LEMANS CHAMPION SE TIRES Complaints

I PURCHASED A USED VEHICLE WITH NEW LEMANS CHAMPION SE TIRES ON IT (P185/75R14) APPROXIMATELY FIVE YEARS AGO. I ONLY DRIVE THIS VEHICLE OCCASIONALLY (11,000 MILES IN 5 YEARS). ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO THE VEHICLE STARTED PULLING TO THE RIGHT AS IF IT WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. RECENTLY, WHILE I WAS AWAY AT WORK, THE LEFT FRONT TIRE SUFFERED AND EXPLOSIVE FAILURE WHILE SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY. IT LOOKS LIKE A HIGH SPEED SEPARATION. I EMAILED THE MANUFACTURER WITH PICTURES AND THE RESPONSE WAS A COPY OF THE WARRANTY INFORMATION (12 MONTHS). MY MAIN CONCERN WAS THAT THE TIRE'S STEEL BELTS SEPARATED WHILE SITTING STILL. IF IT HAD HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, ONE CAN IMAGINE THE RESULTS. I IMMEDIATELY PURCHASED NEW TIRES, DIFFERENT BRAND, AND TOOK THEM TO MY MECHANIC FOR INSTALLATION. HE INFORMED ME THAT ANOTHER ONE OF THE TIRES HAD STEEL BELT SEPARATION ALSO. AS I DESCRIBED THE VEHICLE PULLING TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING, HE EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY THE ONE TIRE ON THE LEFT FRONT HAVING A LARGER DIAMETER DUE TO STEEL BELT SEPARATION.

ON 10/04/07 I BOUGHT A LEMANS CHAMPION HR BL 195/690R15 88H TIRE FROM FIRESTONE COMPLETE AUTO CARE BUENA PARK. ON 11/1107 I NOTICE THE TIRE WAS FLAT I CHECK THE TIRE FOR ANY HOLE OR TEAR'S I COULD NOT FIND ANY. THE PRESSURE OF THE TIRE BEFORE I REFILLED IT WAS 19 PSI AFTER WARDS IT WAS AT 31.8 PSI. I CHECK THE TIRE PRESSURE 10 DAY LATER ON 11/21/07 IT WAS AT 25 PSI. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE STORE TO BE REPLACED. I TOLD THEM WHAT WAS GOING ON THEY RAN SOME TEST AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG SO THEY DID NOT REPLACE THE TIRE. I BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFECT IN THIS TIRE. *TR