NHTSA Complaint #11349130 — 2012 DODGE RAM 2500

WHILE DRIVING MY TRUCK ON THE INTERSTATE AND PULLING A TRAVEL TRAILER, THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT TIRE HAD A BLOWOUT WITHOUT WARNING. MY TRUCK AND TRAILER MOMENTARILY SWERVED BUT I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL AND PULL OVER TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER. I HEARD THE REMAINING TIRE TREAD STRIKE THE WHEEL WELL REPEATEDLY BEFORE I COULD STOP THE TRUCK. THE BLOWOUT CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FENDER, WHEEL WELL LINER, BATTERY, HEADLIGHT BRACKET, BUMPER AND WIRING HARNESS. ASIDE FROM THE BODY DAMAGE, NUMEROUS WIRES WERE TORN AND RENDERED THE TRUCK INOPERABLE. DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE, MY INSURANCE CARRIER DEEMED THE VEHICLE A TOTAL LOSS. I'M SHOCKED AND DISMAYED THAT THE TIRE FAILED. THE TIRES HAD A 60,000-MILE WARRANTY ON THEM, BUT HAD BEEN IN SERVICE FOR LESS THAN 22,000 MILES. I CHECKED THE TIRE PRESSURE BEFORE STARTING THE TRIP. MY TPMS DID NOT INDICATE A LOSS OF PRESSURE DURING MY TRAVELS. THE ROAD WAS FLAT AND IN GOOD CONDITION. I DID NOT STRIKE ANY OBJECTS ON THE ROAD. BECAUSE I WAS PULLING A TRAILER, MY SPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY 50-55 MPH. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION AFTER THE BLOWOUT, I NOTICED A LARGE HOLE IN THE TIRE CASING. I PRESUME THAT THE TIRE DETERIORATED FROM THE INSIDE OUT, AND ULTIMATELY RESULTED IN FAILURE. I'M LUCKY THAT TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AND THAT I WAS NOT NEAR THE EDGE OF A CLIFF OR MOUNTAIN ROAD. ALTHOUGH I LOST MY TRUCK, THIS BLOWOUT COULD HAVE HAD MUCH MORE SERIOUS AND DIRE CONSEQUENCES FOR MYSELF AND OTHERS.