NHTSA Complaint #10075355 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

MY SON WAS ALMOST KILLED ALONG WITH DRIVERS ON THE FREEWAY BELOW THE OVERPASS HE WAS ON WHEN A 2 WEEK OLD TIRE BLEW AND HE INSTANTLY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IN VIEWING THIS TIRE, I FOUND IT TO LOOK AS IF IT HAS DRY ROT ALL AROUND IT. LITTLE TINY HOLES UNDERNEATH THE TREADS ALL AROUND AS IF EATEN AWAY BY TERMITES OR SOMETHING. FOR A NEW TIRE IT IS OLDER LOOKING THAN THE OTHER 6 MONTH OLD TIRES. I KNOW NO ONE WHO WOULD LAB TEST THE MATERIAL, BUT IN MY GUT SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG WITH IT. IT BLEW FROM UNDERNEATH A THICK NEW TREAD THAT HAS NO PUNCTURES ON TOP. IT IS A FIRESTONE/FIREHAWK P205/50R16, DOT# W2W11TB0804. MY CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS, BUT MY SON MADE IT THROUGH OK THANK GOD. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER MGR I PURCHASED IT FROM AND HE OUTRIGHT DISAGREED AND STARTED TO TAKE THE TIRE FROM ME SAYING HE WOULD HAVE THIER LAB TEST IT, BUT I HAVE LITTLE TRUST FOR THIER LAB. I NEED HELP IN REVIEWING THIS. I HAVE NO CAR AND I FEEL IT IS BECAUSE OF AN ACCIDENT CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE TIRE. INSURANCE DOES NOT PAY COMPRABLE TO THE VEHICLE YOU HAD. I HAD ONLY ONE LAST PAYMENT TO GO. MY SON AND MANY OTHER PEOPLE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. BUYING TIRES IS LIKE A GAME OF RUSSIAN ROULETTE WITH LIFE AND DEATH. IT SEEMS WE ALL JUST ACCEPT THAT FACT.*AK