NHTSA Complaint #11010889 — 1997 EZ LOADER EZC 17-20

I WAS TOWING MY BOAT AND TRAILER AT 55MPH ON THE 202N FREEWAY WHEN THE RIGHT REAR TIRE ON MY BOAT TRAILER BLEW OUT. IT WAS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE TIRE AS IT SPLIT IN TWO AND THE TREAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE CASING CAUSING $575 IN DAMAGE TO MY TRAILER. THE TIRES ARE 2 YEAR OLD CARLISLE ST205/75R15 RADIAL TRAIL RH LR D WITH LESS THAN 2000 MILES ON THEM. THEY ARE TWO MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY. CARLISLE REFUSED TO REPLACE THE TIRE OR PAY FOR THE DAMAGE TO MY TRAILER. I STORE THE BOAT AND TRAILER IN MY CLIMATE CONTROLLED GARAGE AND CHECK THE INFLATION WEEKLY. THE TIRES WERE CORRECTLY INFLATED TO 65PSI (COLD) AS I HAD A LOCAL TIRE STORE CHECK THE TIRE PRESSURE THE DAY THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED. MY BOAT AND TRAILER WEIGH APPROXIMATELY 3400 LBS. THE TIRES HAVE A COMBINED LOAD RATING OF 4300LBS SO THERE WAS PLENTY OF LOAD MARGIN. TO SUMMARIZE, I WAS OPERATING THE TIRES WITHIN THE SPECIFIED SPEED, LOAD, AND TIRE PRESSURE SPECIFICATION FOR THESE TIRES WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED. I FEEL THAT THE TIRE THAT HAD THE BLOWOUT IS CLEARLY DEFECTIVE.