2006 Nissan Sentra Tires Problems

TRAVELING WESTBOUND ON I-10 BETWEEN COTTONDALE, FL AND FT. WALTON, FL IN TRAFFIC, THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. HIGHWAY TYPE-INTERSTATE- 4 LANE DIVIDED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE LEFT LANE. IT WENT INTO THE MEDIAN, CAME BACK INTO THE MAIN TRAVEL LANES BETWEEN TRAFFIC, ROTATED 360 DEGREES, THEN WENT OFF OF THE MAIN TRAVEL LANES ONTO THE RIGHT SHOULDER WHERE IT CAME TO A STOP. EVEN THOUGH THIS OCCURRED IN TRAFFIC, THERE WAS NO IMPACT AND NO INJURY TO THE OCCUPANTS. ONE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE IS COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE, AND THE OTHER SIDEWALL PARTIALLY SEPARATED. THE AIR PRESSURE ON THE TIRE WAS CHECKED JUST PRIOR TO BEGINNING THE TRIP. THE CONDITION OF THE TIRE WAS CHECKED PRIOR TO THE TRIP AND THE TIRE APPEARED TO BE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. THE TREAD AND GENERAL CONDITION OF THE FAILED TIRE SHOW NO EVIDENCE OF PRIOR DAMAGE OR PUNCTURE. THE 2 REAR TIRES HAD BEEN REPLACED IN 2010 OR 2011. THE SPARE WAS INSTALLED AND THE CAR WAS DRIVEN TO THE NEAREST SERVICE CENTER WHERE ALL 4 TIRES WERE REPLACED. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE RIM. THE FAILED TIRE IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. *TR

ALL OF THE TIRES WERE BOUGHT IN DECEMBER, 2010. ONE OF THE NEW TIRES HAD A DEFECT TWO MONTHS AFTER THE PURCHASE THAT COULD NOT BE REPAIRED; IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. RECENTLY, SPECIFICALLY ON NOVEMBER 14, 2011, ANOTHER TIRE BLEW WHILE ON A HIGHWAY (WITH 55 MPH SPEED LIMIT). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN SENTRA EQUIPPED WITH BRIDGESTONE TURANZA TIRES, LINE SIZE P205/50R16, DOT NUMBER MKWDJKOR3509. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25-30 MPH ON A NORMAL ROAD SURFACE WHEN THE CONTACT HEARD AN UNUSUAL SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE PERFORMANCE WAS BUMPY. THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE SIDEWALL EXHIBITED TREAD SEPARATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE DEFECTIVE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE TECHNICIAN WAS IN THE PROCESS OF INSPECTING THE OTHER THREE TIRES FOR POSSIBLE DEFECTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,303.

TIRE EXPERIENCED A SIDEWALL FAILURE. FAILURE NOTICED FOLLOWING A SHORT, SLOW SPEED DRIVE. A HOLE WAS IDENTIFIED ON THE SIDEWALL. RUBBER ON SIDEWALL VERY SOFT AT HOLE LOCATION. IT SEEMS A BELT SEPARATION OCCURRED. TIRE IS A FIRESTONE FIREHAWK GTA 02. OEM ON 2006 NISSAN SENTRA (WITH ALUMINUM RIMS). SIZE: 195/55R16 86H. *TR