NHTSA Complaint #10505006 — 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

ON A TRIP TO ST. CHARLES, MO ON 28 MAR 2013, AFTER WE PARKED, MY SON NOTICED SEVERE SIDEWALL BREAKS ON THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. HE SAID IT LOOKED LIKE THE TIRE WAS ABOUT TO BLOW. I THOUGHT THAT HE WAS JOKING, BUT LOOKED ANY WAY. WOW. I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH SEVERE CONDITION ON ANY TIRE, NOR HAD I EVER EVEN HEARD OF SUCH A CONDITION . THERE WERE NUMEROUS SHORT BREAKS AND LONG BREAKS INCHES LONG ALL AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE SIDEWALL. THE BREAKS WENT ALL THE WAY IN WITH METAL BELTS SHOWING. WE HAD JUST FINISHED DRIVING 200 MILES ON THE INTERSTATE TO GET TO ST CHARLES. I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW HOW WE MADE IT WITHOUT A BLOWOUT AND CRASH. I WENT IMMEDIATELY, AND SLOWLY, TO THE NEAREST TIRE DEALER AND PURCHASED TWO NEW TIRES. I ASKED THEM TO SAVE THE OTHER TIRE SO I MIGHT USE AS A POSSIBLE SPARE SINCE THE TIRES HAD PLENTY OF TREAD LEFT. THEY PUT THE "GOOD" TIRE IN THE TRUNK FOR ME. I LATER LOOKED AT THE "GOOD" TIRE AND FOUND THAT THE INSIDE SIDEWALL WAS EVEN WORSE THAN THE "BAD" TIRE! I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE THAT THESE OE TIRES DIDN'T CAUSE A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT. THE OTHER OE TIRES LOOK OK BUT I WILL BE REPLACING QUICKLY. THESE TIRES ARE HANKOOK OPTIMO H725A TIRES. *TR