NHTSA Complaint #10108444 — 2004 FORD TAURUS

I AM WRITING THIS REPORT ON BEHALF OF MY WIFE'S COUSIN, [XXX]. , WHO EXPERIENCED A LIFE THREATENING TIRE FAILURE. [XXX]. , A 71 YEAR OLD WIDOW, HAD LEFT ST. MARY'S HOSPITAL IN TUCSON, AZ AT APPROXIMATELY 5 PM ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 2005. SHE WAS SOUTHBOUND ON INTERSTATE 19, PROCEEDING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, IN HER 2004 FORD TAURUS LX VIN [XXX], WITH 2500 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE WEATHER WAS MILD, HIGH 60'S, THE ROAD SMOOTH AND CLEAR. APPROXIMATELY 16 MILES INTO HER TRIP SHE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN AND CATACLYSMIC TIRE FAILURE ON THE RIGHT REAR TIRE, A CONTINENTAL TOURINGCONTACT AS P215-60R16 94T. SHE QUICKLY DECELERATED AND CAME TO A STOP ON THE RIGHT BERM OF THE INTERSTATE. I SAW THE TIRE IN HER TRUNK AND IT LOOKED "NORMAL". WHEN I RAISED THE TIRE AND FLIPPED IT I DISCOVERED THAT THE INNER TIRE WALL HAD FAILED, JAGGEDLY (SAW TOOTH) TORN, COMPLETELY THROUGH THE WALL, 360 DEGREES AROUND THE TIRE. MUCH OF THE TIRE WALL APPEARED "MISSING". HER TRUNK WAS FULL OF FRIABLE BLACK CHUNKS AND POWDER FROM THE TIRE INNER SIDE WALL. I HAVE A SAMPLE. THE INNER TIRE WALL BEAD WAS STILL SEALED AGAINST THE WHEEL RIM, NO SEPARATION. MY IMMEDIATE REACTION WAS THAT SINCE THE OUTER TIRE WALL APPEARED NORMAL AND ONLY THE INNER TIRE WALL FAILED THAT A MANUFACTURING DEFECT HAD OCCURRED WITHIN THE OUTER TIRE WALL LEADING TO LONG TERM OVERHEATING AND SUBSEQUENT SIDE WALL DISINTEGRATION AND FAILURE.*AK WHEN THE DEALER EXAMINED THE TIRE, HE SHOWED THE CONSUMER AN ALLEGED TREAD PUNCTURE AND INTERIOR TREAD LAYER TEAR WHICH VOIDED THE WARRANTY. *JB INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR