NHTSA Complaint #10199587 — 2001 FORD TAURUS

SEARS AND THEIR DEFECTIVE CHINESE TIRES. ON JULY 26, 2007, WE PURCHASED FOUR NEW SUMITOMO HTR H4 P215/60HH16 TIRES FOR MY 16 YEAR OLD SONS 2001 TAURUS FROM SEARS IN LINCOLN, NEBRASKA. ON AUGUST 12, 2007 HE DROVE APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES ON THE INTERSTATE TO GO TO A PARK WITH SOME OF HIS FRIENDS. SHORTLY AFTER PULLING INTO THE PARK, THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WENT FLAT. HE IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND CHANGED THE FLAT TIRE, REPLACING IT WITH THE DONUT IN HIS TRUNK. I HAD NEVER SEEN A NEW TIRE WITH LESS THEN 300 MILES ON IT IN THIS CONDITION. THE FLAT TIRE HAD SPLIT OPEN ALONG THE SIDEWALL. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE TIRE OTHER THEN THIS SPLIT. IT WASN'T SCUFFED LIKE HE HAD HIT A CURB AND THERE WERE NO NAILS OR PUNCTURE HOLES IN THE TIRES. TO ME, IT JUST LOOKED TO BE ANOTHER DEFECTIVE CHINESE TIRE. I HAVE HAD A TERRIBLE TIME WITH THE EMPLOYEES AT SEARS. THEY HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY UNCOOPERATIVE AND WE HAVE NOT YET REACHED A SATISFACTORY RESOLUTION. AFTER SEVERAL HOURS OF WORKING TOWARDS A RESOLUTION, THEY DID FINALLY AGREE THAT THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE AND PLACED A NEW TIRE ON THE RIM. HOWEVER, THEY STATED THAT THEY WERE TOO BUSY TO PLACE THE WHEEL BACK ON THE CAR AND TOLD MY SON HE WOULD HAVE TO DO THAT HIMSELF. I EXPECT WE WILL END UP IN COURT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. *JB