NHTSA Complaint #10244505 — 2002 FORD F-250 SD

2 YOKOHAMA GEOLANDER AT TIRES WITH LESS THAN 30,000 MILES HAD TREAD SEPARATION CAUSING $7000 WORTH OF BODY DAMAGE. THE SEPARATIONS WERE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WITHIN 3 WEEKS OF EACH OTHER. FIRST FAILURE WAS ON A FREEWAY AT APPROX 65 MPH. A SUDDEN SEVERE VIBRATION FOLLOWED BY A TREAD SEPARATION OF THE RIGHT REAR TIRE. A LOT OF BODY NOISE WAS HAPPENING AS THE NOT-QUITE-SEPARATED TREAD FLAILED AROUND THE WHEELWELL AS WAS SLOWING AND CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO BODY AND REAR BUMPER. SECOND OCCASION WAS APPROX 3 WEEKS LATER WHILE PULLING A 5 HORSE TRAILER WITH 2 HORSES ON BOARD. THIS OCCURRENCE ALSO WAS ON A FREEWAY AT APPROX 60MPH. WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL AND ROUNDING A RIGHT HAND TURN, THE LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED AND CAUSED A SWERVE INTO THE LANE TO THE LEFT BEFORE SLOWING AND REGAINING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. BOTH TIRE CASING APPEARED TO HAVE FAILED IN THE SAME WAY AND THEY WERE PURCHASED AND MOUNTED TOGETHER SO HAD EXACTLY THE SAME MILEAGE ON THEM. *TR