NHTSA Complaint #10232579 — 2002 FORD WINDSTAR

I PURCHASED NEW 4 TIRES FROM SEARS AUTO CENTER IN DULLES, VA ON 1/46/07 WHICH THEY INSTALLED ON OUR 2002 FORD WINDSTAR. MY WIFE, 3 YEAR DAUGHTER AND MYSELF WERE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE I81ON 4/24/08 WITH THIS FORD WINDSTAR EXPERIENCED A FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLOW OUT. IT WAS A GOOD THING I WAS THE DRIVER AND NOT MY WIFE AS THIS COULD OF BEEN TRAGIC!! I QUICKLY PULLED IT ON THE HIGHWAYS SHOULDER AFTER TRAVELING AT 70 MPH. I REPLACED THE BLOWN TIRE WITH THE TEMPORARY SPARE. WE THEN PROCEEDED TO HAVE IT REPLACED. THE SEARS AUTO CENTER IN WINCHESTER, VA TOLD US THEY DID NOT CARRY THAT EXACT TIRE AND DID NOT HAVE ONE WITH THE SAME SPEED RATING AND CAN NOT LEGALLY INSTALL ONE THE DOESN'T MATCH THE REST. WE NEEDED TO GET HOME TO OUR TWO CHILDREN WHO WERE COMING HOME FROM SCHOOL, THEREFORE, WE WERE FORCED TO PURCHASE TWO NEW TIRES ALONG WITH FEES ASSOCIATED WITH DOING SO. WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED THIS TIRE BLOW OUT AND THE SEARS TECHNICIAN WAS BAFFLED AS HE SAID HE FOUND NO HOLES OR PUNCTURE IN THE BLOWN TIRE. THE TWO FRONT TIRES ARE NOW NEW AND THE TWO REAR TIRES WERE STILL IN PLACE FROM THE ORIGINAL 4 TIRE PURCHASE ON 1/6/07. ON 6/12/2008 WE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF TIRE PRESSURE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE AND THE TIRES VALVE STEM WAS HISSING FROM A SUDDEN CRACK THAT HAD FORMED. I HAD THE STEM REPLACED AT WALMART IN FRONT ROYAL, VA. ON 6/27/08 I HAD THE LAST OF THE ORIGINAL TIRES HAVE A SUDDEN VALVE STEM FAILURE CAUSING INSTANT PRESSURE LOSS. I WAS NOW SUSPECTING THE VALVE STEMS MUST HAVE A MAJOR FLAW AND REQUESTED THAT THE WALMART TECHNICIAN GIVE ME THE FAILED VALVE STEM AFTER HE REPLACED IT. AFTER I RETURNED HOME FROM GETTING THIS REPAIRED, I RESEARCHED ON THE INTERNET FOR ANY TIRE VALVE STEM RECALLS AND I DISCOVERED THE TECH INTERNATIONAL RECALL UNDER YOUR INVESTIGATION CAMPAIGN ID 08T018000. I HAVE SAVED THIS REMAINING STEM WITH THE PART NUMBER DILL-ACP TR413 ON THE BASE. *TR