NHTSA Complaint #10125192 — 1992 FORD TEMPO

WHILE DRIVING EASTBOUND ON ROUTE 20 NEAR OBERLIN, OHIO I HIT A POTHOLE WHICH WAS LARGE ENOUGH TO MAKE MY CAR SWERVE. THE POTHOLE WAS UNAVOIDABLE BECAUSE A CAR WAS DRIVING PAST ME IN THE OTHER LANE AND AT THAT POINT. NO MATTER HOW FAR I WOULD HAVE GONE TO THE RIGHT (NEAR THE WHITE LINE) TO AVOID IT, I WOULD HAVE STILL HIT IT. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ONE BEHIND THE VEHICLE PASSING ME WHEN I HIT THE POTHOLE OR ELSE I WOULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. WHEN I GOT HOME I NOTICED SOME DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY THE CAR WAS DRIVING BUT PAYED NOT ATTENTION BECAUSE IT WAS NOT NOTICEABLE ENOUGH TO TAKE ANY ACTION. ON THE FOLLOWING THURSDAY MAY 12, 2005 I NOTICED MY TIRE WAS SET BACK ALL THE WAY AGAINST THE WHEEL WELL AND THERE WAS NOW A NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING AND THE WAY IT SOUNDED. I TOOK IT TO A GARAGE SHOP AND THEY SAID THE SWAY BAR WAS BROKEN, THE TIRE WAS SET BACK AND FROM HITTING THE POTHOLE THE TIRE OF THE RIM HAD BEEN BENT.