NHTSA Complaint #10290732 — 2003 FORD EXPEDITION

ON OCT 23 WHILE DRIVING I NOTICED A THUMPING NOISE. UPON INSPECTION I DISCOVERED THE LEFT REAR TIRE HAD A LARGE BUBBLE STICKING OUT ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE BETWEEN THE TREAD AND THE SIDEWALL. THIS IS THE EXACT SAME FAILURE THAT I EXPERIENCED ON THE INSIDE OF THE RIGHT REAR TIRE IN AUG. IN BOTH CASES I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR A SHORT PERIOD ON THE INTERSTATE AND WAS PREPARING TO REJOIN THE INTERSTATE. I WAS EXTREMELY FORTUNATE THAT BOTH WERE DISCOVERED PRIOR TO AN EXPLOSIVE FAILURE AND TREAD SEPARATION AT HIGH SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY. THE FIRST TIRE THE DEALER CLAIMED IT MAY OF BEEN SOME SORT OF IMPACT, WHICH I DOUBTED SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS MAINLY USED FOR HIGHWAY DRIVING. HOWEVER AFTER THIS SECOND TIRE, IT IS APPARENT TO ME THAT THE TIRE IS FAILING BETWEEN THE TREAD AND SIDEWALL. IT APPEARS TO BE SEPARATING WHERE THE TREAD JOINS THE INSIDE BELTING. *TR