2003 DODGE DAKOTA Tires Problems

TO WHOM IT CONCERNS: I AM REQUESTING THAT THE DOT NHTSA INVESTIGATE THE POSSIBILITY OF A TIRE SIDEWALL SEPARATION OR SIDEWALL DELAMINATION OF COOPER TIRES (COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY) MODEL DISCOVERER RTX, SIZE P245/70R16, DOT UT9H 2BM 1818. I PURCHASED A SET OF 4 TIRES (DISCOVERER RTX, 245/70R16) ON NOVEMBER 14, 2018 FOR MY 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. ON DECEMBER 9, 2018, I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE PURCHASING THE COOPER TIRES. I SUDDENLY HEARD A NOISE SIMILAR TO DRIVING ON GROOVED PAYMENT OR RUMBLE-STRIPS. HOWEVER, THE ROADWAY WAS SMOOTH AND CLEAR. I PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY AND CHECKED THE TIRES. THE RIGHT-REAR TIRE WAS TORN (SHREDDED) ALL-AROUND BETWEEN THE TIRE SHOULDER AND TREAD, RESULTING IN TWO SEPARATE PIECES. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, I FOUND A PORTION OF THE SIDE WALL WHERE THE OUTER AND INNER SECTIONS WERE NOT ADHERED (OR NOT GLUED) TOGETHER LIKE THE REST...

ON SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2014, DURING A TRIP FROM SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA TO LARAMIE, WYOMING, WE SUFFERED TWO BLOWOUTS OF GOODYEAR WRANGLER TIRES IN SIZE P265 70 R16. IN EACH INSTANCE THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. THE TIRES WERE WELL MAINTAINED AND PROPERLY INFLATED. AT 10:00AM, TRAVELING 65MPH ON INTERSTATE 35, NORTH OF DES MOINES, IOWA WE SUFFERED THE FIRST BLOWOUT. THERE WAS A LOUD WHUP, WHUP, WHUP NOISE AND THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER. WE WERE ABLE TO SAFELY REDUCE SPEED AND PULL OVER. WE DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE SIDEWALL. WE HAD THE DAMAGED TIRE REPLACED IN AMES, IOWA AT A GOODYEAR DEALER. AT OUR NEXT STOP, I CHECKED THE AIR PRESSURE IN ALL 4 TIRES. THE LEFT REAR TIRE WAS AT 32 PSI. I INFLATED THE LEFT REAR TIRE TO 40 PSI TO MATCH THE OTHER 3 TIRES....

ORIGINAL DATE OF PURCHASE 9/18/2010 ORIGINAL TIRE: DUNLOP ROVERS LT 265/70R16 LOAD RANGE C DA8D633V2709 GOODYEAR/MR. TIRE AUTO CEDAR BRIDGE AVE STORE # 1014 BRICK NJ 08723 (732)477-3480. CUSTOMER ID# [XXX] $892.82 ON JULY 14, 2011 I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN ONTO MAIN STREET IN TOMS RIVER WHEN THE LEFT FRONT TIRE EXPLODED, AND A FEW SECONDS LATER THE RIGHT TIRE ALSO EXPLODED. I DROVE ABOUT 100 FEET TO A PARKING LOT TO LOOK AT THE DAMAGE. ON THE INSIDE OF BOTH TIRES THERE WAS A LARGE GASH ABOUT 5 INCHES LONG ON ONE TIRE AND ON THE OTHER TIRE THERE WERE 2 DIFFERENT GASHES ABOUT 4 AND 5 INCHES LONG. I PUT A SPARE ON ONE WHEEL AND HAD A HARD TIME GETTING THE 2ND WHEEL OFF SO I HIT IT WITH THE LUG WRENCH. I TOOK THAT TIRE TO A NEARBY STS AND BOUGHT A CHEAP TIRE...

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA WITH BF GOODRICH TIRES, LONG TRAIL, DOT# AP72F821, SIZE P265/70/R16. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES FAILED STATE INSPECTION DUE TO ABNORMAL TREAD WEAR. PREMATURE TREAD WEAR ON THE TIRES INCREASED THE RISK OF A TIRE BLOW-OUT. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 14,721. UPDATED 10/21/09. *LJ UPDATED 10/20/09*JB

IN LATE FEBRUARY 2009 I HAD A SLIPPED BELT ON ONE OF MY GOODYEAR WRANGLER RT/S TIRES ON MY 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. THIS WAS PARTICULARLY ANNOYING ESPECIALLY SINCE THE TIRES ONLY HAD 33K MILES ON THEM. THE SPARE HAD NEVER BEEN USED SO WE PUT THE SPARE TIRE ON. THAT WAS FIND FOR A FEW WEEKS BUT THEN THE OTHER TIRES STARTED SLIPPING BELTS. AFTER THE INITIAL TIRE I CONTACTED GOODYEAR TO INFORM THEM WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO THEIR GOODYEAR WRANGLER RT/S TIRE AND THEY INDICATED THAT SULLIVAN TIRE IN STRATHAM NEW HAMPSIRE COULD REVIEW THE SITUATION FOR THEM SINCE THEY WERE A TRUSTED DEALERSHIP. TODAY I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO SULLIVAN TIRE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE BELTS ON THE OTHER TIRES HAD SLIPPED AND WERE ACTUALLY DANGEROUS AND I SHOULD BE CAREFUL ABOUT DRIVING ON THEM. AS A RESULT I HAD THEM REPLACE THE TIRES AND...

I PURCHASED MY 2003 DAKOTA QUAD CAB 2WD IN EARLY JANUARY OF 2004. IT HAS APPROXIMATELY 21K. SIGNS OF THE STEERING MAKING A CREAKING SOUND WHEN BEING TURNED WERE FIRST NOTICED AT APPROXIMATELY 8000. IT IS MORE PRONOUNCED WHEN ENTERING AN ELEVATED STREET OR A DRIVEWAY, WHILE MAKING THE TURN. I BELIEVE THE SAME DEFECTIVE STEERING COMPONENTS UTILIZED IN THE 4X4 DAKOTA ALSO APPLY TO THE 2WD VERSIONS. I WOULD LIKE THE INITIATIVE BE TAKEN TO INCLUDE THE 2WD DODGE DAKOTAS IN THE RECALL AS WELL. MY TRUCK HAS NOT YET BEEN SERVICED, BUT IF STUDY INFORMATION IS REQUIRED, SUCH AS AN ANALYSIS OF THE JOINT, I AM WILLING TO VOLUNTEER MY VEHICLE FOR SUCH A STUDY IF IT WOULD HELP IN MOVING FORWARD WITH THE RECALL.*AK

DEFECTIVE GOODYEAR TIRES, SIDEWALL BLOO OUT. *MR