NHTSA Complaint #11270958 — 2018 HONDA CR-V

I BOUGHT A 2018 HONDA CR-V IN MAY 2018, IT WAS NEW, WITH 717 DEALER MILES ON IT. IT CAME WITH BRIDGESTONE ECOPIA HL 422 PLUS TIRES IN SIZE 235 65R17 AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT. AT 9,292 MILES ON SEPTEMBER 11TH I HAD AN OIL CHANGE AND SERVICE WHICH INCLUDED CHECKING TIRE PRESSURES. ON SEPTEMBER 28TH I WENT ON VACATION AND CAME BACK OCTOBER 5TH. ON A PERFECTLY CLEAR DAY, NO HAZARDS IN THE ROAD, ON INTERSTATE 26 NORTH OF FLORENCE, SC, I HEARD A LOUD BANG, AND AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS THE CAR NEXT TO ME BACKFIRING. BUT THEN I HEARD THE DREADED FLAPPING SOUND OF A FLAT TIRE ON MY VEHICLE. I PULLED OFF THE EXTREMELY BUSY INTERSTATE AND PROCEEDED TO CHANGE THE TIRE WHICH WAS ON THE LEFT REAR. I THEN SEARCHED ON MY PHONE FOR THE CLOSEST HONDA DEALERSHIP TO TRY TO GET A NEW TIRE BECAUSE I STILL HAD ABOUT 140 MILES TO GET HOME, AND DID NOT WANT TO RISK IT ON THE 'DOUGHNUT' SPARE TIRE. I FOUND ONE IN SUMTER, SC, ABOUT 25 MILES OFF THE INTERSTATE AND WENT THERE. THEY PUT ON A NEW TIRE WHICH COST ME $167.52. I TOLD THE MANAGER THAT I BELIEVED IT WAS A DEFECTIVE TIRE. HE SAID 'LET'S LOOK ON THE INSIDE TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY METAL OR OTHER DEBRIS'. THERE WAS NONE. JUST AN INNER SIDEWALL BLOWOUT. AND NO DAMAGE TO THE TREAD. HE BAGGED THE TIRE UP FOR ME. AND I CONTINUED HOME. MONDAY OCTOBER 7TH I WENT TO MY HONDA DEALERSHIP AND EXPLAINED TO THE PARTS MANAGER WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND HE TOOK THE TIRE. HE AGREED THAT IT LOOKED SUSPICIOUS. HE GOT NO POSITIVE RESPONSE AT ALL FROM BRIDGESTONE, AND I CALLED BRIDGESTONE MYSELF. I GOT STONEWALLED AND GOT NO SATISFACTION. BUT HE KEPT DIGGING AND FINALLY GOT SOMEONE TO OFFER WHAT THEY SAID WAS HALF OF THE VALUE - $45 - BUT HE TOLD THEM NO, LET'S SEND THE TIRE IN AND MAKE A DETERMINATION AFTER YOU RECEIVE AND INSPECT IT. I GOT A CHECK TODAY $63.01 FOR MY DEFECTIVE TIRE. THE TIRE SELLS ONLINE FOR $159. THEY KNOW THESE TIRES ARE DANGEROUS. *JS