2011 Mazda Mazda3 Tires & Wheels Problems

DECEMBER 6, 2018 DEAR NHTSA, I HAVE A 2011 MAZDA 3 WITH FOUR (4) WESTLAKE RP18 205/55R16 91V RADIAL TOURING TIRES. I AM WRITING THIS LETTER TO NOTIFY THE COMPANY THAT AT LEAST THIS LOT OF TIRE OR THIS TIRE LINE IS STRUCTURALLY DEFECTIVE. I HAVE ATTACHED PICTURES ON PAGE 2. THERE ARE SEVERAL IMPLICATION TO THIS DEFECT INCLUDING BENDING OF TIRE SHIELD, EASY PUNCTUATION AND EASY BLOW-OUT. ALL OF THESE INSTANCES CAN LEAD TO TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS AND EVEN DEATH. FOR INSTANCE, RECENTLY ROAD OBSTRUCTIONS PUNCTURED BOTH OF MY 2 BACK TIRES. THESE TIRES WERE FLAT WITHIN 30 MINUTES WHILE I WAS OUT SHOPPING AND A 20 MINUTES DRIVING DISTANCE FROM MY HOME. I PURCHASED A FOOT AIR PUMP TO PUT ENOUGH AIR IN MY TIRES TO TRAVEL ONE BLOCK AWAY TO THE AUTO SHOP TO REPLACE BOTH TIRES. FURTHERMORE, I DROVE AT SPEEDS ON THE HIGHWAY AT LESS THAN 20 MPH (MILES PER HOUR). AT THE STORE THEY REMOVED THE TIRE AND IDENTIFIED THE OBSTRUCTIONS, HOWEVER, THE TIRES EXPLODED VERY EASILY. THESE TIRES CAN BE PURCHASED FROM WAL-MART AND AMAZON FOR $44.24 EACH OR $176.96 FOR 4 TIRES ONLINE. I THINK THESE TIRES SHOULD BE RECALLED AND THIS MATTER PURSUED VIGOROUSLY PARTICULAR BECAUSE OF THE UPCOMING 2018 HOLIDAY TRAVEL SEASON. ON OCTOBER 16, 2018, I MAILED A CORRESPONDENCE LETTER TO TIRECO INC., SUPER-REPRESENTATIVE OF WESTLAKE TIRE. THE LETTER IS LISTED ABOVE. THIS MAIL WAS CERTIFIED WITH THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE UNDER CODE: 7018 0680 0000 5488 3046. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE FROM THE COMPANY. AS STATED ABOVE, I BELIEVE THESE TIRES ARE STRUCTURALLY DEFECTIVE AND NEED TO BE RECALLED. SINCERELY, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

AN APPROXIMATELY 2 YEAR OLD OHTSU TIRE STARTED TO SEPARATE WHILE DRIVING AROUND 70 MILES AN HOUR.

TIRE WEAR TO THE POINT OF REPLACEMENT @ 21K MILES. *TR

DRIVING SOUTH ON IH-35 IN SAN MARCOS, TEXAS, A BLOWOUT OCCURRED IN RIGHT REAR TIRE. DRIVING CONDITIONS WERE DRY AND SUNNY. THE TIRE IS A TOYO A20, SIZE P205/55R16 89H. THE INNER TIRE WALL SEPARATED COMPLETELY FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE. DRIVER DID NOT LOSE CONTROL AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER. THESE TIRES WERE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON VEHICLE WHEN PURCHASED FROM DEALER IN 2011. *TR

3 MILES FROM HOME THE FRONT TIRE ON OUR MAZDA3 CAME APART IN 3 FULL PIECES, TWO SIDE WALLS AND THE CENTER, CAUSING $1800 IN DAMAGE. I RETURNED THE TIRE TO YOKOHAMA TIRE CORP. BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGE, THEY SAID IT WAS NOT THE TIRES FAULT, THEY CALLED IT A RUN FLAT AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE DAMAGES. SO WHILE THE CAR WAS AT THE BODY SHOP I HAD FOUR NEW TIRES INSTALLED ,NOT YOKOHAMA TIRES. ALSO THE ADJUSTER FOR MY INSURANCE COMPANY, SAID THAT HE NEVER SEEN A TIRE SEPARATE LIKE THAT. *TR

TIRES CUPPING AND WEARING QUICKLY ON INSIDE OF BOTH TIRES IN THE SAME MANNER. RESEARCH AND DISCUSSION WITH MECHANICS INDICATE THE ISSUE IS LIKELY DUE TO CAMBER. CAMBER IS WITHIN MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONS, BUT CAUSES EXTREMELY RAPID TIRE WEAR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MAZDA MAZDA3 EQUIPPED WITH DUNLAP SB SPORT 250 225/40/R18 TIRES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSIDE OF BOTH FRONT TIRES WORE DOWN PREMATURELY AND TORE AWAY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT YOU COULD SEE THE WIRES ON BOTH TIRES. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY A TIRE SHOP THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE EXAMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,900 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 16,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.