NHTSA Complaint #10160640 — 1995 FORD AEROSTAR

AT APPROXIMATELY 12:00 AM 6/23/06, I WAS DRIVING FROM ALBANY, TX TO DALLAS, TX ON HIGHWAY 180... AND THE TREAD ON MY RIGHT REAR TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE. THE TIRE IS A BRIDGESTONE TURANZA. I WAS DOING BETWEEN 70 AND 75 AT THE TIME AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO REDUCE SPEED TO ABOUT 25. INTERESTINGLY, THE REMAINING TIRE DID NOT GO FLAT. IT WAS STILL INFLATED WHEN I CAME TO A HALT. THE TREAD TORE OFF PART OF MY REAR BUMPER AND MARKED UP THE REAR SIDE PANEL OF MY VEHICLE. I HAVE TAKEN MANY PICTURES OF THE TIRE AND OF THE DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE. THIS IS THE THIRD TIRE OF A 4 TIRE SET THAT HAS GIVEN ME PROBLEMS. THE FIRST TWO DEVELOPED RIDGES IN THE TREAD. I REPLACED THEM LAST AUGUST. THE REAR TIRES AT THE TIME SEEMED FINE. NOW, TEN MONTHS LATER... HERE I AM ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE TREAD SEPARATES. I COULD HAVE EASILY DIED OR BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. IF THERE HAD BEEN TRAFFIC AT THE TIME... THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT AS MY VEHICLE WAS ALL OVER THE HIGHWAY UNTIL THE SPEED WAS REDUCED AND CONTROL COULD BE REGAINED. *JB