NHTSA Complaint #10202267 — 1998 MAZDA MPV

TRAVELING 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE 275 NORTH OF TAMPA, FLORIDA AT 10:30 P.M. ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2006 WHEN THE TREAD SEPARATED ON A NEARLY NEW (6 WEEK OLD) FIRESTONE TIRE. I NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, SKIDDING SIDEWAYS TO THE LEFT AND THEN TO THE RIGHT, ALMOST OVER TURNING BEFORE BEING ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. I ALSO ALMOST COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE SEPARATING TREAD HIT THE LEFT BACK WHEEL WELL, TEARING OUT THE WHEEL WELL COVER, DAMAGING THE BACK BUMPER BEYOND REPAIR AND DAMAGING THE FRONT OF THE WHEEL WELL COVER AND LEFT BACK PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. THE FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL WAS CALLED AND A TROOPER KEPT HIS VEHICLE BEHIND ME WITH HIS EMERGENCY LIGHTS FLASHING WHILE I CHANGED THE TIRE BUT HE DID NOT WRITE A REPORT. REPAIRS WILL HAVE TO BE MADE. *JB