2009 FLOAT-ON 723ABB

LETTER FROM SENATOR NELSON ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT, RE DEFECTIVE TIRES AND WHEELS ON HIS 2009 FLOAT-ON 723ABB BOAT TRAILER. *NJ WHEN THE CONSUMER TOOK THE BOAT TO A LOCAL FIRESTONE RETAILER, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT 2 TIRES SEPARATING AND ALL 5 WHEELS WERE BENT. THE DEALER WHERE THE BOAT WAS PURCHASED REPLACED THE 2 TIRES AND THE WHEELS. THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO FIRESTONE AND WAS INFORMED THAT 2 TIRES WERE GOOD, 2 WERE DEFECTIVE AND 3 OF THE FIVE WHEELS WERE BENT. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT BOAT TRAILER WHEELS ACT DIFFERENTLY THAN AUTOMOTIVE WHEELS. THE CONSUMER STATED HE WATCHED AS THE WHEELS WERE BEING BALANCED AND THAT HE COULD CLEARLY SEE THE TWIST IN THE WHEELS. THE CONSUMER SUGGESTED THERE WAS A QUALITY CONTROL PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER STATED THE WHEEL HAD POOR GALVANIZATION. THE CONSUMER WAS NOT SURE IF THE WHEELS WERE BENT DUE TO TIRE EQUIPMENT OR POSSIBLY THE HEAT FROM THE GALVANIZATION PROCESS. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FLOAT-ON 723ABB BOAT TRAILER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR SERVICE AND THE MECHANIC OBSERVED THAT TWO OUT OF THE FIVE TIRES EXHIBITED TREAD SEPARATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY REPLACED THE TWO DEFECTIVE TIRES. THE TIRE FAILURE CONTRIBUTED TO A REPLACEMENT OF 15 TIRES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 300 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. 2 OF THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND ALL 5 WHEELS WERE BENT. THE CONSUMER STATED THE WHEELS MAY HAVE BEEN BENT DUE TO TIRE CHANGING EQUIPMENT AT THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONSUMER STATED THE WHEEL HAD POOR GALVANIZATION. UPDATED 06/17/09.*JB