NHTSA Complaint #10198226 — 2007 DODGE DAKOTA

I HAVE A 2007 DODGE DAKOTA IT HAD 1880 MILES ON IT WHEN THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT NEAR MILE MARKER 38.9 ON ROUTE 80 EAST BOUND IN NJ. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE GOING 65 MILES AN HOUR WHEN THE OUTSIDE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE DEVELOPED AN APPROXIMATELY TWO INCH VERTICAL SPLIT. THE TIRE WENT DOWN IMMEDIATELY, HOWEVER I WAS ABLE TO GET OVER TO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AAA SENT A TRUCK OUT AND INSTALLED THE SPARE. THE TIRE WAS A GOODYEAR WRANGLER SR-A P245/70R-16. THE DEALER THAT I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM REFERRED ME TO GOODYEAR. I WENT TO THREE GOODYEAR TIRE STORES AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY A SIDEWALL INTRUSION, AND GOODYEAR WOULD NOT REPLACE THE TIRE. I E-MAILED GOODYEAR A COMPLAINT HOWEVER I HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM THEM. I HAD THE TIRE REPLACED AT THE THIRD GOODYEAR TIRE STORE AT A COST OF $161.11. I KEPT THE DEFECTIVE TIRE. I HAD CHECKED THE AIR PRESSURE THAT MORNING BEFORE LEAVING HOME. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE TIRE AT THAT TIME, AND NON OCCURRED THAT DAY PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. I WAS IN THE CENTER LANE OF A MAJOR HIGHWAY WHEN IT BLEW. THE TIRE HAD LESS THAN 1900 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THE BLOW OUT AND THE TIRE WAS NOT DAMAGED PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. IT IS BEYOND BELIEF THAT GOODYEAR WOULD NOT WARRANTY THIS TIRE, AND IT IS EVEN HARDER TO BELIEVE THAT THEY DO NOT EVEN HAVE ANY INTEREST IN LOOKING AT IT. *JB