NHTSA Complaint #10206586 — 2007 HEARTLAND BIGHORN

WE PURCHASED A NEW 2005 FIFTH WHEEL, MANUFACTURED BY HEARTLAND, ELKHART, IN IN JULY OF 05. WE DROVE IT APPROX. 3,000 MILES BACK TO TUCSON AND PLACED IT IN COVERED STORAGE UPON OUR ARRIVAL IN TUCSON. IT SAT COVERED UNTIL MAY 15TH OF 2007 DUE TO MEDICAL REASONS. WE LEFT JUNE 8TH FOR A SUMMER TRIP NORTH. OUR TRIP THIS SUMMER TOOK US APPROX 6,500 MILES. THE FIFTH WHEEL IS A TRIPLE AXLE AND WHILE DRIVING SOUTH THROUGH ILLINOIS ON HWY 70 NEAR GREENVILLE THE REAR AXLE TIRE LITERALLY EXPLODED AND THEN WHILE DRIVING SOUTH ON NEW MEXICO #54 APPROX 90 MILES NORTH OF LAS CRUCES THE FRONT AXLE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. THE TWO BLOW OUTS CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE FIFTH WHEELS BODY AND TRIM. BOTH TIRES WERE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE FIFTH WHEEL. THE MANUFACTURER IS REFUSING TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY AT THIS TIME. THE TIRE NAME IS KENDA WHICH IS NOT LISTED IN YOUR SITE AND THE SIZE LT235/85R16. MADE IN CHINA. I HAVE CALLED KENDA'S OFFICE IN OHIO BUT THEY DISCLAIM ANY RESPONSIBILITY AND STATE THAT THERE IS "NO WARRANTY" BUT ADVISED ME TO REPLACE ALL OF THE TIRES ON THE FIFTH WHEEL. THESE TIRES HAVE TRAVELED LESS THAN 10,000 MILES. HEARTLAND RV'S ARE THE MANUFACTURER OF THIS FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER. I WAS NOT ABLE TO ENTER THE CORRECT DATE AND MODEL PER YOUR LIST BUT IT WAS MFG IN 2005, IS A LANDMARK BRAND AND MONTICELLO MODEL. *TR