NHTSA Complaint #10508503 — 2010 GMC TERRAIN

WE PURCHASED A 2010 GMC TERRAIN IN AUGUST OF 2012. THE VEHICLE HAD MICHELIN LATITUDE TOUR TIRES SIZE 235-55/R18. ON SATURDAY, APRIL 13TH WHILE GETTING AN OIL CHANGE, THE TECHNICIAN POINTED OUT TO US THAT ALL FOUR TIRES WERE SPLITTING ON THE SIDES AND THAT IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. WE DID NOT DRIVE THE CAR THE REST OF THAT DAY AND THE NEXT DAY. ON MONDAY WE TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY CONFIRMED THAT INDEED THE TIRES WERE SPLITTING ON THE SIDES. THE CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 55K MILES ON IT AND ACCORDING TO MICHELIN, THE TIRES ARE WARRANTED AS A 65K MILE TIRE. WE PURCHASED NEW TIRES AT THE DEALERSHIP BUT FEEL STRONGLY THAT THESE TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE REPORTED BEFORE SOMEONE HAS AN AWFUL ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THEM. I CHECKED FOR RECALLS BUT DID NOT FIND ANY. I CALLED MICHELIN WHO IN TURN CALLED THE DEALERSHIP. THE MAINTENANCE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP TOLD THE MICHELIN REPRESENTATIVE ABOUT THE TIRES AND THE MICHELIN REPRESENTATIVE SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I WAS IN THE MANAGER'S OFFICE DURING THAT PHONE CONVERSATION. I BELIEVE IT IS EXTREMELY URGENT TO TAKE A LOOK INTO THIS. I HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE TIRES AND I'M KEEPING THE TIRES SO THAT THEY CAN NOT BE SOLD TO ANYONE ELSE. THE TREAD ON THE TIRES IS VERY GOOD SO IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THIS DEFECT IS NOT RELATED TO NORMAL WEAR. PLEASE CONTACT ME SO THAT I CAN SEND THE PICTURES OR WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THOSE THAT MAY HAVE THESE TIRES ON THEIR VEHICLE. THESE TIRES MAY BEGIN TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS AFTER 50K MILES AND THEY MAY NOT BE AS FORTUNATE AS WE WERE. THANKS SO MUCH, *TR