Component
TIRES:SIDEWALL
2,489 NHTSA complaints about tires:sidewall issues across 49 makes and 532 models.
The tires:sidewall is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 2,489 filings from 49 manufacturers and 532 distinct vehicle models, a footprint large enough that defect engineers can isolate part-family patterns across different platforms that share the same supplier or the same federal motor vehicle safety standard.
Among filings citing this component, owners have reported 58 crashes, 6 fires, 158 injuries, and 3 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the FORD EXPLORER with 132 filings, followed by NISSAN MAXIMA and FORD RANGER. These severity counters are what separates a nuisance complaint trend from a pattern NHTSA is likely to escalate into a Preliminary Evaluation.
Component-level analysis is how the Office of Defects Investigation spots cross-manufacturer supplier issues — the same airbag inflator, the same takata-style ignition switch, the same brake hose material — before they become industry-wide recalls. When you see a single component accumulating large complaint volume across several unrelated nameplates, that is usually a signature of a shared supplier or a shared federal standard being stressed by real-world conditions. Use the affected-vehicles table below to see whether the pattern is concentrated on a handful of models or distributed evenly, and cross-reference each model's full recall and investigation history before drawing conclusions about any one nameplate.
Most Affected Vehicles
| # | Vehicle | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FORD EXPLORER | 132 |
| 2 | NISSAN MAXIMA | 92 |
| 3 | FORD RANGER | 65 |
| 4 | FORD F-250 | 60 |
| 5 | FORD F-150 | 60 |
| 6 | FORD EXPEDITION | 49 |
| 7 | FORD EXCURSION | 48 |
| 8 | HONDA ACCORD | 47 |
| 9 | FORD F-350 | 41 |
| 10 | TOYOTA CAMRY | 35 |
| 11 | CHEVROLET SUBURBAN | 33 |
| 12 | CHEVROLET SILVERADO | 28 |
| 13 | HONDA CIVIC | 26 |
| 14 | JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE | 25 |
| 15 | FORD FOCUS | 24 |
| 16 | DODGE DAKOTA | 24 |
| 17 | CHEVROLET TAHOE | 24 |
| 18 | FORD TAURUS | 22 |
| 19 | AUDI S4 | 20 |
| 20 | TOYOTA TACOMA | 19 |
| 21 | DODGE RAM 1500 | 19 |
| 22 | TOYOTA COROLLA | 18 |
| 23 | FORD F-250 SD | 18 |
| 24 | VOLKSWAGEN JETTA | 17 |
| 25 | FORD MUSTANG | 17 |
| 26 | CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 | 17 |
| 27 | VOLVO S60 | 16 |
| 28 | MERCURY MOUNTAINEER | 16 |
| 29 | LINCOLN NAVIGATOR | 16 |
| 30 | HONDA ODYSSEY | 16 |
Recent Complaints
The contact owns a 2022 Honda CR-V equipped with Continental Tires, Tire Line: Cross Contact, Tire Size: 235/55/R19, DOT Number: HWE7WC8K1722. The contact stated that there was a round dot on the fron
see attached
General Grabbers AT Driving center lane on clear highway. Tire had a complete sidewall blow out total separation of sidewall and tread. Almost lost control of vehicle. Brand new vehicle with only 400
Sidewall randomly cracked while traveling late at night on sparsely populated interstate. No debris on road or potholes encountered to explain why this occurred.
- I was driving down 55 mph. on dark, busy highway in Sarasota, Florida (Fruitville Rd.) at approximately 6:15 a.m. on Friday, January 23, 2025. - Suddenly, without warning, the sidewall of the rear
Traveling on interstate, 60 mph. All of a sudden, I heard a loud noise followed by a thump. Managed to get off the exit and pulled over onto the shoulder. Noticed the sidewall had separated from the t
Right front tire failed while driving on interstate highway. Sidewall blowout. The tire is available for inspection. Stability of car compromised could have caused an accident. The problem has not b
265/50R20 Cooper Evolution H/T, all 4 tires have cracks all the way around each tire, possibly sidewall defects. Tires were purchased new from Bobâs tire in Attalla, Alabama.
245/35 ZP 19 89Y With only 16,000 miles on this vehicle, the sidewall began to bulge, and then tore, with zero damage to the rim of the wheel, and all air was lost. Luckily it is a run flat tire so i
The contact owns a 2021 Mazda CX-5 equipped with Firestone Tires, Tire Line: Destination LE3, Tire Size: 225/55/R19, DOT Numbers: 17XEFLE320725 and 17XEFLE321524. While the vehicle was parked, the con
Passenger rear tire blew out the side wall all around the tire. The dealer that installed the tire has it for warranty. It was an large noise and I was able to pull to the side of the road immedia
Both front tires have to be replaced due to cracking along the outer circumferential area where the sidewall meets the treads. Tire size 245-50R-20.
My truck tires were bought at Costco in 2015 and had 70k Warranty or 6yrs WCF. My added truck mileage since then is 12k miles. I discovered my driver rear passenger tire go flat . I put the spare a
275 55r20 Sidewalls are separating like dryrotted. Bad and severe problems and have been reported to Bridgestone warranty and recall department with no actio taken at this time.
Incident Description (Firestone Destination LE3 â P235/65R17) I purchased four new Firestone Destination LE3 tires (size P235/65R17, DOT IW2 8ILE31) and within the first week three of them develope
Pirelli Scorpion MS 255/45 R20 105V M+S A large bulge was found on the inside sidewall of the tire immediately adjacent to the tread. We had it inspected due to a slight shimmy in the nearly new (<30
Entered a roundabout at perhaps 15mph. RR tire hits small area on rounded curbing where a small piece of concrete curbing (perhaps 3â wide by 8â high) had come out. Tire made contact with this ar
We took our car to the Mazda dealership for routine maintenance. The technician found circumferential cracking along the sidewall/tread junction of all 4 tires. We were told that this suggests tread s
Dunlop SP Sport 5000 - 225/40R18 - DOT EUT74DDR5220 3 of the 4 tires are splitting on the side walls
The contact owns a 1989 Chevrolet R Conventional equipped with Lionhart Tires, Tire Line: Lionclaw ATX2, Tire Size: 215/85/R16, DOT Number: TBJ6FA5C. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the
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Data Sources
Vehicle complaint data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database. Includes consumer-reported safety issues filed with NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Severity counts cross-reference NHTSA FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) for fatal incidents where a corresponding FARS record exists.
Component categories are standardized by NHTSA. Crash-test ratings where shown are drawn from the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Complaint counts, crash reports, fire reports, and fatality data reflect consumer-submitted reports and may not represent all incidents.
Disclaimer: This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for vehicle purchase decisions. NHTSA complaint data is self-reported by consumers and has not been verified or investigated. A high complaint count does not necessarily indicate a defect. Always consult a qualified mechanic and check official NHTSA recall notices before making safety-related decisions.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.