NHTSA Complaint #10895984 — 2013 KEYSTONE RAPTOR

WHILE PULLING MY 2013 5TH WHEEL KEYSTONE RAPTOR ON I-95 IN VIRGINIA, I HAD THE RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPLODE. THE TIRE WAS A GOODYEAR 235/80/16 MARATHON TIRE THAT WAS NO MORE THAN A YEAR AND 4 MONTHS OLD. THE SPEED WAS BETWEEN 65-70MPH, AND WITHOUT WARNING HEARD A LOAD EXPLOSION. I LOOKED INTO THE RIGHT MIRROR, AND SAW THE TIRE DISINTEGRATING THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY 5TH WHEEL. ALL THE TIRES WERE CHECKED PRIOR TO LEAVING MYRTLE BEACH SC.,BY HAND AND VISUALLY. ALL THE TIRE HAD BETWEEN 77 TO 78 PSI IN THEM. THE SPARE WAS PUT ON, AND CONTINUED TO THE GOODYEAR SERVICE CENTER IN COLONIAL HEIGHTS VA. THE AUTO CENTER INITIALLY STATED THAT THIS WAS A ROAD HAZARD, UNTIL THE SPARE WAS TAKEN OFF. THE TIRE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE RIGHT FRONT HAD A BULGE ON THE INSIDE TREAD THAT WAS NOT VISIBLE UNTIL THE REAR TIRE WAS TAKEN. AT THIS POINT I INSISTED THAT ALL THE TIRES BE CHECKED BY THE GOODYEAR SERVICE CENTER. THEY TOOK BOTH LEFT SIDE TIRES OFF, PUT ONE TIRE ON THE SPIN BALANCER TO CHECK THE TIRE. THE SERVICE TECH FOUND TREAD SEPARATION IN A PORTION OF THE TIRE. THE SECOND TIRE ON THE LEFT FRONT ALSO SHOWED OBVIOUS TREAD SEPARATION WITHOUT THE SPIN BALANCER CHECK.THE GOODYEAR SERVICE CENTER WARRANTED ALL FOUR TIRES FOR TREAD SEPARATION. THANK GOD I INSISTED THAT THE REMAINING TIRES BE CHECKED. I BELIEVE THAT I WOULD HAVE EXPERIENCED ANOTHER BLOW OUT DOWN THE ROAD. THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD LOOK INTO A RECALL ON THESE TIRES. THE DOT DATE CODE WAS 2014 ON ALL THESE TIRES, AND HAD MAYBE 3000 MILES ON THEM. THE SERVICE CENTER STATED THAT THEY WERE ALL MANUFACTURED AT THE SAME LOCATION. GOODYEAR USA WAS CONTACTED, AND A CLAIM NUMBER WAS ASSIGNED. HAVE TO FILE A CLAIM WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO HAVE DAMAGES FIXED. NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE. I NOW AM LEFT IN DOUBT ABOUT HOW SAFE ARE THE NEW REPLACEMENT TIRES.