NHTSA Complaint #10949504 — 2012 CHEVROLET VOLT

THIS IS THE SECOND GOODYEAR ASSURANCE FUEL MAX 94V TIRE THAT CAME ON MY 2012 VOLT THAT FAILED IN THE SAME DRIVER FRONT MOUNTED POSITION. SEE NHTSA ID # 10706538 DATE REPORTED 4/19/15. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED THIS MORNING, IN THE DRIVEWAY. WHEN I STARTED THE CARE, PRESSURE WAS REPORTED AT 26 PSI, DOWN FROM 37 PSI WHEN THE CAR WAS PARKED TWO DAYS AGO. TAKING THE CAR FOR CHECK TO THE CORNER EXXON STATION, THE MECHANIC CHECKING THE TIRE SAW THAT THE SIDEWALL HAD A CRACK AND MENTIONED THIS WAS A TIRE DEFECT. HE INFLATED THE TIRE TO 38 PSI SO I COULD DRIVE THE CAR TO THE DEALER SINCE IT WAS THOUGHT THAT THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE PLACE TO POSSIBLY DOCUMENT THE TIRE PROBLEM AND HAVE IT REPLACED. THE TIRE LOST 5 PSI ON THE 3 MILE DRIVE AND I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT I MUST HAVE HIT SOMETHING, OR DRIVEN WITH THE TIRE UNDERINFLATED; THAT IF THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE TIRE, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL. HE MENTIONED HAD NEVER SEEN ANOTHER VOLT WITH A DEFECTIVE TIRE. HOWEVER, IN 45+ YEARS DRIVING, I'VE NEVER HAD THIS EXPERIENCE WITH A TIRE, KNOWING THE TIRE HAD NEVER BEEN UNDERINFLATED - 34 PSI HAS BEEN THE RECORD LOWEST - (SINCE I MONITOR THE TIRE PRESSURES). THE TIRE WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL TIRES ON THE CAR AND THE SECOND ONE FAILING IN THE SAME WAY. THIS TIME, I WAS NOT ON A HIGHWAY, THE LEAK STARTED WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY AND THE SIDEWALL CRACK WAS APPARENT IN THE EXXON STATION. *TR