITH TIRECO, INC OF CALIFORNIA (CLAIM # PL-10449) WITH THE EXPECTATION OF BEING REIMBURSED FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE MISSION TIRES AND DAMAGE TO MY TRAILER. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE TIRES MUST BE SHIPPED TO TIRECO, INC. FOR THEIR INSPECTION AND JUDGMENT WHETHER A MATERIAL OR WORKMANSHIP DEFECT EXISTS THAT WOULD SUPPORT REIMBURSEMENT.*JB