NHTSA Complaint #11256545 — 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

GOODYEAR FORTERA HL TIRES PURCHASED AT SAMS CLUB IN WV IN NOVEMBER 2018. TIRES ARE 245/65/R17 WITH DOT CODE M71TJA2R1918. TIRES APPEARED TO HAVE SOME CRACKING ON THE SIDES OF TREADS SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION BY SAMS CLUB. BY APPROXIMATELY 20K MILES WITH EVEN TREADWEAR AND PROPER MAINTENANCE TIRES BECAME MORE CRACKED ON THE SIDES OF THE TREADS AND SMALL CUTS BEGAN APPEARING ON SURFACES AND IN TREAD GROOVES. TIRE WOULD GET SMALL AIR LEAKS THROUGH SOME OF THESE CUTS. SAMS WOULD OFFER TO PATCH THE TIRES UNDER ROAD HAZARD AND CLAIMED GLASS ON ROADWAYS WOULD CAUSE THIS. SOME PATCHES WOULD TEAR LARGER AND LEAK AROUND THE PATCHES PUT IN PLACE. ATTEMPTING STANDARD BLACK PLUG PATCHES WOULD RESULT IN HOLE TEARING LARGER THAN IT BEGAN. SAMS APPLIED A FLAT SEAL/PLUG FROM INSIDE THE TIRE THAT ALSO HAD TEARS FORM ON THE EDGE AND HAD FURTHER LEAKS FROM SAME HOLE. TWO TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED BY DIFFERENT SUPPLIER 9/15/19 AND ANOTHER TIRE OF THE TWO REMAINING HAVE BEGAN LEAKING AROUND PLUGS 9/19/19.