NHTSA Complaint #742131 — 1998 FLEETWOOD DISCOVERY

THIS WAS THE THIRD TIRE FAILURE IN THE PAST YEAR. ON EACH OCCASION THE SIDEWALL BLEW OUT, AND AT THE END OF THE BLOWOUT LOCATION, THE STEEL BELT WAS VERY RUSTY. IN ALL 3 CASES MICHELIN WOULD NOT EXAMINE THE TIRE. ON THE FIRST BLOWOUT THEY HAD NONE OF THESE TIRESD IN STOCK IN THE USA AND I HAD TO REPLACE THE TWO FRONT TIRES WITH THE XZE STYLE. THE RATED PRESSURE ON THE TIRE IS ONLY 90PSI, INSTEAD OF THE 100PSI ON THE XRV STYLE. MICHELIN ADVISED ME TO ADD 10 MORE PPSI TO THESE TIRES EXCEEDING THE RECOMMENDED PRESSURE, SO I COULD GET ABOVE THE 60MPH RATING OF THESE TIRES. THEY ONLY AGREED TO GO 50% COST ON REPLACEMENT OF THE 4 OTHER XRV TIRES AND REFUSED TO REPLACE THE SUBSTITUTE TIRES THAT WERE PUT ON EARLIER. I FEEL MICHELIN HAS MADE SOME DEFECTIVE TIRES, AND WILL REFUSE TO ADMIT IT, TO ME OR THE CHASSIS MANUFACTURE. MICHELIN KEEPS CLAIMING THE VEHICLE IS OVERWEIGHT OR THE TIRES ARE UNDER PRESSURE. THESE 2 FACTORS DO NOT OCCUR. I SENT MY WEIGHT CERTIFICATION INTO FREIGHTLINER, WHICH WAS OVER 2000 LBS. UNDER AND I MAINTAIN TIRE PRESSURE AT 100PSI. THEIR LATEST EXCUSE ON THE FAILURE WAS THAT MAYBE THE TRANSPORTER WHO TRANSPORTED THE VEHICLE FROM THE MANUFACTURE TO THE DEALER RAN THE TIRES LOW FOR A SMOOTHER RIDE. I FIND THAT HARD TO BELEIVE, AS THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS CORRECT ON ME TAKING DELIVERY. I THINK MICHELIN IS ALWAYS FINDING EXCUSES INSTEAD OF ADMITTING FAULT.*AK (TIRESIZE: 235R8022.5)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235R8022.5 )