NHTSA Complaint #10104481 — 2001 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER

CAR HAS ABOUT 30000 MILES, OWNER WENT OUT TO LOOK AT CAR THIS MORNING AND FOUND THAT FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE IS COMPLETELY FLAT AND RIM IS SEVERELY DENTED. OWNER DOES NOT RECALL HITTING ANYTHING THAT WOULD HAVE DENTED RIM. FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE RIM WAS MINORLY DENTED ON POTHOLE ABOUT SIX WEEKS AGO, SUSPECTED TO HAVE CAUSED SLOW LEAK IN TIRE, BUT OWNER WAS NOT GOING TO REPORT UNTIL SECOND RIM DENTED WITHOUT APPARENT CAUSE. TWO RIMS NOW NEED REPLACED; NEITHER FRONT TIRE HOLDS AIR SECURELY. BOTH RIMS VISIBLY DAMAGED, INCURRING FINANCIAL EXPENSE AND CAUSING DISTRESS TO OWNER BECAUSE INCIDENT HAPPENED OUT OF TOWN ON CHRISTMAS MORNING THE DAY BEFORE SHE WAS SCHEDULED TO MAKE EIGHT-HOUR RETURN TRIP TO COLUMBUS FROM PHILADELPHIA, RENDERING THE CAR UNDRIVABLE. TIRES MIGHT ALSO NEED REPLACED IF DAMAGE TO THEM HAS OCCURED. RIMS AND TIRES HAVE NOT BEEN REPAIRED OR REPLACED YET BECAUSE OWNER FILED COMPLAINT IMMEDIATELY AFTER DISCOVERING DAMAGE.*AK