NHTSA Complaint #10277291 — 2005 FORD ESCAPE

I HAVE A 2005 FORD ESCAPE WITH TWO OEM TIRES ON THE REAR AND TWO NEWER TIRES OF FROM THE SAME COMPANY (CONTINENTAL) ON THE FRONT END. FOR MONTHS NOW, WHEN TRAVELING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS ON THE HIGHWAY, I HAVE HEARD A LOUD AND VIOLENT FLAPPING SOUND. THE NOISE SOUNDED AS IF THERE WAS A WINDOW OPEN... AFTER CHECKING MY TIRES, SEAL ON ALL OPENINGS, ETC., I COULD NOT FIND THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. YESTERDAY EVENING, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY BETWEEN 50 AND 70MPH, I HAD A BLOWOUT OF MY REAR OEM DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. FORTUNATELY, IT WAS NOT RAINING AND IT OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ALONG A STRETCH OF I-10 THAT HAD NO GUARDRAILS, CONSTRUCTION, ETC. WHEN I GOT OUT TO INSPECT THE DAMAGE, I NOTED THAT THE TREAD ITSELF WAS PRACTICALLY WITHOUT PROBLEM; THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE SIDEWALL. MY HAD A RIP IN THE SHAPE OF A CRESCENT MOON WITH SPLITTING GOING BOTH TOWARD THE EXTERIOR OF THE TIRE AND TOWARD THE INTERIOR OR WHEEL/HUB ASSEMBLY. A LOCAL POLICE OFFICER ARRIVED AND ASSISTED WITH THE REPAIR, WHICH TOOK MOMENTS, BUT I AM QUITE CONCERNED ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF BOTH THE REMAINING OEM TIRE I CURRENTLY STILL HAVE ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE TWO NEWER CONTINENTAL SPORT LX TIRES I CURRENTLY HAVE ON THE FRONT END. MY CAR HAS LOW MILEAGE FOR IT'S AGE AND THE TREAD ON ALL OF MY TIRES IS NOT WORN; THERE APPEARS TO BE NO EXPLANATION OTHER THAN A DESIGN FLAW OR DEFECT. I AM QUITE CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AND AM UNSURE WHETHER I SHOULD REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES WITH A DIFFERENT BRAND OR IF THIS ALLEGED DEFECT ONLY AFFECTS THE OEM LINE OF CONTINENTAL TIRES WHICH CAME WITH MY VEHICLE (CONTINENTAL CONTITRAC I THINK). I HAVE READ ABOUT SIMILAR INSTANCES ONLINE, BUT ALL INSTANCES DO NOT DESCRIBE A RESOLUTION PROCESS OTHER CUSTOMERS PURCHASING NEW TIRES AND/OR RECEIVING A $20 VOUCHER FROM THE TIRE MANUFACTURER, GENERAL. I THINK THIS BRAND/MODEL SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPLACEMENT TIRES OF BETTER QUALITY SHOULD BE PROVIDED AT NO COST. *TR