NHTSA Complaint #10481621 — 2013 VOLVO VNL

THE OWNER STATES THAT HIS DRIVERS EXPERIENCED TWO SEPARATE TIRE FAILURES ON SAME VOLVO 430 AUTO HAULER (MODEL 2013 VNL64T). THE TIRES INVOLVED IN THE FAILURES WERE MICHELIN XZA2 ENERGY 295/60 R22.5. THE FIRST TIRE FAILED ON 6/19/2012 WITH APPROXIMATELY 12,000 MILES ON IT. THE TIRE WAS A STEER TIRE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE SECOND TIRE FAILURE OCCURRED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE ON 8/7/2012 WITH APPROXIMATELY 18,000 MILES ON IT. THE OWNER CLAIMS THAT WHEN THE SECOND TIRE FAILED (ON THE PASSENGER SIDE), THAT THE REPLACEMENT TIRE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE (THAT HAD RECENTLY BEEN INSTALLED) SHOWED SIGNS OF SEVERE WEAR AND WAS COMING APART. THE OWNER STATES THAT THE TIRES WERE PROPERLY INFLATED AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURES AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WEIGHED SHORTLY AFTER THE FAILURE AND WAS FOUND NOT TO BE OVER LOADED. THERE WAS AN APPROXIMATE 1,000 POUND DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT TIRES. THE OWNER CLAIMS THAT HE USES THESE SAME TIRES ON OTHER VEHICLES WITHOUT PROBLEMS. THE OWNER FEELS THAT THE SPRINGS ON THE TRUCK ARE OVERLOADED AND AS A RESULT THE TRUCK BOUNCES AS IT TRAVELS DOWN THE ROAD. THE OWNER FEELS THAT THIS BOUNCE MAY OVER LOAD THE TIRES AND ALONG WITH THE HEAT FROM THE REGION OF THE COUNTRY THE VEHICLES OPERATE CAUSE THE TIRES TO FAIL. THE OWNERS STATED THAT IN BOTH TIRE FAILURE INSTANCES, THE DIESEL PARTICULATE FILTER HAD RECENTLY EXPERIENCED A REGENERATIVE CYCLE THAT PRODUCES A LOT OF HEAT. THE THREE TIRES (TWO FAILED AND ONE SEVERE WEAR) ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION.