NHTSA Complaint #10239863 — 2006 GULF STREAM TRACK & TRAIL

WE BOUGHT A NEW FIFTHWHEEL CAMPER IN APRIL 2006, IT WAS BUILT MARCH 16, 2006. NEW, IT CAME WITH CARLISLE 225/75R 15 TIRES LOAD CLASS D, WITH 2540LBS MAX LOAD PER TIRE, 65PSI, SINGLE WHEEL, TANDEM AXLE, TIRE DOT# 3EHHID09/05. WE MAY HAVE HAD 3000-4000 MILES ON THE TIRES, I 'VE NEVER MOVED THE CAMPER SINCE WE'VE HAD IT WITHOUT CHECKING THE TIRE PRESSURE FIRST AND MAKING SURE THEY WERE AT 65PSI COLD. JULY 30, 2008 WHILE AT A CAMPGROUND I NOTICED THE BELTS ON THE RIGHT FRONT CAMPER TIRE HAD COME APART. THE TREAD WAS DEFORMED ALL AROUND THE TIRE, AND THE SIDEWALL HAD WAVES AND INDENTATIONS NEAR THE TREAD. I PUT THE SPARE ON AND WE TOOK OFF FOR OUR NEXT LOCATION. WE TRAVELED 1-2 HOURS AND HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A SHOTGUN BLAST. I CHECKED THE MIRRORS AND NOTICED A BLOWOUT ON THE RIGHT REAR CAMPER TIRE. THAT TIRE WAS DESTROYED, WITH TOTAL TREAD SEPARATION, AND THE STEEL BELTS HANGING OUT ALL OVER. THE FLAPPING TREAD GRABBED PROPANE LINES FROM UNDER THE CAMPER STRETCHING AND CRIMPING THEM TO THE POINT THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED. I PUT THE OTHER BAD TIRE BACK ON IN AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE IT OFF THE TURNPIKE. WE MADE IT ABOUT TEN MILES BEFORE THAT TIRE EXPLODED. SAME SHOTGUN BLAST AS BEFORE, SAME TOTAL TIRE FAILURE, AND MORE DAMAGE TO UNDERSIDE OF THE CAMPER, INCLUDING THE SIDE FENDER SKIRTING GETTING BENT UP. I UN-HOOKED THE CAMPER ON THE TURNPIKE AND TOOK THE WHEELS WITH THE SHREDDED TIRES TO BUFFALO AND HAD NEW TIRES PUT ON. WE MADE IT TO OUR NEXT LOCATION WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AUGUST 5, 2008 ON I.S. 86 WE HEARD ANOTHER SHOTGUN BLAST, THIS TIME IT WAS THE FRONT LEFT TIRE ON THE CAMPER. THIS BLAST CAUSED A DE-LAMINATION OF THE FIBERGLASS SIDING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CAMPER DIRECTLY ABOVE THE TIRE THAT EXPLODED. I PUT THE SPARE ON AGAIN AND FOUND A TIRE DEALER IN JAMESTOWN NEW YORK TO REPLACE THE BAD TIRE, AND HAD THEM REPLACE THE LAST CARLISLE THAT HADN'T BLOWN YET TO AVOID ANY FURTHER DAMAGE OR POSSIBLE INJURY. DAMAGE TO ALL 3 TIRES WAS THE SAME. *TR