NHTSA Complaint #10200121 — 2004 SATURN ION

I WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON I-95 GOING ABOUT 65 MPH IN THE CENTER LANE. ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD A LOUD BOOM AND I SEE OUT OF MY LEFT SIDEVIEW MIRROR, THE LEFT SIDE OF MY BUMPER FLIP UP INTO THE AIR. I LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE AND IT STARTED SWERVING LEFT AND RIGHT. MY CAR CROSSED OVER THE RIGHT LANE AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF ONTO THE SHOULDER AND INTO A GRASSY AREA JUST NORTH OF THE GLADES ROAD EXIT. WHEN I GOT OUT OF MY VEHICLE TO CHECK THE DAMAGE, RIGHT AWAY I SEE LARGE PIECES OF MY TIRE TREAD LAYING IN THE ROAD ABOUT 20 FEET BACK. THE LEFT SIDE OF MY BUMPER IS SCRATCHED AND TORN FROM THE CAR. THE TIRE WAS COMPLETELY BALD AND THE TREAD WAS PEALED OFF, LAYING IN THE STREET. THE PANEL BETWEEN MY BUMPER AND LEFT REAR DOOR IS SNAPPED OFF AND HANGING BY A SMALL PIECE. I OPENED THE LEFT REAR DOOR AND THE WHOLE INSIDE FRAME IS CRACKED AND IN PIECES. IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN THE TIRE TREAD PEELED OFF, IT BEAT INTO THE DOOR, SIDE PANEL AND BUMPER AND BUSTED THEM RIGHT OFF. THE TIRE WAS NOT PUNCTURED NOR DID I RUN OVER ANY DEBRIS IN THE ROAD. THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. I CHANGED MY TIRE AND PUT THE SPARE ON AND DROVE TO A NEARBY SHOP TO HAVE A NEW TIRE PUT ON. I TAPED UP MY BUMPER BECAUSE IT WOULD FLAP AROUND AS I DRIVE. THE TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE TIRE AND IT IS THE ORIGINAL TIRE THAT CAME ON MY 2004 BRAND NEW SATURN ION. I CONTACTED FIRESTONE TO EXPLAIN THE SITUATION AND MAKE THEM AWARE THAT THIS IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. I KEEP MY CAR IN TOP CONDITION, I GET OIL CHANGES EVERY 3,000 MILES, FILL MY TIRES WITH AIR EVERY MONTH AND I ROTATE THEM EVERY OTHER OIL CHANGE AS WELL. OF COURSE, FIRESTONE DENIED MY CLAIM ADVISING THE TIRE HAD OVER DEFLECTION AND THAT IS WHY THE TIRE TREAD PEELED OFF THE TIRE. I CALLED FIRESTONE AND SPOKE WITH THE PARALEGAL WHO SENT THE DENIAL LETTER. I ADVISED HER THAT FIRESTONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING THE DAMAGE ON MY VEHICLE OR PAYING MY $250 DEDUCTIBLE TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY IN ORDER FOR THEM TO FIX THE DAMAGE. FIRESTONE DENIED. *TR