NHTSA Complaint #10043212 — 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE

ON OCTOBER 15, A CONTINENTAL CONTITRAC TIRE ON OUR 2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE EXPERIENCED A BLOW OUT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON A BUSY OVER-PASS. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ROAD HAZARDS COMING INTO CONTACT WITH THE TIRE. THE TIRE WAS BADLY DAMAGED ON THE BLOWOUT AND WHILE SUBSEQUENTLY TRAVELING ON THE RIM WHILE COMING TO A STOP ON THE SHOULDER. THE LOCAL MANUFACTURER REPRESENTATIVE DENIED A WARRANTY CLAIM OUTRIGHT INDICATING THAT THE DAMAGE TO THE TIRE WAS CAUSED BY RIDING ON THE RIM, NOT A BLOWOUT. I AM PURSUING THIS MATTER WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THE LOCAL MAGISTRATE. WHAT CONCERNS ME MORE IS THAT IF CONTINENTAL HAS CREATED ARTIFICIAL BARRIERS TO THEIR REPRESENTATIVES PROCESSING WARRANTY CLAIMS, THEN SERIOUS MANUFACTURING DEFECTS MAY GO UNKNOWN. I BELIEVE THAT THE FAILED TIRE WAS UNQUESTIONABLY DEFECTIVE. *LA