NHTSA Complaint #729866 — 1998 DODGE DURANGO

I STOPPED AT A SERVICE STATION TO HAVE THE AIR CHECKED. WHEN HE PUT AIR IN THE TIRE, IT WAS LEAKING MORE. THE TIRE REPAIR STATION TOOK THE TIRE OFF THE RIM AND NOTICED THAT THE TIRE WAS SPLITTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. HE SAID HE HAS NEVER SEEN THAT HAPPEN BEFORE....SPLITTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THE TIRE IS NO GOOD ANYMORE AND I STILL HAVE A LOT OF TREAD LEFT ON IT. HE TOOK MY SPARE OFF, FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT IT HAS BEEN HOT AND MELTED THE RUBBER FROM THE EXHAUST. I HAVE SMELLED RUBBER BEFORE BUT THOUGHT THAT WAS FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER THAT I HAVE BEEN HAVING SO MUCH TROUBLE WITH SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. IT HAS CAUSED AN ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE BEFORE. THE AIR CONDITIONER IS LEAKING FREON AND EVERY FEW MONTHS, I HAVE TO GO HAVE IT FILLED. CAN'T FIND THE LEAK AND HAVE TAKEN IT TO 4-6 DIFFERENT DEALERS FOR THE PROBLEM. WHEN RUNNING THE AIR CONDITIONER, MOISTURE RUNS DOWN THE SIDES OF THE DASH VENTS WITH ALL THE WINDOWS CLOSED. THE LAST DEALER I TOOK IT TOOK, TOLD ME THAT THEY CAN'T FIND THE LEAK AND BELIEVES IT IS SOMEWHERE IN THE DASH. THEY HAVE BEEN TOO BUSY AND SHORTHANDED TO GET TO IT RIGHT NOW. I HAVE ALSO COMPLAINED TO SEVERAL DEALERS ABOUT THE FLOOR BETWEEN THE DRIVERS SEAT AND PASSENGER SEAT. I LAY MY PURSE ON THERE AND WHEN I GO TO TOWN AND PICK MY PURSE UP, THE BOTTOM OF MY PURSE IS REALLY HOT. WHEN I DRIVE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, MY FOOT THAT RUNS THE GAS PEDAL GETS REALLY HOT AND SWOLLEN FROM THE HEAT COMING FROM THE SAME AREA. THE DEALERS HAVE ALL TOLD ME THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THE VEHICLE I NOTICED A NOISE IN WHERE I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BRAKES AND TOOK IT TO THE SHOP. I FOUND OUT THAT THE SUSPENSION WAS FALLING APART AND BOLTS WERE MISSING. LUCKILY, THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OVER THAT. MANUFACTURERS NEED TO BE MORE CAUTIOUS.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 31X10.50R )