NHTSA Complaint #11083221 — 2016 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

MY PASSENGER RIGHT FRONT TIRE HIT A CURB AND WAS FLATTENED. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. BOTH FRONT WHEELS WERE OUT OF ALIGNMENT, SO IT WAS SUGGESTED BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT WHEELS AND HAVE THEM ALIGNED AS WELL. THEY GAVE ME TWO OPTIONS FOR TIRES. ONE OPTION WHICH I CHOSE WAS THE SOLUS TA-31 2204733. BOTH FRONT TIRES WERE REPLACED AND ALIGNED. THE FOLLOWING DAY I DROVE APPROXIMATELY 17 MILES TO WORK VIA HIGHWAY. IN THE AFTERNOON, I DROVE 2 MILES TO GET LUNCH. WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVE THRU WINDOW, I HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND REALIZED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE (OPPOSITE TIRE) HAD BLOWN AND THE NOTIFICATION LIGHT WENT ON THE DASHBOARD. IT WAS A MATTER OF 4 SECONDS FOR THE TIRE TO GO COMPLETELY FLAT. THE CAR WAS THEN TOWED FOR THE SECOND TIME WITHIN 48 HOURS TO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE SHOP FOR REPAIRS. REALIZING THAT THIS COULD HAVE OCCURRED ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE DRIVING HOME AND TRAVELING OVER SPEEDS OF 60 MPH, I THEN KNEW IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THAT NEW (1 DAY OLD) TIRES SHOULD NOT JUST BURST. ACCORDING TO THE REPRESENTATIVE AT THE SERVICE SHOP, THE BEAD WIRE HAD SEPARATED FROM THE RIM TO ALLOW AIR TO ESCAPE. HE DID MENTION THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO SEND THE COMPLAINT TO THE TIRE MANUFACTURING COMPANY (KUMHO) FOR COMPENSATION AND THAT IT MAY TAKE UP TO 4 MONTHS. HE MENTIONED A FEW OTHER TIRES ON HIS DESK IN A SIMILAR SITUATION. HAD I BEEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, I FEEL THAT THE SITUATION MY HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE SERIOUS.