NHTSA Complaint #10195261 — 2004 FORD F-150

I WAS DRIVING A 2004 FORD 150 PICKUP SOUTH ON INTERSTATE 29 NEAR GLENWOOD IOWA WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO VIBRATE. I TRIED TO PULL TO THE RIGHT TO SEE WHAT WAS CAUSING IT WHEN THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE SEEMED TO EXPLODE. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT LOSING CONTROL OF THE TRUCK AND GOT OUT TO SEE WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I FOUND THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER TIRE STILL INFLATED BUT WITHOUT ANY TREAD ON THE TIRE. I ALSO FOUND HALF THE RUNNING BOARD WAS MISSING, AND A SMALL DENT IN THE DOOR JUST ABOVE WHERE THE RUNNING BOARD USED TO BE. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO TINCHER FORD IN GLENWOOD IOWA AND HAD THE TIRE REPLACED. THIS COST WA S$157.00. I STILL DID NOT KNOW WHAT IT WAS GOING TO COST TO REPLACE THE RUNNING BOARD. THE MECHANIC MENTIONED HE HAD NEVER SEEN THE TREAD ON A TIRE SEPARATE THE WAY THIS ONE DID. I KEPT THE OLD TIRE AND REPLACED IT WITH THE EXACT SAME BRAND, A GENERAL AMERITRAC TR P255/70 R17. I AM NERVOUS ABOUT DRIVING ON THESE TIRES NOW WITH THE FEAR OF THIS REOCCURING. I JUST HEARD THERE HAS BEEN A SERIES OF ACCIDENTS AND EVEN DEATHS CAUSED BY THIS TIRE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOVER THE COST OF THE REPAIRS TO MY PICKUP AND TIRES.*AK