MICHELIN XRV TIRES Complaints

WHILE TRAVELING IN OUR 2000 DUTCH STAR MOTOR HOME, DIESEL PUSHER, THROUGH HOUSTON TX, ON MARCH 23, 2006, WE EXPERIENCED AN INNER REAR TIRE BLOWOUT ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS TIRE HAS A "ZIPPER" FRACTURE OF 14 INCHES ON THE SIDEWALL. WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE A SAFE STOP AND EXITED FROM THE HIGHWAY. WE HAD THE TIRE REPLACED WITH A MATCHED MICHELIN TIRE. ON APRIL 1, 2006 WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH ELMIRA NY (1600 MILES LATER) ON INTERSTATE 86, WE EXPERIENCED ANOTHER BLOWOUT ON THE INNER REAR TIRE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE MOTOR HOME. WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE A SAFE STOP. HOWEVER THE REAR LEFT FENDER SKIRT WAS BLOWN OFF BY THE RUPTURING TIRE. THIS "ZIPPER" FRACTURE WAS 12 INCHES IN THE IDENTICAL TIRE POSITION AS THE FIRST RUPTURE. WE WERE UNABLE TO GET AN IDENTICAL REPLACEMENT TIRE FOR THE BLOWN TIRE AND WE MADE THE DECISION THAT ALL FOUR REAR TIRES SHOULD BE REPLACED SINCE IT IS NOT ADVISABLE TO HAVE MISMATCHED TIRES. WE REPLACED THESE REAR TIRES WITH AN H RATED TIRE BY GOODYEAR 275/70R 22.5 G670 RV. IN 2004, NEWMAR (MANUFACTURER OF DUTCH STAR MOTOR HOMES) HAD A RECALL AND REPLACED ONLY THE FRONT TIRES ON THIS MOTOR HOME WHICH WAS BUILT ON A FREIGHTLINER FRAME. THE NEW TIRES WERE MICHELIN XZA1 275/70R 22.5 WHICH IS HIGHER RATED THAN THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES. PREVIOUSLY, WE HAVE HAD THIS MOTOR HOME WEIGHED ON AT A FAMILY MOTOR COACH ASSN. (FMCE) RALLY. THE FOUR CORNERS WERE WEIGHED AND WE WERE WITHIN THE RECOMMENDED GVW (GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT) OF 27,900 LBS. WE WERE NOT OVERLOADED. THE TIRE PRESSURE ON THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES WAS 105 LBS. EACH WHICH WAS RECOMMENDED. IT IS OUR OPINION THAT THE TIRE FAILURE ON THIS UNIT WAS DUE TO HAVING INADEQUATE REAR TIRES AND THAT WHEN THE RECALL TOOK PLACE IN 2004, THE REAR TIRES SHOULD HAVE ALSO BEEN REPLACED AT THAT TIME. *NM

WHILE SITTING PARKED ON JACKS SINCE 11/1/05 - 3/23/06 WITH WEIGHT OFF TIRES IN 80 DEGREE WEATHER, TIRE EXPLODED. SMALL APX 2" DIAMETER BLEW OUT ON DRIVER SIDE L/R. AIR PRESSURE ALL TIRES 98-99 PSI COLD. INSTALLED 4 GOODYEAR 275 70 R22.5 G670 RV FROM MCGEE TIRE STORE (28919 HWY 27 DUNDEE, FL 33838). GOODYEARS CARRY 125 PSI AND EXCEEDS OUR SPECIFICATIONS. NOTE: [RE: NHTSA COMPLAINTS 10157984, 10157985, 10157987, 10157990 & THIS COMPLAINT] FOR ALL 5 TIRES; INSIDE OF TIRES WALLS BLEW? NO MARKINGS AS IF BEEN HIT OR WEAKENED. ALL STEEL BELTS WHERE RUSTED. TIRE TREADS LIKE NEW, WORN EVENLY, NOT BEVELED AS IF WEIGHT UNEVEN. LEAST WEAR 12/32 - 17/32. SEE ALSO, COURT CASE #5935C ANGELINA COUNTY, TEXAS. *NM *NM

ON THE WAY BACK TO VIRGINIA, AFTER BEING ON JACKS [FROM] NOV TO FEB 13, 2005, DRIVER SIDE L/R/I (39,000) SIDEWALL ZIPPER. INSTALLED SPARE. 60 MPH - NO PROBLEM. TRAVEL CENTER OF AMERICA (3014 PAXVILLE HWY MANNING, SC 29102) ONLY HAD LARGER 275/70 R22.5. *JB UPDATED 05/16/06. *JB

TRAVELING FROM FLORIDA TO NEW PORT NEWS,VA (HOME). RESTED TWO HOURS. CHECKED TIRES; NOT HOT AIR - OKAY. FIFTEEN MILES FROM HOME (1.5 HRS LATER) [AT] 25 MPH, PASSENGER REAR OUTSIDE SIDEWALL BLEW OUT. PURCHASED NEW ONE. (37,000 MILES) TIRES MAINTAINED COLD=100 PSI/HOT=105 PSI. TCI TIRE CENTER HAD ORDERED ONE FOR AN RV LIKE MINE [THAT HAD A] BAD TIRE BLOWN. [THEY] SOLD ME HIS [AND] ORDERED ANOTHER ONE FOR HIM. 508 OYSTER POINT RD NEW PORT NEWS, VA 23602 STATED MANY SIDEWALL RIPS. MICHELIN WILL NOT WARRANTY THEM. *JB *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE FRONT DRIVER TIRE BLEW OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS MOVED OFF THE HIGHWAY WHERE A 14 INCH TEAR WAS FOUND IN THE SIDEWALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE WRONG AIR PRESSURE RECOMMENDED BY THE MANUFACTURER WAS WEAKENING THE SIDEWALL. THE DEALER REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES.

2000 HOLIDAY RAMBLER ENDEAVOR MICHELIN TIRE ALL BLEW OUT. *TS THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED EIGHT TIRE BLOW OUTS IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. *JB

1 TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE 26 IN SOUTH CAROLINA IN 38 FT RV 2 LEFT FRONT BLOW OUT 3 NEW TIRE XZE INSTALLED ONSITE. *NM

INCIDENT 1: MARCH 2005 TRAVELING ON I95 IN MY 2001 NATIONAL TRADEWINDS RV, I EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT OF THE INSIDE RIGHT LEFT TIRE THAT BLEW OUT THE SIDE PANEL OF THE MOTOR COACH. THE TIRE WAS CHANGED. WE CONTINUED HOME. INCIDENT 2: MAY 2005 PURCHASED A NEW SPARE. I NOTICED A BUBBLE ON THE INSIDE LEFT REAR TIRE SIDEWALL. WHILE TRAVELING ON I95 TO THE TIRE SHOP THIS TIRE BLEW OUT. REPLACED TIRE. INCIDENT 3: DECEMBER 2005 WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH DELAWARE, RIGHT REAR INNER TIRE BLEW OUT THE SIDEWALL. ALL THESE TIRES WERE MICHELIN XRV 225/22.5 WITH RECOMMENDED 100PSI. AT A GOODYEAR STORE IN DELAWARE, WE REPLACED ALL 4 REAR TIRES AND THE SPARE WITH GOODYEAR 265/22.5 TIRES. THE REASON FOR THE TIRE SIZE CHANGE WAS THAT NATIONAL TRADEWINDS HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD A TIRE RECALL ON THE FRONT TIRES. THE FRONT TIRES WERE REPLACED WITH TOYO'S 265/22.5. THIS SIZE CHANGE WAS ALSO RECOMMENDED BY THE MANAGER OF THE GOODYEAR STORE. TAKE NOTE THAT THE TIRE INSTALLER NOTICED A BUBBLE ON THE INSIDE TIRE WALL OF THE LEFT OUTER TIRE. HE SAID IT WOULD HAVE FAILED AT ANY MOMENT! AFTER READING THE HISTORIES OF THESE FAILURES, SOMETHING MUST BE DONE BEFORE SOME IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED BECAUSE OF THESE TIRE FAILURES!! *JB

MULTIPLE TIRES EXPERIENCED SIDEWALL BLOW-OUT ON MICHELIN 255/80 R 22.5 XRV. I HAVE A 2002 FLEETWOOD DISCOVERY MOTORHOME WHICH I PURCHASED NEW. IT HAS JUST OVER 17,000 MILES ON IT. TO DATE I HAVE EXPERIENCED FOUR OUT OF SIX TIRE SIDEWALL FAILURES WHICH MICHELIN DESCRIBES AS A "ZIPPER RIP". THE FIRST BLOW-OUT WAS ON THE LEFT FRONT ON 5/13/2005 @ 15,025 MILES. THE MOTORHOME WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE UNTIL MY MOST RECENT TRIP. ON THIS TRIP I EXPERIENCED THREE MORE BLOW-OUTS WITHIN 36 HOURS OF WHICH 11 HOURS WERE SPENT STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AWAITING SERVICE AND 5 HOURS SLEEPING. THE SECOND BLOW-OUT WAS THE INSIDE LEFT REAR WHICH OCCURRED ON 10/30/2005 @ 17,133 MILES, THE THIRD BLOW-OUT WAS THE INSIDE RIGHT REAR WHICH OCCURRED ON 10/30/2005 @ 17,483 MILES AND THE FOURTH BLOW-OUT WAS THE OUTSIDE LEFT REAR WHICH OCCURRED ON 10/31/2005 @ 17,760 MILES. TO PREVENT A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL I ROTATED THE "NEW REPLACEMENT" FOR THE RIGHT REAR (INCIDENT #3) TO THE RIGHT FRONT TO PREVENT A FRONT TIRE FAILURE. EACH BLOW-OUT RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO MY MOTORHOME. I HAVE SUBSTANTIAL PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO BOTH REAR FENDER SKIRTS AND A CARGO BIN. ONE INSTANCE CAUSED ME TO GO ONTO THE SHOULDER AND HIT A MILE MARKER WHICH SCRATCHED THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE COACH FOR SEVERAL FEET. THE SAME INCIDENT KNOCKED OUT MY INSTRUMENTATION ON THE DASH RENDERING ALL GAUGES INOPERABLE. I KEEP THIS MOTORHOME IN AN ENCLOSED GARAGE AND AM VERY PROFICIENT AT MAINTAINING PROPER TIRE INFLATION. AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT I WEIGHED MY MOTORHOME FULLY LOADED ON A CAT CERTIFIED SCALE TO ENSURE PROPER LOAD. BASED ON THE TIRE AND THE MOTORHOME MANUFACTURER'S WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS I WAS WITHIN LOAD SPECIFICATIONS. I CONTINUE TO HEAR NUMEROUS REPORTS FROM FELLOW RV ENTHUSIASTS CONCERNING THE XRV AND XZE TIRES FAILING AS DESCRIBED. I BELIEVE THIS PRODUCT TO BE A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. *NM

DT: 2000 NEWMAR DUTCH STAR MOTOR HOME. THE CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAS MICHELIN TIRES, 255/80R22-5XRV. THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT ON THE SIDEWALL AT 15,000 MILES. THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR INSIDE TIRE BLEW OUT AT 23,800 MILES. THE FRONT TIRES WERE RECALLED AND THEY WERE REPLACED. THE REAR TIRE WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. THE REAR TIRE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO SEE WHY IT BLEW OUT. *AK