NHTSA Complaint #10592151 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

COMPLAINT AGAINT GENERAL ALTIMAX RT TIRES, SIZE 195/60R15. EXTREAMLY LARGE BUBBLES IN SIDEWALLS IN 3 OUT OF 4 TIRES ON OUR 2000 FORD FOCUS. I JUST PURCHASED THE 2 FRONT TIRES 4/2/2014 AND THE BACK 2 TIRES JULY 2013.. 1 TIRE, RIGHT REAR WENT FLAT THE OTHER DAY, FOUND LARGE HOLE IN SIDEWALL OF TIRE, IT APEARED NOTHING HAD PUNTURED THE TIRE. I DID NOT THINK NOTHING OF IT AT 1ST. TOOK CAR TO FORD DEALER TO HAVE TIRE REPACED, WHICH THEY DID. WHILE AT THE FORD DEALER, THEY POINT OUT LARGE BUBBLES IN THE SIDEWALLS OF BOTH FRONT TIRES, THOSE 2 TIRES WERE JUST PURCHASED A LITTLE MORE THAN 1 MONTH AGO AND ONLY DRIVEN 2870 MILES. I CALLED GENEAL TIRE COMPANY AND THEY SAID TO CONTACT THE SELLER OF THE TIRE, TIRE SELLER SAYS TO SEE THE TIRE COMPANY TO GET ADDRESSED. THE TIRE BUBBLES ARE VERY LARGE AND A DANGEROUS CONDITION, THESE TIRES COULD EXPLODE AT ANY TIME, THE CAR COULD NOT BE DRIVEN WITH THESE TIRES. I JUST PURCHASED 2 TIRES OF A DIFFERENT BRAND FOR THE FRONT OF THE CAR, WHILE I FIGHT WITH GENERAL TIRE COMPANY. I WORKED AS A TECHNICIAN FOR A FORD DEALER FOR OVER 20 YEARS, AS MY PRIOR PROFESSION. I HAVE NEVER SEEN TIRES FOR HUGE BUBBLES LIKE THESE GENERAL TIRES. THESE GENERAL TIRES ARE SAFETY HAZZARD AND SHOULD BE RECALLED AND I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THEM TO ANYONE. I WILL NEVER BUY GENERAL TIRES AGAIN. *JS