NHTSA Complaint #11351818 — 2013 RAM 3500

DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, A 3 YEAR OLD MICHELIN DEFENDER LTX DRIVERS SIDE REAR TIRE SEPARATED AND THEN EXPLODED. BODY DAMAGE WAS $9,000 PLUS THE COST OF REPLACING ALL THE TIRES. MICHELIN AFTER 7 WEEKS RESPONDED SAYS IS WAS A CLASSIC TRAUMA TO THE TIRE FROM A POTHOLE OR ROCK SOMETIME DURING ITS LIFE. IN THE 3 YEARS I HAVE DRIVEN ON THESE TIRE THERE WAS NEVER ANY TRAUMA. THE SAME DAY I WAS AT THE TIRE SHOP, 3 OTHER VEHICLES WERE THERE FOR THE SAME ISSUE. AN INDEPENDENT TIRE SHOP AND THE BODY SHOP THAT HANDLED THE REPAIRS CONFIRMS MICHELIN TIRES DO NOT HOLD UP TO ARIZONA'S HEAT. THEY SEE MORE BLOWOUTS AND SEPARATIONS THAN WITH OTHER TIRES. HAS THE NHTSB LOOKED INTO MICHELIN TRUCK TIRES TO SEE IF THEY ARE COVERING SOMETHING UP WITH THEIR LIGHT TRUCK TIRES? IT SEEMS IF A TIRE CANNOT HOLD TOGETHER AFTER 30,000 MILES THEY NEED TO BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD.