NHTSA Complaint #10498423 — 2011 JAYCO FIFTH WHEEL EAGLE

ON JUNE 26, 2012 A GOODYEAR MARATHON TIRE, ST235/85R16, BLEW OUT ON MY 2011 EAGLE 5TH WHEEL TRAILER. FORTUNATELY THE TRAILER WAS SITTING STILL WHEN IT BLEW BECAUSE I WAS AT THE REGISTRATION DESK OF A CAMPGROUND IN WILLIAMS, AZ. I HAD JUST DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 300 MILES FROM ANOTHER CAMPGROUND IN NEW MEXICO. ON JUNE 28, 2012 I TOOK THE TIRE TO GREAT WEST COMMERCIAL TIRE IN KINGMAN, ARIZONA. WHEN I BACKED THE TRAILER IN THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED ME THAT ANOTHER TIRE ON THE OTHER AXLE, OPPOSITE SIDE WAS SEPARATING. I ENDED UP PURCHASING TWO TIRES FOR A TOTAL OF $382.98 PLUS $41.98 FOR LABOR AND VALVE STEMS. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE ADJUSTER FOR GOODYEAR COMES AROUND QUARTERLY AND HAD JUST BEEN THERE. I SAID OK AS LONG AS YOU HOLD ON TO THE TIRES UNTIL I AM SATISFIED WITH THE CLAIM. WHEN I LEFT THEIR BUSINESS I WENT STRAIGHT TO THE CAT SCALE AT THE FLYING J PILOT TRUCK STOP ACROSS FROM THEIR LOCATION. I SENT GREAT WESTERN A COPY OF THE WEIGH TICKET WHEN I GOT HOME. THE TRAILER AXLES WEIGHED 10,040 POUNDS, WELL UNDER THE CAPACITY FOR THE TIRES, WHICH WERE PROPERLY INFLATED TO 80 PSI AND WERE CHECKED SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE TRIP. ACCORDING TO GREAT WESTERN THE TIRES HAD 6/32" TREAD LEFT OUT OF 10/32" WHEN THEY TALKED TO THE PERSON I COMPLAINED TO AT GOODYEAR. THE CLAIM FORM SAYS 8/32" AND 7/32". I MEASURED THE TWO TIRES THAT WERE NOT AFFECTED AND BOTH HAD 8/32" TREAD LEFT. THE TIRES WERE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON THE TRAILER AND BY MY ESTIMATION HAD ONLY ABOUT 5,000 MILES ON THEM. I WAS RECENTLY INFORMED BY THE PERSON I SPOKE TO AT GOODYEAR THAT THE TIRES WERE DISPOSED OF DESPITE THE FACT THEY KNEW I WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH THEIR $69.92 SETTLEMENT. PICTURES AND CORRESPONDENCE ARE AVAILABLE. *TR UPDATED 3/13/13 *CN UPDATED 04/26/2013*JS