NHTSA safety investigation
NHTSA Investigation EA05011
Engineering Analysis · COUNTRY COACH INC · TIRES
An investigation is not a finding that a defect exists.
NHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
What NHTSA is examining
The agency's own description of the inquiry, quoted as published
FRONT TIRE FAILURES
ON JUNE 30, 2006, COUNTRY COACH FILED DEFECT REPORT 06V-262 STATING THAT THE TOYO 275/70R22.5M102Z TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE AND COULD FAIL UNEXPECTEDLY CAUSING A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.ODI'S INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT FRONT TIRE FAILURES HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY COUNTRY COACH'S SELECTION OF TIRES THAT PROVIDED MARGINAL LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY FOR THEIR INTENDED APPLICATION.OWNERS WERE FREQUENTLY UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH COUNTRY COACH'S CAMPAIGN REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE THESE REQUIREMENTS WERE INEFFECTIVELY COMMUNCIATED AND BECAUSE SPECIFIED TIRE INFLATION PRESSURES WERE DIFFICULT FOR OWNERS TO ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN. ODI ALSO FOUND THAT THE RUBBER PROPERTIES OF THE TOYO 275/70R22.5 M102Z DEGRADE WITH TIME. THE DEGRADATION IN RUBBER PROPERTIES DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY OBVIOUS INDICATIONS TO THE VEHICLE OWNER AND THE TIRES BECOME MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FAILURE OVER TIME WHEN SUBJECTED TO THEVEHICLE OPERATING CONDITIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE.
An investigation is a separate record from a recall and from a manufacturer communication. A manufacturer campaign to repair a safety defect or a failure to meet a federal safety standard.
Investigation details
Identifiers, dates and outcome as recorded by NHTSA
- Action number
- EA05011
- Investigation type
- Engineering Analysis (EA)
- Status
- Closed
- Manufacturer
- COUNTRY COACH INC
- Component
- TIRES
- Opened
- Jul 14, 2005
- Closed
- Aug 30, 2006
- Associated recall campaign
- 06V262000
Vehicles named in this investigation
11 model years across 2 models
Being named here means NHTSA included the vehicle in the scope of its inquiry. It is not a statement that these vehicles have a defect.