NHTSA Complaint #10420000 — 2010 KEYSTONE MONTANA

I OWN 2010 KEYSTONE MONTANA 3400RL FIFTH WHEEL TRAVEL TRAILER, AND TOOK DELIVERY FEBRUARY 9, 2010. IT WAS EQUIPPED WITH FIVE GOODYEAR MARATHON ST235/80R16 LOAD RANGE E TIRES. THE MANUFACTURE LOCATION CODE IS OHUN 1LHR, MFG DATE 3909. I HAD APPROXIMATELY 8500 MILES ON THE TIRES WHEN TRAVELING GARDEN STATE PARKWAY JUNE 10, 2011, THE LEFT FRONT TIRE EXPLODED, LEAVING ONLY MANGLED SIDEWALL AND DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL WELL. I FOUND A GOODYEAR DEALER AND REPLACED THE BLOWN TIRE WITH ANOTHER MARATHON. THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY AFTERNOON, JUNE 17, 2011, WHILE TRAVELING ON I-64 WESTBOUND IN INDIANA, THE RIGHT FRONT TRAILER TIRE EXPLODED. AFTER CHANGING THE TIRE, I CONTINUED ON TO MY CAMPGROUND NEAR SHILOH, IL, AND OBTAINED A TOWMAX BRAND REPLACEMENT TIRE. WE BEGAN OUR NEXT TRIP JULY 20, 2011. WHEN I PULLED INTO OUR CAMPSITE AT COLUMBIA, MO, WE NOTED THAT THE LEFT REAR TRAILER TIRE WAS GOING FLAT, AND COULD HEAR AIR ESCAPING. I REMOVED THE TIRE AND INSTALLED THE SPARE. THE NEXT MORNING, I TOOK THE TRAILER AND FLAT TIRE TO MCKNIGHT TIRE AND AUTO CENTER, COLUMBIA, TO HAVE THE TIRE REPAIRED. THEY INSPECTED IT AND STOPPED COUNTING AT SIX HOLES, ALL ALONG THE OUTER THREAD GROOVE. AFTER SEEING THE TIRE, I TOLD THEM TO ALSO REPLACE THE RIGHT REAR TIRE (THE LAST OF THE ORIGINAL TIRES ON THE TRAILER) BECAUSE I FELT THAT IT WOULD ALSO FAIL SOON. WHEN THEY REMOVED THE RIGHT REAR, THEY NOTED TREAD SEPARATION AND SOME STEEL BELT WAS SHOWING IN THE TREAD. THE TWO REPLACEMENT TIRES ARE WESTLAKE BRAND. I CARRY A 120 VOLT, 150 PSI, 6 GALLON PORTER CABLE AIR COMPRESSOR IN THE TRAILER BASEMENT AND CHECK AND ADJUST THE COLD PRESSURE ON EACH TIRE TO 80 PSI EVERY MORNING BEFORE TRAVELING. I THINK THAT THIS WAS A BAD LOT OF TIRES WHICH SUFFERED FROM THREAD SEPARATION. *KB