NHTSA Complaint #10452913 — 2003 FORD F-350 SD

PURCHASED 4 LT CONTINENTAL CONITRAC 275/70R18 TIRES/FORD OEM WHEELS FROM BARNEY'S TIRE AND WHEEL IN TEMECULA, CA FOR MY 2003 F350 FORD TRUCK. THESE TIRE AND WHEELS WERE IN NEW CONDITION. JUNE 2, 2011 I HAD DINSAUR TIRE LOCATED IN CALIMESA CA REPLACE THE LEFT FRONT TIRE DUE TO TIRE SEPARATION. NEITHER I OR DINOSAUR TIRE WERE AWARE OF THE CONTINENTAL TIRE RECALL. MARCH 22, I HAD THE LEFT REAR TIRE SEPARATE AND AGAIN CONTACTED DINOSAUR TIRE TO SCHEDULE A REPLACEMENT. AGAIN, THEY WERE UNAWARE OF THE RECALL. THINKING TWO TIRE SEPARATIONS WERE ODD, I PERFORMED A SEARCH ON THE WEB FOR PROBLEMS RELATED TO THESE TIRES AND DISCOVERED CONTINENTAL HAD RECALLED CERTAIN TIRES. EMAILED CONTINENTAL THE DOT NUMBERS OF THE TIRES AND THEY CONFIRMED WITH A EMAIL THESE WERE TIRES SUBJECT TO THE RECALL AND I WAS DIRECTED TO CONTACT AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. CONTACTED DINOSAUR TIRE (AUTHORIZED DEALER) AND FAXED ALL CORRESPONDENCE TO THEM. THEY WERE STILL UNAWARE OF THE RECALL AND DID NOT KNOW THE PROCESS TO FILE A CLAIM. DINOSAUR TIRE CALLED CONTINENTAL WITH ME IN THEIR COMPANY TO GET AN AUTHORIZATION. UNFORTUNATELY AND WRONGFULLY, CONTINENTAL WILL ONLY PRORATE THE REMAINING THREE TIRES BECAUSE THERE WAS A COMPLIANCE DATE OF OCTOBER 15, 2011 AND STATED ALL PERSONS WHO PURCHASED THE TIRES WERE CONTACTED. HAD THE AUTHORIZED DEALER DINOSAUR TIRE BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE RECALLED TIRES LAST JUNE, I COULD OF REPLACED THE 4 TIRES WITHOUT ANY FEES AND FREE OF CHARGE. HOWEVER, BECAUSE CONTINENTAL FAILED TO COMMUNICATE THIS TO THE PUBLIC AND AUTHORIZED CONTINENTAL DEALERSHIPS, DEMONSTRATES A LACK TO TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY TO THE PUBLIC FOR TIRES THE PUBLIC ACCIDENTALLY CAME IN POSSESSION OF, AND SOLD BY UNAWARE TIRE COMPANIES. CONTINENTAL WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE TIRE REPLACED LAST JUNE, 2011. AGAIN - FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE THE RECALL TO THE PUBLIC DEMONSTRATES A LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY. *TR