NHTSA Complaint #10509576 — 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500

THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED 3 YEARS AGO. AFTER THE FIRST MONTH OF PURCHASE I RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE RETAILER WITH PEELING ON ALL FOUR SIDEWALLS. I CHOOSE TO HAVE THESE TIRES MOUNTED WITH THE WHITE LETTERING TO THE OUTSIDE AND THE PEELING WAS ON THE BLACK PART OF THE TIRES ALL OVER EVEN BETWEEN THE LETTERING. THE MANAGER INFORMED ME I HAD RAN AGAINST SOME CURBING-NOW HOW DOES ONE RUN UP AGAINST CURBING WITH ALL FOUR TIRES AT ONE TIME AND NOT EVEN SCAR UP THE TIRE OR THE LETTERING? IN MY ESTIMATION THIS COULD NOT HAPPEN. HE INFORMED ME IT WAS A COSMETIC DEFECT AND WOULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. THE SITUATION BECAME INCREASINGLY WORSE THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF TIME WITH NUMEROUS FLATS, UNEVEN WEAR AND EXTREME VIBRATION. THIS IS A COMPANY VEHICLE AND DUE TO LIABILITY REASONS AND LACK OF SUPPORT FROM THE RETAILER, THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN ONLY 10,000 MILES PER YEAR ON THESE TIRES. MY EMPLOYEE CALLED AND INFORMED ME OF A FLAT ON THE VEHICLE AND THE OTHER 3 TIRES WERE AT THE POINT WHERE THE STEEL BELTS WERE SHOWING THROUGH. AT THIS POINT I CONTACTED THE MANAGER AT THE RETAILER ONLY TO BE TOLD I WOULD BE GIVEN CREDIT OF $49.00 PER TIRE EVEN THOUGH I HAD TROUBLE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. I PERSONALLY FEEL LIKE THESE TIRES SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE RECALL LIST FROM THE VERY BEGINNING BUT NOW I WILL BE FORCED TO PAY FULL PRICE AT ANOTHER DISTRIBUTOR FOR ANOTHER SET OF TIRES. THE TIRES ON OUR VEHICLES ARE OUR LIVELIHOOD SINCE THIS IS A SALESMEN VEHICLE AND MANY MORE DOLLARS IN SALES COULD HAVE BEEN MADE HAD I NOT BEEN AFRAID FROM A LIABILITY STANDPOINT. RIGHT NOW I CAN'T AFFORD TO MAKE A DECISION ON THIS SINCE NEW TIRES HAVE NOT BEEN BUDGETED FOR THIS VEHICLE AND WE HAVE NO EXTRA ONES AT THIS TIME. FOR DISCOUNT TIRES SAKE I HOPE THERE ARE NO ACCIDENTS THAT TAKE PLACE IN THIS VEHICLE. *TR