NHTSA Complaint #10413359 — 2006 JEEP WRANGLER

I HAD A SET OF BF GOODRICH MUD TERRAIN TIRES 33" ON A 06 WRANGLER. THE TIRES WERE ABOUT 5 YEARS OLD BUT HAD BARELY BEEN USED, APPROXIMATELY 80% OF THE TREAD WAS LEFT. I SWAPPED THESE TIRES FROM A 73 CJ5 THAT I JUST WASN'T USING THAT MUCH ANYMORE. AFTER AROUND 4000-5000 MILES AFTER THE SWITCH THE TIRE POPPED ON ME GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY DOING 75-80 MPH. THE VEHICLE SHOOK FOR 2-3 SECONDS THEN I HEARD A "POP", INSTANTLY THIS THREW MY VEHICLE WHERE IT FLIPPED AND ROLLED AND TOTALED THE VEHICLE. I HAD TO BE AIRLIFTED AWAY AS A RESULT OF THIS ACCIDENT. INVESTIGATORS FROM JEEP AND MY INSURANCE COMPANY BOTH CONCLUDED THAT THIS WAS A PRODUCT DEFECT THAT CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. WHILE TAKING UP THE ISSUE WITH BF GOODRICH THEY ADVISED ME TO TAKE THE TIRE IN TO BE INSPECTED. THE TIRE STORE STATED AFTER ABOUT 10 SECONDS OF LOOKING AT THE TIRE THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY A ROAD HAZARD. I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING AT ALL DURING THIS 4 HOUR TRIP THAT I WAS JUST ON AND THE TIRE WAS INFLATED AT 35 PSI. BF GOODRICH DIDN'T CARE ABOUT THE ACCIDENT OR MY INJURIES. THEY DID OFFER ME 30% OFF A NEW TIRE. TOO BAD I DON'T HAVE A VEHICLE TO PUT A TIRE ON ANYMORE. I CHECKED THE AIR PRESSURE PRIOR TO THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIP FROM SAN DIEGO TO PHOENIX. I ALSO FILLED UP WITH GAS AND WALKED AROUND THE JEEP, TO WASH THE WINDOWS, AND DIDN'T NOTICE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE TIRES. THE ROAD THAT I WAS TRAVELING ON WAS WELL MAINTAINED AND FREE FROM OBJECTS. I DID NOT RUN OVER ANYTHING. I DO HAVE CUSTODY OF THE BAD TIRE STILL ON THE RIM AND PLENTY OF PICTURES OF THE TIRE AND THE VEHICLE AFTER THE ACCIDENT. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE TIRE FAILURE CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. ONE PERSON SAID THAT THE TIRE LOOKED ALMOST LIKE IT WAS RE-TREADED. *KB