NHTSA Complaint #10151462 — 2005 TOYOTA SIENNA

I HAVE A 2005 TOYOTA SIENNA AWD THAT IS EQUIPPED WITH BRIDGESTONE RUN-FLAT TIRES. I WAS GIVEN NO SPARE TIRE WITH MY VEHICLE. I WAS TRAVELING WITH MY FAMILY ON OCTOBER 14 2005 ON INTERSTATE 5 IN CA. AT 4 AM WHEN MY TIRE WENT FLAT AT 70 MPH. THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE WARNING SYSTEM FAILED TO NOTIFY MY WIFE WHO WAS DRIVING THAT THE TIRE HAD LOST AIR PRESSURE. SHE CONTINUED TO DRIVE UNTIL THE TIRE STARTED TO DISINTEGRATE AND SHE FELT THE VEHICLE START TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. THERE WE WERE STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE WITH A DESTROYED TIRE AND NO SPARE. I WAS FORCED TO HAVE MY VAN TOWED TO BAKERSFIELD CA. AND HAVE THE TIRE REPLACED WITH A STANDARD TIRE SINCE THE RUN-FLATS ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND. TOYOTA REFUSES TO COMPENSATE ME IN ANY WAY FOR THIS IRRESPONSIBLE DESIGN THEY HAVE ON THEIR AWD SIENNAS. I DON'T WANT THESE UNSAFE TIRES ON MY VAN AND I WANT A SPARE. I PAID $40,000 FOR THIS VAN AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN A SPARE TIRE. I WAS LED TO BELIEVE THAT THESE GARBAGE TIRES WOULD TAKE THE PLACE OF A SPARE WHICH THEY OBVIOUSLY DO NOT!*JB