NHTSA Complaint #11066652 — 2001 UTILITY TRAILER SU508

ON 1/1/2015 PURCHASED TWO TRAILER TIRES 4.80/4.00 X 12' AT HARBOR FREIGHT IN STREETSBORO, OHIO. ON 5/18/2017 5 MONTHS LATER WAS GOING TO THE LOCAL DIY STORE TRAVELING WEST ON NORTON RD JUST HAPPENED TO LOOK IN MY REAR VIEW MIRROR AND SEEN THE DRIVERS SIDE TRAILER TIRE EXPLODE WITH PIECES OF RUBBER ACTUALLY HITTING MY VEHICLE . THE TRAILER STARTED TO TAKE ME LEFT OF CENTER AND WAS ABLE TO RECOVER AND GOT OFF THE ROAD. I WENT TO HARBOR FREIGHT OUTLET ASKED FOR THE MANAGER AND TOLD HIM I BELIEVE THESE TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE. AND WOULD LIKE A CREDIT AS THEY ONLY HAD A FEW MILES ON THEM. HE SAID WE DO NOT HAVE A RECALL ON THESE TIRES AND HARBOR FREIGHT WOULD NEVER GIVE A REFUND OR CREDIT. I ENDED UP PURCHASING A NEW TIRE AFTER I REALIZED THE STORE MANAGER WOULD NEVER HELP THE CUSTOMER, I ASKED HIM IF HE WANTED THE DEFECTIVE TIRE, HE SAID NO WAY IT'S NOT DEFECTIVE. ON 11/24/2017 I GET A LETTER FROM HARBOR FREIGHT INDICATING THE TRAILER TIRES I PURCHASED FROM THEM ARE FAIL TO CONFORM TO REQUIREMENTS OF THE FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO.119. WENT BACK TO HARBOR FREIGHT AND THERE WAS A SIGN INDICATING THEY WERE NO LONGER SELLING TRAILER TIRES. ONCE AGAIN I ASKED IF I CAN GET A CREDIT , HE SAID DO YOU HAVE THE DEFECTIVE TIRE I TOLD HIM NO BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT ACCEPT IT AND TOLD ME TO GET RID OF IT. ALL I ASKED FOR IS TO MAKE IT RIGHT AND THEY WANTED NO PART OF HELPING A LONG TERM CUSTOMER. I AM RETIRED FROM GOODYEAR AND ACTUALLY HAVE MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WITH TIRE MANFACTURING.