2006 Honda Ridgeline Tires & Wheels Problems

The contact owns a 2006 Honda Ridgeline equipped with Cooper Tires, Tire Line: Discoverer RTX, Tire Size: 245/65/R17, DOT Number: HGT4RTF62818. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was wobbling and there was smoke coming from the driver's and passenger's side rear tires. The vehicle was taken to a tire dealer where it was diagnosed that the driver's and passenger's side rear tires had sidewall separation. The tire dealer replaced the driver's and passenger's side rear tires; however, the failure recurred with the driver's and passenger's side front tires. The vehicle was taken to another tire dealer where the driver's and passenger's side front tires were replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21T002000 (Tires). The failure mileage was 189,275.

WE HAVE HAD TWO FAILURES OF THE WHEEL ON THE HONDA RIDGELINE. ONE CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE TRUCK. THE OTHER WHEEL IS CRACKED IN THE TIRE BEAD AREA AND WE WILL NOT DRIVE IT DUE TO THE CONCERN FOR OUR SAFETY. *CN

(THIS IS THE ABBV. VERSION OF ORIGINAL 4091 CHARACTER COMPLETE DESCRIPTION.) 06/30/2006, FORT SMITH ARKANSAS. VEHICLE: 2006 HONDA RIDGELINE. COMPLAINT RE: OEM TIRES: MICHELIN TIRES (P245 65 R17 105S LTX M/S RADIAL X)WHILE NEGOTIATING A CURVE ON GARRISON AVE. BEFORE 13TH STREET, IN THE INNER LANE (4 LANE ROAD), TRAVELING APPX. 25-30 MPH, WAS CROWDED INTO THE CURB BY A CAR IN LEFT HAND LANE. THERE WAS NOT A HARD IMPACT, AS THE TRUCK WAS ROUGHLY PARALLEL TO THE CURB. I FELT THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE TRUCK START TO "CLIMB UP" ON THE CURB. IMMEDIATELY FLATTENED BOTH TIRES ON THE RIGHT SIDE. MAINTAINED CONTROL, & PULLED OFF IN PARKING LOT. BOTH TIRES HAD "U-SHAPED FLAPS" RIPPED IN THE SIDEWALL. OMITTED EXACT DESCRIPTION OF THE "RIPS" TO REDUCE CHARACTER COUNT, BUT IT'S AVAILABLE ON REQUEST. IT WAS NIGHT, BUT I LOOKED AT THE CURB & ROAD FOR ANY SHARP OBJECTS THAT WOULD EXPLAIN THE DAMAGE TO THE SIDEWALLS & FOUND NOTHING. NEXT DAY, I EXAMINED THE CURB & VICINITY CLOSELY. I TOOK PHOTOS OF THE TIRES, THE CURB, & VICINITY. THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WOULD HAVE OBVIOUSLY CAUSED THE DAMAGE. I BELIEVE THE TIRES BLEW OUT DUE TO LOW SPEED CONTACT WITH THE CURB. I BELIEVE THE TIRE SIDEWALLS ARE INSUFFICIENT IN DESIGN & CONSTRUCT FOR USE ON THIS TRUCK, & THAT THE TIRE SIDEWALLS COLLAPSED SIGNIFICANTLY WHEN THEY CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE CURB, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THEY DID NOT SUSTAIN A DIRECT IMPACT. (ALL 4 TIRES FULLY INFLATED: TRUCK WAS ONLY 4 MONTHS OLD & THE TIRES HAD < 5000 MILES ON THEM). I BELIEVE THE COLLAPSE OF THE SIDEWALL CAUSED IT TO BE "PINCHED" BY THE RIM, & DUE TO SUBSTANDARD SIDEWALL CONSTRUCT, IT WAS FOLLOWED BUT A SUDDEN & CATASTROPHIC RIP (BLOW OUT) UP THE SIDEWALL. I STILL HAVE THE TWO TIRES. THESE TIRES WERE MANUFACTURED FOR OEM PLACEMENT ON A 4 WHEEL DRIVE TRUCK, BUT FAILED TO WITHSTAND A MINOR BRUSH WITH A CURB ON A CITY STREET. I BELIEVE THESE TIRES ARE INFERIOR IN DESIGN, DEFECTIVE IN CONSTRUCT, & SUB-STANDARD FOR THE APPLICATION. *TR