NHTSA Complaint #10202725 — 1998 CHEVROLET YUKON

SET OF 4 COOPER DISCOVERER LT 32 X 11.5 ALL TERRAIN TIRES WERE PURCHASED IN SEPTEMBER 2002, AFTER ABOUT 35,000 MILES ONE HAD COMPLETE TREAD SEPARATION ANOTHER SWELLED OVER OUTSIDE 1/2 OF TREAD AROUND ENTIRE CIRCUMFERENCE. BOTH TIRES WERE ON THE REAR OF A 98 TAHOE TRAVELING AT 65-70 MPH ON INTERSTATE. THE DAY BEFORE THESE TIRES HAD BEEN ROTATED AND BALANCED AT A COOPER DEALER WHO "BLESSED" THE TIRES FOR ANOTHER 5,000 MILES BEFORE THE NEXT ROTATION AND BALANCE. THE SOUND OF THE TREAD ON THE RIGHT REAR SLAPPING THE FENDER CAUSED ME TO SLOW TO A STOP JUST AS THE TIRE BEGAN TO SEEP AIR. AFTER MOUNTING THE SPARE AND TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 75 MILES, THE LEFT REAR TIRE BEGAN BOUNCING AND UPON INSPECTION I FOUND IT SWELLED. I WAS ABLE TO EXIT ON TO A SECONDARY ROAD AND ROLL AT LESS THAN 20 MPH TO A TIRE SHOP. THE TIRE IS STILL INFLATED AFTER 2 DAYS AND IS SO BADLY DISTORTED THAT IT WILL NOT STAND UP ON THE TREAD. I HAVE PICTURES AND PLAN TO RETAIN THE TIRES AFTER THEY ARE REMOVED FROM MY RIMS. *TR