Tire Failure Factors

* It seems all tire manufacturers are coming under fire for failure of their products in service. Has no one taken into account that although not all SUVs are subjected to off-road conditions, their drivers still expect them to handle rough terrain and often drive over stones and other sharp objects, not expecting problems?

Of course, those drivers who do take their vehicles off road are subjecting their tires to many extreme conditions that could lead to the reported separations, and it is doubtful that information has found its way into the statistics.

No one has brought up the ever-increasing speeds being driven on both streets and highways. For example, on interstates 405 and 5 from West Los Angeles to Bakersfield, the average vehicle speed is 75 mph. About 15% more are up in the 80s. At these speeds, a once controllable blowout becomes a potential rollover.

With the advent of self-service stations and prices forcing people to pump their own gas, how many check the inflation rate of their tires? Few stations offer air at the pump, and if it is available, it normally requires a separate gauge for accurate inflation. Heat generated from under-inflation is certainly a causative factor.

Any one of these examples is cause for tire failure. It is certainly possible that a great number of tires could be subjected to all three of these conditions, leading to failure that is now blamed solely on the manufacturers.

JAMES DOWNIE

Brentwood