NHTSA Complaint #10465409 — 2007 SUZUKI FORENZA

ON MAY 2, 2011 I PURCHASED 3 RIKEN RAPTOR 85V 195/155VR5 TIRES FROM ASPEN TIRE & AUTO, INC. IN WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA FOR MY 2007 SUZUKI FORENZA. ON MAY 13, 2012 (1 YEAR LATER) WHILE DRIVING ON A PAVED ROAD AFTER A TURN LEFT ONTO A TWO LANE ROAD WITH A SPEED LIMIT OF 40 MPH WE SUDDENLY HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A VERY LOUD BANG, FOLLOWING BY A SIGNIFICANT DROP ON THE RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR AND MANY MORE LOUD BANGING, AND THUDDING SOUNDS. WE DID NOT HIT ANYTHING IN THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS DROPPED DOWN ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. WE HAD TO DRIVE APPROX. 100FT OR SOTO PULL OVER AS THERE IS NO ROOM ON THIS SMALL PAVED ROAD TO PULL OVER WITHOUT IMPEDING TRAFFIC. WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE CAR WE COULD SEE THE SIDE FRONT FENDER HAD COMPLETELY PULLED OUT FROM THE CAR, THE TIRE IN SHREDS AND THE RIM LOOKED AS IF IT WAS SMASHED. THE TIRE SIDE WALL WAS BLOWN OUT WITH THE TREAD/BELT WAS COMPLETELY INTACT HOWEVER CLEANLY SHEARED OFF RIGHT ALONG THE SEAM. WE ARE SURE THAT THE PRESSURE ON ALL THE TIRES WAS INLINE AS MY HUSBAND HAD CHECKED AND CORRECTED ONLY THE WEEK BEFORE FOLLOWING DEALER MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED FOR BOTH THE CAR AND TIRE. WE CHECK OUR TIRE PRESSURE REGULARLY AND IN FACT WE USE THE AVERAGE OF THE LOWER PRESSURE RECOMMENDED FOR THE CAR AND THE HIGH PRESSURE OR MAX RECOMMENDED MY MICHELIN. THE TREADS WERE NOT WORN AND THERE WAS NO PRIOR DAMAGE OR WEAR. AFTER SPENDING MUCH OF MY TIME AND MONEY TO SEND THE TIRE TO THEIR INSPECTORS - MICHELIN DENIED PAYING FOR THE DAMAGES WHICH HAVE COST $373.28 OUT OF POCKET, STATING THAT THEY DETERMINED THAT THE TIRE WAS RUN-FLAT. THE PICTURES THEY SENT TO ME TO COMPARE DAMAGES OF A RUN-FLAT TIRE LOOK NOTHING LIKE MY TIRE DAMAGE AND WE ARE DILIGENT ABOUT CHECKING THE TIRE PRESSURE. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THEIR ACROSS THE BOARD DETERMINATION MATCHES WHAT HAPPENED TO MY TIRE AND FEEL THAT THIS PARTICULAR TIRE MAY HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE. *TR