NHTSA Complaint #10241401 — 2005 GULF STREAM CANYON TRAIL

PURCHASED NEW CANYON TRAIL FIFTH WHEEL CAMPING TRAILER ON 8/22/2005. USED VERY LITTLE AND ACCUMULATED LESS THAN 10,000 MILES TO DATE AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN RELIGIOUS ABOUT MAINTAINING PROPER TIRE PRESSURE IN TIRES BEFORE EACH TRIP. WE ARE ALSO WELL BELOW THE MAXIMUM LOADING FOR THE TRAILER OR THE TIRES. TIRES ARE THE CARLISLE RADIAL TRAIL ST225/75R15 (DOT 9Q HH ID - RADIAL TUBELESS - LOAD RANGE D - FOR TRAILER SERVICE ONLY - MADE IN CHINA). HAVE SUSTAINED 3 CATASTROPHIC BLOWOUTS SINCE 10/07. EACH INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING ON FREE-WAYS DOING 60 MPH. EACH INCIDENT ALSO RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO WIRING, FENDERS, AND STRUCTURAL PIECES NEAR THE WHEEL WELLS. FLINGING CHUNKS OF RUBBER WHEN THE TIRE BLEW AND CHANGING TIRES ON THE A FREE-WAY SHOULDER ARE IN THEMSELVES HAZARDOUS. THE FIRST TWO INCIDENTS I DISCARDED REMAINS OF DAMAGED TIRE (SIDEWALLS ONLY WERE LEFT). THIS LAST INCIDENT (#3), I REPLACED IT AND ONE GOOD TIRE AS I REALIZED I WAS RIDING ON DEFECTIVE TIRES. THE MECHANIC CHANGING THE TIRES POINTED OUT THAT THE 'GOOD' TIRE HAD BELT SEPARATION AND WOULD HAVE ALSO FAILED SOON. THIS TIME I SAVED THE BLOWN-OUT TIRE AND TWO OF THE 'GOOD' TIRES (BOTH SHOWING SIGNS OF BELT SEPARATION). I CALLED CARLISLE TIRE AND WHEEL COMPANY CONCERNING THEIR WARRANTY AND WAS TOLD THEY ARE ONLY GIVE WARRANTIES FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS REGARDLESS OF CIRCUMSTANCES INCLUDING DEPTH OF TREAD REMAINING ON THE TIRE. LOOKING AT THE OTHER EMAILS IN YOUR SEARCH COMPLAINTS SECTION FOR THESE IDENTICAL TIRES, THERE APPEARS TO BE MANY OTHERS CONFRONTING THE SAME DANGERS AND PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE ENDURED. AS I MENTIONED I HAVE THE LAST BLOWN TIRE WITH HALF THE TREAD AND MOST OF THE SHREDDED SIDEWALL IN TACT AND I HAVE THE TWO 'GOOD' TIRES WITH THERE SIGNS OF BELT SEPARATION. I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE CONVINCED THAT THESE TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS. PLEASE HELP GETTING THEM OFF THE ROAD AND HAVING CARLISLE SHOW SOME RESPONSIBILITY. *TR