2000 NEWMAR DUTCH STAR Tires Problems

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

Mileage: 53,000

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

Mileage: 15,000

PROBLEMS WITH TIRE RECALL REPLACEMENT.*MR THE CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 04V-037 EARLIER THIS YEAR. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE NEWMAR TIRE RECALL CENTER AND THEY AGREED TO HAVE NEW TIRES SENT. THE CONSUMER IS STILL IN POSSESSION OF THE ORIGINAL RECALL TIRES. *NM

LTR FM R. MILLER (LA) OWNER OF A DUTCH STAR MOTORHOME, RECALLED VEHICLE TO REPLACE FRONT TIRES TO IMPROVE CARRYING CAPACITY OWNER REQUEST RECALL REPLACE ALL TIRES NOT JUST FRONT 2-TIRES SUGGEST NHTSA INVESTIGATE.*MR (RECALL#04V037000) *JB

THE REAR DRIVER'S OUTER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 55-60 MPH. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONSUMER WILL PROVIDE PICTURES, TIRE MANUFACTURING SIZE. AND DOT #. *AK *SC *JB

Mileage: 22,490

RECALL 04V037000 CONCERNING TIRES. CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE MANUFACTURER'S RECALL PROCEDURES. THE MANUFACTURER WANTED TO REPLACE THE FACTORY TIRES WITH TIRES BIGGER THAN THE REAR TIRES. MANUFACTURER WAS ONLY REPLACING THE FRONT TIRES. *AK

Mileage: 34,300

THE REPLACEMENT TIRES FOR RECALL 04V0370000 HAVE NOT BEEN AVAILABLE FOR 2 MONTHS, AND DEALERSHIP DOESN'T NOT KNOW WHEN THE TIRES WILL BE AVAILABLE.*AK

Mileage: 19,000

CONSUMER IN DELAYED RECEIPT OF A SAFETY RECALL ON MICHELIN 255/80R22.5 TIRES. (NAR) *LA THE TIRE ORIGINAL INSTALLED ON THE TRUCK WERE RECALLED BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT DESIGNED TO HANDLE THE WEIGHT OF THE MOTORHOME. *NM

WHILE DRIVING 65-70 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, AND IT FLIPPED OVER SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO FRONT RIGHT TIRE BLOWOUT. 255/80R22.5XRV.*AK TIRES WERE PROPERLY INFLATED AT 120 PSI DURING THE TIME OF INCIDENT. RECALL ISSUED BY VEHICLE'S MANUFACTURER REGARDING FRONT TIRES. *LA

Mileage: 4,500

I RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE CAPAIGN #04V037000 REGARDING THE FRONT TIRES ON MY DUTCH STAR MOTOR HOME. I HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT NEWMAR TIRE RECALL HOTLINE SINCE LATE MARCH 04. I HAVE CALLED EVERY MONDAY SINCE THEN LEAVING A MESSAGE ON THEIR ANSWERING MACHINE. THEY HAVE NOT YET RETURNED ANY CALLS. *AK

THE DEALERSHIP IS ONLY RECEIVING REPLACEMENT TIRES AT A TIME, AND THE TIRES HAVE ALREADY BEEN ASSIGNED TO A CONSUMER. THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN WAITING FOR OVER 2 MONTHS TO HAVE THE TIRE RECALL 04V037000 PERFORMED. *MR

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, A BUBBLE ACCUMULATED ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Mileage: 32,000

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH DRIVER'S FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT HIT ANY OBJECTS ON THE ROAD. TIRE SIZE 255/80/22.5/XRV.*AK THE VEHICLE HAD THREE SIDEWALL BLOWOUTS WHILE DRIVING . ALL THE BLOWOUTS RESULTED IN SOME TYPE OF DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. MICHELIN AGREED TO PAY THE CONSUMER $95. PER TIRE BUT REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE FOR THE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. IT HAS BEE A MONTH AND THE CONSUMER STILL HASN'T RECEIVED REIMBURSEMENT. *NM

Mileage: 21,000

RECALL NOTICE ON MY 2000 DUTCH STAR MOTORHOME W/MICHELIN 255/80R22.5 TIRES. JUST NOTIFIED BY LTR DATED 1-26-04 FROM NEWMAR CORP. I HAVE ATTEMPTED 3 TIMES TO CONTACT THEM, AND THEY REFUSE TO RETURN CALLS OR ANSWER THEIR PHONE OTHER THAN AUTOMATED.TIRES FAILED W/LESS THAN 27,000 MILES IN OCT 2002.*AK

Mileage: 27,000

WHILE DRIVING A 2000 NEWMAR DUTCH STAR DIESEL PUSHER THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT WITH APPROXIMATELY 18,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. A MICHELIN DEALER, AFTER A CURSORY EXAMINATION, CLAIMED THE TIRE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY LOW TIRE PRESSURE. THE DEALER'S ASSERTION WAS NOT ACCURATE AS THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS MAINTAINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TIRE LOAD/INFLATION SPECIFICATIONS PROVIDED BY MICHELIN TO THE CHASSIS MANUFACTURER. *LA

Mileage: 18,000

WHILE DRIVING A 2000 NEWMAR DUTCH STAR DIESEL PUSHER THE RIGHT REAR INSIDE TIRE BLEW OUT WITH APPROXIMATELY 29,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I CONTACTED MICHELIN'S CONSUMER CALL CENTER TO INFORM THEM THAT THIS WAS THE SECOND BLOWOUT I EXPERIENCED ON THIS VEHICLE, AND THAT BOTH TIRES HAD THE SAME MANUFACTURING DATE CODE. THEY RESPONDED BY ASSERTING THAT THE TIRE DAMAGE MUST HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY LOW TIRE PRESSURE. WHEN I MAINTAINED THAT PRESSURE HAD NEVER BEEN LOW, THEY THEN RESPONDED THAT THE TIRE MUST HAVE BEEN OVERLOADED. I REMOVED ALL SIX MICHELIN TIRES FROM THIS MOTORHOME AND REPLACED THEM WITH GOODYEAR TIRES. I HAVE SINCE DRIVEN THIS VEHICLE ALMOST 40,000 ADDITIONAL MILES WITHOUT INCIDENT. *LA

Mileage: 29,000

I HAVE A NEWMAR MOTORHOME WITH MICHELIN TIRES. IT HAS 25000 MILES ON IT. IN THE LAST 1400 MILES I HAVE BLOWN THREE TIRES OF THE 6 ON THE VEHICLE. I HAD THE VEHICLE WEIGHED AND IT IS NOT OVER THE RATED MAXIMUM WEIGHTS ON EITHER AXEL. I HAVE BLOWN TWO FRONT AND ONE REAR TIRE SO FAR. (YOUR LIST OF MICHELIN TIRES DOES NOT NCLUDE THE XRV SO I WILL CHOOSE ANOTHER TYPE JUST TO BE ABLE TO PROCEED) THIS SHOULD INTEREST YOU: TWO MICHELIN DEALERS WHO SERVICED ME WHEN THE FIRST TWO TIRES BLEW SID THAT THE XRV TIRES THAT MICHELIN MAKES FOR MOTORHOMES ARE "A PIECE OF CRAP". ONE OF THEM TOLD THAT TO MICHELIN HQ IN MY PRESENCE IN A PHONE CALL. MICHELIN GAVE ME ONE REPLACEMENT TIRE AFTER I HAD BLOWN TWO IN A WEEK. MY TIRES ARE NOT OLD AND THE DEALERS DID NOT SUGGEST THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING I DID THAT MADE THEM BLOW. I BELIEVE THAT I HAVE TRIES FROM A BAD BATCH OF TIRES. TO HAVE THREE OF THEM BLOW WITHIN 1400 MILES SUGGESTS THAT THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME DEFECT. I AM CONVINCED THEY ARE UNSAFE AND I AM REPLACING THE THREE THAT HAVE NOT YET BLOWN WITH OTHER TIRES TOMORROW. I AM REPLACING THEM WITH THE SAME TYPE OF TIRE THAT MICHELIN GAVE ME AS A WARRANTY REPLACEMENT, THE XZE TRUCK TIRE.*AK

Mileage: 24,710

TWO BLOWOUTS WITH ORIGINAL MICHELIN TIRES ON MOTORHOME. 1ST FAILURE AT 12K MILES WITH INSIDE LEFT REAR AND 2ND FAILURE AT 14K MILES WITH INSIDE LEFT FRONT. CONSUMER STATED THAT TIRES WERE TOO SMALL AND IMPROPERLY RATED FOR THE LARGE MOTORHOME. TIRE INFO: MICHELIN XRV 255/80R22.5 ORIGINAL. *TT

AT 60MPH FRONT TIRES BLEWOUT, CAUSING CONSUMER TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK MICHELIN RADIAL SIZE 25580 225 *MJ