NHTSA Complaint #10083175 — 2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE

I WAS DRIVING UP 101 NORTH AT 45-50 MPH WHEN THE DRIVER'S FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. I IMMEDIATELY FIRMED MY GRIP ON THE STEERING WHEEL, AND BRAKED IN A SAFE MANNER, BUT THEN THE CAR STARTED VIOLENTLY SHAKING, AND VEERING TOWARDS THE LEFT TO THE POINT WHERE I COULD NOT CONTROL IT, EVEN THOUGH THE CAR HAD SLOWED TO AROUND 20 MPH. I GRAZED THE CENTER MEDIAN, SCRATCHING THE SIDE OF THE CAR, THEN WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL. I THEN HAD TO PULL OVER ON THE FREEWAY GOING ABOUT 5 MPH. I THEN GOT OUT OF THE CAR, CALLED AAA, AND LOOKED AT THE DAMAGE. TO MY AMAZEMENT, THREE OF THE FIVE SPOKES ON THE RIM HAD CRACKED SEVERELY, AND THE WHEEL WAS WOBBLING BADLY. A CHP OFFICER STOPPED AT THE SCENE, AND WAS LIKEWISE AMAZED AT THE BROKEN WHEEL. HE CHECKED THE ROAD FOR DEBRIS, BUT FOUND NONE, CONFIRMING THAT THE TIRE HAD BLOWN ON ITS OWN. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER THEN ARRIVED, AND HELPED PUT THE SPARE ON, WHICH ALSO WOBBLED AND WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE ON. IT TURNS OUT THAT SOME SUSPENSION COMPONENTS HAD BROKEN ALONG WITH THE WHEEL. HE LATER TOWED THE CAR TO MAZDA OF MARIN, WHERE THEY BLAMED US FOR THE DAMAGE. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT WHEELS DON'T JUST BREAK FROM BLOUOUTS, AND THAT WHEELS LIKE THIS POSE A THREAT TO MOTORISTS.*AK