NHTSA Complaint #10294804 — 2007 ISUZU ASCENDER

AFTER NORMAL, MOSTLY RURAL, PERSONAL, NON-COMMERCIAL USE IN CENTRAL TEXAS, THE LF TIRE FAILED AFTER 16 MONTHS AND 27000 MILES OF SERVICE. THE TREAD/BELT SHOWED AN OBVIOUS LARGE BULGE AND SEPARATION FROM THE CARCASS OVER APPROXIMATELY 10% OF THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE OUTSIDE TREAD PORTION OF THE TIRE. THIS WAS ACCOMPANIED WITH AUDIBLE EXTERNAL NOISE (AT SLOW SPEEDS) ALONG WITH A FELT BUMP IN THE TIRE AND A SHIMMY ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE SYMPTOMS WERE REDUCED AT HIGHWAY SPEED. THIS WAS NOTICED AROUND THE LAST WEEK OF OCTOBER, 2009. IT WAS REPORTED TO CONTINENTAL VIA A LOCAL CONTINENTAL TIRE DEALER AND THE ADJUSTMENT WAS 25% OFF OF A NEW REPLACEMENT TIRE. CUSTOMER SERVICE AT CONTINENTAL APPARENTLY DETERMINED THAT 16 MONTHS AND 27000 MILES WAS 3/4 OF THE TIRES LIFE. THREE WEEKS AND 400 MILES LATER, THE LR TIRE EXHIBITED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AND MY EXAMINATION REVEALED AN IDENTICAL BULGE OVER APPROXIMATELY 10% OF THE TIRE CIRCUMFERENCE. AT THE TIME MY FAMILY & I WERE DRIVING TO THE AUSTIN, TX AIRPORT FOR A THANKSGIVING VACATION OUT OF STATE. WHEN I RETURNED EIGHT DAYS LATER, I AGAIN WENT TO THE LOCAL CONTINENTAL DEALER, WHO CONFIRMED MY INSPECTION (THIS TIME WITH STEEL CORDS SHOWING AT THE FAILED SPOT), AND TOLD THEM THAT I NO LONGER TRUSTED THE REMAINING TWO ORIGINAL TIRES AND WOULD LIKE FOR CONTINENTAL TO REPLACE ALL FOUR WITH A DIFFERENT BRAND OF APPROPRIATE TIRES. THAT REQUEST AS WELL AS THE WARRANTY REPLACEMENT OF THE SECOND DEFECTIVE TIRE IS INCOMPLETE AT THIS TIME. CONTINENTAL TIRE CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS ALREADY SAID THAT THEY WILL NOT CONSIDER ANY ADJUSTMENT UNTIL THE TIRE FAILS. IF IT FAILS ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE CONSEQUENCES COULD BE DIRE FOR MY FAMILY OR OTHERS. AS CAN BE IMAGINED, I AM NOT SO HAPPY ABOUT THE SITUATION. *TR