1997 NISSAN D21 Tires Problems

RECEIVED NOTICE FROM GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY THAT CERTAIN P215/70R14 DOUGLAS ETRA-TRAC A/W IT PRODUCED HAVE EXPERIENCED ADVERSE SERVICE CONDITIONS THAT HAVE LED TO TREAD AREA SEPARATION. IN THERE LETTER I WAS DIRECTED TO GO TO THE NEAREST WAL-MART RETAIL OUTLET TO SEE IF I QUALIFIED FOR THE FREE REPLACEMENT. I QUALIFIED. MY VEHICLE WAS PULLED INTO THE BAY, THE TIRES WERE REPLACE, AND I WAS THEN PRESENTED WITH A BILL OF $118.00 FOR THE NEW TIRES. IT WAS THEN THAT THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY PRORATE THE OLD TIRES AND GAVE ME A SMALL DISCOUNT FOR TIRE WARE. MY OLD TIRES SHOWED NO DEFECT AT THE TIME AND I BROUGHT THEM IN AS A PRECAUTION IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE RECALL. HAD I KNOW THAT I WAS GOING TO BE THE VICTIM OF A BAIT AND SWITCH SCHEME TO GET ME TO BUY THE NEW TIRES. I WAS TOLD...

I'M TRANSIT MECHANIC 30 YEARS, PROIR COAST GAURD DOT, KEEP TIRES INFLATED 35LBS AT ALL TIMES, CHECK OFTEN, ROTATE 5-7 THOUSAND MILES,LARGEST LOAD EVER CARRIED LESS THAN 300 LBS-MULCH FOR YARD, VEHICLE UNLOADED AT TIME OF TIRE SEPARATION. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THE OTHER THREE TIRES ARE ON THE VERGE OF SEPERATION. I HAVE PARKED VEHICLE UNTIL I HEAR FROM NHTSA.*AK

TWO TIRES HAVE AN UNUSUAL BULGE ON THE INSIDE ABOUT 0.25 IN WIDE, 0.125 IN TALL, RUNNING ACROSS FROM RIM TO RIM. I BELIEVE THIS WAS THE SOURCE OF THE INCREDIBLE GRINDING NOISES. I THOUGHT THE BRAKES WERE BAD, SO I HAD THEM REBUILT, BUT THE ONLY WAY TO ELIMINATE THE NOISE AND DRAGGING EFFECTS WAS TO REPLACE THE TIRES. *AK (DOT NUMBER: ST3231 TIRESIZE: P215/70R14)