NHTSA Complaint #10183463 — 2005 FORD FOCUS

I RECENTLY HAD A TIRE FAILURE. I AM NOT SURE WHAT TO CALL IT AS THE ENTIRE MIDDLE SECTION OF RUBBER CAME COMPLETELY OFF. THERE WAS ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT (IF ANY) SIDEWALL LEFT (I HAVE PHOTOS). I TOOK IT TO A GOODYEAR DEALER WHO REPLACED IT AT A "PRORATED" RATE ALTHOUGH MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE WARRANTY WAS THAT IT WOULD BE COMPLETELY COVERED. I HAD IT REPLACED AND PAID THE $80.00. I ALSO CONTACTED GOODYEAR TO MAKE SURE THIS WAS THEIR POLICY AND THAT MY TRANSACTION WAS HANDLED CORRECTLY, I INCLUDED A PHOTO WITH MY CORRESPONDENCE. THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS THEIR POLICY AND THE DEALER HAD CONTACTED THEM ABOUT MY INCIDENT. THEY ALSO ASSURED ME THAT A TIRE SHOULD NOT DO THAT AND THEY ARE SORRY ABOUT IT. I AM FEELING THAT THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS POSSIBILITY, IF IT HAD BEEN A FRONT TIRE I WOULD NOT HAVE SURVIVED THE INCIDENT AS I WOULD HAVE LOST TOTAL CONTROL (GOODYEAR TIRE). *NM