Specifically, customers need to check whether their RV has Goodyear G159 275/70 22.5 RV tires. If it does, they should take have the tires exchanged. Although Goodyear recommended the G159 for larger RVs, it was actually designed for regional delivery trucks and was not specifically tested for use on RVs. Neither Goodyear nor the RV manufacturers ever tested the tire to ensure that it could manage the speeds and loads that RVs frequently handle.The tires were initially sold for RVs in the mid 1990s and were used on various Class A RV models up to 2004. The G159 tire was chosen because Goodyear gave it a high rating and a recommendation that it was an acceptable tire for larger RVs.
The problems with the tires are stress concentrations and high internal temperatures at the edge of the belt. These conditions make the edge of the tires sensitive to design, material, and manufacturing flaws. In the case of the Goodyear G159 275.70 22.5 RV tire, the tire has problems with de-treading because of manufacturing and design defects. A number of manufacturers used the Goodyear G159 tire, including Fleetwood and Monaco.
Goodyear may have known about problems with the RV tire as early as 1997. At least one RV manufacturer, Fleetwood, recalled some RVs and replaced the Goodyear tires with Michelin tires in 1999. The reason given for the recall was that "In a fully loaded vehicle, the tires on the front axle may be loaded past their rated carrying capacity." The overload had the potential to lead to tire failure, causing serious, life-threatening car accidents.
Monaco and Goodyear have co-operated in a "Customer Satisfaction Change Over" which allows customers to have their Goodyear G159 tires replaced with tires that are larger and stronger. However, Goodyear maintains that the change-over program was undertaken because of customer abuse of the tire. Additionally, some customers have complained to the NHTSA about the Goodyear G159 tires.
According to one law firm, Goodyear has refused to produce any documents or witnesses during the discovery phase of lawsuits against it without the courts entering a "secrecy order" that would effectively prevent the public from knowing the truth about problems with the tires.
If you have an RV with Goodyear G159 275/70 22.5 RV tires, take your RV in and have the tires exchanged. If you had those tires on your RV and were involved in an accident because the tires failed, contact a lawyer to discuss your options.