NHTSA Complaint #11171601 — 2018 FORD EXPLORER

HANKOOK PRODUCED & ALLOWS THE SALE OF FAULTY VENTUS S1 NOBLE 2 TIRES TO BE SOLD ONLINE AND AS OEM ON NEW VEHICLES. THEY FAIL WITHIN 16,000 MILES. I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2018 FORD EXPLORER LIMITED WITH 20" HANKOOK VENTUS S1 NOBLE TIRES AS OEM EQUIPMENT ON 2/16/18. SATURDAY 1/19/19, I DID MY DUE DILIGENCE AND HEADED TO DISCOUNT TIRE IN TERRELL, TX TO HAVE OUR OEM HANKOOK TIRES ROTATED, THEY HAD 16,300 MILES. I WAS BESIDE MYSELF WHEN HE RETURNED AND TOLD ME THE TIRES WERE DOWN TO A DANGEROUSLY LOW 4/32 TREAD DEPTH AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I HAD TO PAY THE DIFFERENCE OF OVER $400 TO REPLACE THE TIRES ON A VEHICLE WITH ONLY 16,300 MILES! HOW WAS I, THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE, SUPPOSED TO KNOW THESE WOULD WEAR SO QUICKLY? THEY BASICALLY ENDANGERED MY FAMILY BY ALLOWING THIS TO GO WITHOUT NOTIFYING US! AS AN OWNER OF A NEW VEHICLE IT DOESN'T CROSS YOUR MIND TO CHECK TREAD DEPTH OF NEW TIRES ON A NEW VEHICLE WITH 16,300 MILES! HANKOOK KNOWS ABOUT THEM, BUT HOW ARE OWNERS SUPPOSED TO KNOW, IN THEIR WORDS, "SPECIAL SERVICE MESSAGE SSM 47195 TO ADDRESS 2015-2018 EXPLORER - HANKOOK BRAND 20 INCH TIRE - TREAD WEAR TIRE REPLACEMENT." AND THE FORD REP SHARED THIS WITH ME "...2015-2018 EXPLORER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HANKOOK BRAND TIRES MAY EXHIBIT TREAD WEAR THAT IS NOT THE RESULT OF VEHICLE ALIGNMENT CONCERNS. FOR CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, HANKOOK IS OFFERING PRO-RATED TIRE REPLACEMENT FOR VEHICLES WITH LESS THAN 36,000 MILES. THIS PROGRAM IS MANAGED BY HANKOOK TIRE AMERICA CORP. AND NOT CLAIMED UNDER FORD NEW VEHICLE LIMITED WARRANTY. IF THE TIRE SIDE WALL IS MARKED AS: 255/50R20 105H VENTUS S1 NOBLE 2, CONTACT HANKOOK TECHNICAL SERVICE FOR POSSIBLE PRO-RATED TIRE REPLACEMENT."