NHTSA Complaint #10538272 — 2012 KEYSTONE MONTANA

RETURNING HOME FROM A 3 NIGHT TRIP TO CHAMA, NM WHEN PASSENGER REAR TIRE OF OUR 2012 5TH WHEEL TRAILER BLEW OUT. WE WERE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH ON I-40 OUTSIDE THE EASTERN CITY LIMIT OF ALBUQUERQUE, NM. THERE WAS AN EXIT ABOUT 100 YARDS AWAY SO WE COULD PULL OFF WITH ROOM TO REPLACE THE TIRE. PLASTIC WHEEL WELL TRIM AND BOTTOM METAL PANEL WERE DAMAGED FROM THE SHREDDED TIRE. WE BOUGHT A NEW TIRE IN ALBUQUERQUE 8/3/13 SO WE COULD GET BACK ON THE ROAD 8/4/13 FOR A 2 DAY TRIP TO CLOVIS, NM TO MEET OUR SON RETURNING FROM AFGHANISTAN. AS WE WERE DRIVING ON HWY 60/84 AT 65 MPH NEAR MELROSE, NM THE DRIVER FRONT TIRE OF OUR TRAILER BLEW OUT. SINCE THIS WAS A SUNDAY AFTERNOON WITH LITTLE TRAFFIC ON THE 2 LANE HWY, I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF AND RETRIEVE THE BLOWN OFF PIECES OF MY TRAILER AND TIRE TREAD FROM THE HWY. THIS WAS THE 2ND BLOW OUT OF THE ORIGINAL GOODYEAR MARATHON ST TIRES IN A 3 DAY SPAN! ON MONDAY 8/5/13, I CALLED THE TRAILER MFGR AND ASKED IF I SHOULD BE REPLACING THE BLOWN OUT TIRES WITH SOME OTHER BRAND, BUT THEIR RECOMMENDATION WAS TO STAY WITH THE MARATHON STS, CONTACT GOODYEAR FOR A PROPERTY DAMAGE CLAIM AND SUBMIT A COMPLAINT TO NHTSA. I HAVE THE TRAILER IN THE SHOP WAITING FOR REPLACEMENT PARTS AND GOODYEAR IS REVIEWING MY CLAIM AND INSPECTING THE 2ND BLOWN TIRE. I QUESTIONED THEM IF THE OTHER ORIGINAL MARATHON ST TIRES WOULD ALSO BE FAILING PREMATURELY AND THEY SUGGESTED I HAVE A TIRE RETAILER INSPECT THEM. I INSPECT THEM FOR WEAR AND CHECK TIRE PRESSURES BEFORE MAKING TRIPS AND I DO NOT SEE ANY DEFECTS. I WONDER HOW A TIRE RETAILER CAN PREDICT WHEN A BLOW OUT WILL OCCUR! WHEN I BOUGHT THE 2ND REPLACEMENT TIRE IN CLOVIS, THE TIRE DEALER ASKED WHAT PRESSURE I WANTED IN THE TIRE. I SAID 80 PSI AS THE TIRE INDICATED. HE SAID THE PRESSURE SHOULD NOT BE BASED ON INFORMATION ON TIRE BUT ON THE LOAD ON THE TRAILER. HE DIDN'T SHOW ME A CHART TO SHOW THE PRESSURE FOR DIFFERENT LOADS. I HAD HIM INFLATE TO 80 PSI. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM...UPDATED 09-18-13 *BF 9/19/13 UPDATED 09/25/2013 *JS UPDATED 12/23/201