NHTSA Complaint #10706538 — 2012 CHEVROLET VOLT

THE TIRES HAVE BEEN ON THE CAR WITH CORRECT PRESSURES SINCE PURCHASE OCT 2012 AND PROPER ROTATION. PRESSURES ARE MONITORED. ON THE INCIDENT DATE, I HAD DRIVEN APPROX 80 MILES AT SPEEDS UNDER 60 MILES/HR WITH NO HEAVY BREAKING, ON SMOOTH ROAD, WHEN SUDDENLY, ON THE INTERSTATE, THE TIRE BEGAN LOOSING PRESSURE FROM 40 LBS TO <34 LBS (WITH CAR WARNING). WITH PRESSURE GOING STEADILY DOWN, I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY GET OFF THE INTERSTATE ONTO A SIDE ROAD AND CHURCH, WHERE I SAW THE SIDEWALL HAD SPLIT WITH AIR ESCAPING (NOW 24 LBS PRESSURE). I CALLED ONSTAR AND USED THE EMERGENCY PUMP AND RUBBER GOO TO TRY AND STOP THE AIR ESCAPING AND WAS SUCCESSFUL AT HALTING THE LEAK, BUILDING PRESSURE BACK TO 29 LBS. I DROVE THE CARE WITH ONSTAR ON LINE TO DROP OFF MY PASSENGERS LIVING NEARBY, AND THEN HAD THE TOW TRUCK COME TO PICK UP THE CAR TO TAKE TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE CAR WAS DELIVERED AT THE DEALERSHIP WITH THE TIRE PRESSURE STILL AT 23 LBS. I WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO BUY A NEW TIRE AND CANISTER, AND THAT THE OCCURRENCE WAS NOT A DESIGN PROBLEM OF THE TIRE. I HAD NEVER NOTED ANY PRIOR PROBLEMS OR DEFECTS IN THIS TIRE, AND IN 45 YRS DRIVING, HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A TIRE FAILURE LIKE THIS. NOTED IS THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE IS MUCH HIGHER THAN ANY TIRE I HAVE OWNED. THERE IS CONSIDERABLE SALT PUT ON THE ROADS AND I'VE HAD OTHER TIRES I'VE HAD TO REPLACE AT 5 YRS. WHILE I KNEW I WOULD NEED TO PAY FOR THE TIRE, I'D ASKED THAT THE TIRE AND OTHERS BE TAKEN FOR A BETTER INVESTIGATION AND THAT I HAD STRONG CONCERNS ABOUT SAFETY GIVEN HOW THE TIRE HAD FAILED. I HAVE NOTIFIED GOODYEAR (REF NUMBER 145-9946) AND CHEVROLET - CHAT ADVISOR AND VOLT ADVISOR GROUP. I ALSO NOTIFIED MY INSURANCE COMPANY USAA. ON THE VOLT FORUM, THERE IS A SIMILAR DESCRIPTION OF A SIDEWALL LEAKING ESCAPING AIR WITH THE CAR AT HOME. *TR