NHTSA Complaint #10465657 — 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA

THE SIDES OF THE TIRE IN QUESTION SEEM VERY PRONE TO SIDEWALL FAILURE. THIS TIRE HAS A LIP ON IT THAT EXTENDS ABOVE THE WHEEL'S RIM (AS OPPOSED TO THE SMOOTH, ROUNDED SURFACE OF OTHER TIRES). UPON DRIVING UP ON A CURB WHILE PARKING THE CAR AT WORK, A ONE INCH FLAP OF RUBBER 1/4" DEEP WAS RIPPED FROM OUR RIGHT REAR TIRE. THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE SHOWS TWO SPOTS WHERE A PART OF THE TIRE'S LIP WAS RIPPED OFF (WHERE IT IS FLUSH WITH THE TIRE) FROM OTHER BRUSHES AGAINST THE CURB. MOST ALARMING IS THE LEFT FRONT TIRE WHICH HAS A 1/2" CRACK OR INCISION IN THE TIRE -- AND THIS IS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THE RIM AND SHOWS NO SIGN OF HITTING A CURB. IT'S HARD TO TELL HOW DEEP THE INCISION IS BUT IT IS AT LEAST 1/8" DEEP. THE NEW 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA EQUIPPED WITH THESE TIRES WAS PURCHASED IN NOV. 2011. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS A LITTLE MORE THAN 5,000 MILES ON IT. IN THE COMBINED 80 YEARS WE HAVE BEEN DRIVING, WE HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED SIDEWALL FAILURE FROM DRIVING ONTO A CURB OR JUST FINDING A CRACK IN THE TIRE. I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT HANKOOK, THE MANUFACTURER, HAS HAD A RECALL FOR ITS HANKOOK / DYNAPRO AS / P265/70R17S RH03 (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10T021000). THE CAUSE WAS SIDEWALL FAILURE. WE REPLACED THE TIRE WITH THE GASH IN IT. WE DO HAVE PHOTOS OF THE TIRES IN QUESTION AND CAN SEND PDFS TO YOU IF SO DESIRED. WE ALSO KEPT THE TIRE WITH THE GASH IN CASE WE NEEDED IT FOR SOME REASON IN PURSUING THIS (ADDITIONAL PHOTOS, INSEPCTION, ETC.). IT IS HARD TO DETERMINE THE DATE OF WHEN THE DAMAGE WAS DONE SO I'VE LISTED THE DATE THAT THE TIRE WITH THE RIP WAS FIRST NOTICED. THE TIRE WITH THE INCISION OR CRACK IN IT WAS NOTICED TODAY (7-14-12) WHILE GETTING THE OTHER TIRE REPLACED. THE COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF THE TIRE SIZE IS 225/45R18-95V. *TR