NHTSA Complaint #10229073 — 2001 MITSUBISHI SPYDER

ON 5/19/08, ANOTHER EMPLOYEE INFORMED ME THAT MY REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE WAS FLAT IN OUR COMPANY PARKING LOT. I AM A MEMBER OF AARP MOTORING PLAN AND CALLED TO HAVE THE FLAT CHANGED. A COMPANY CALLED ROADRUNNER ROAD SERVICE WAS DISPATCHED. THE EMPLOYEE, RAHEEM, FROM ROADRUNNER ROAD SERVICE TOLD ME THAT FOR AN ADDITION $20, HE COULD PLUG THE TIRE, REINFLATE IT AND PUT IT BACK ON THE CAR. I WENT BACK INTO MY PLANT TO GET THE ADDITION MONEY TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR AND DID NOT SEE HIM PLACE THE TIRE BACK ON THE CAR. EVERYTHING APPEARED FINE WITH THE TIRE WHEN I PAID HIM THE ADDITION MONIES. WHEN I LEFT AT THE END OF THE DAY, APPROX. 3 HOURS LATER, THE TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED AND APPEARED NORMAL. AS I WAS DRIVING A SHORT DISTANCE THE TIRE WAS MAKING A HORRIBLE SOUND. IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS FLAT AGAIN. I PULLED OVER BUT THE TIRE STILL LOOKED INFLATED AND NORMAL. I THOUGHT THAT THE PLUG JUST NEEDED TO BE DRIVEN ON. IT CONTINUED TO MAKE THE HORRIBLE NOISE AND SHAKING SO I TOOK MY CAR TO FIRESTONE. ONE OF THE MECHANICS TOOK IT FOR A TEST DRIVE AND STOPPED IMMEDIATELY. HE GOT MY TIRE IRON OUT OF MY TRUCK AND TIGHTENED THE LUG NUTS. HE STATED THAT THE PERSON WHO PUT MY TIRE BACK ONTO THE CAR FORGOT TO TIGHTEN THE LUG NUTS AND THE TIRE WAS READY TO FALL OFF. HE ALSO STATED I WAS LUCKY THAT I DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT. I CALLED ROADRUNNER ROAD SERVICE, 918-443-2054 OR 215-949-9727, IMMEDIATELY THE NEXT DAY, 5/20/08, AND SPOKE TO A KIM. SHE TOOK MY COMPLAINT AND TOLD ME HER MANAGER WOULD CALL ME BACK IMMEDIATELY. I HAVE CALLED 6 TIMES IN THE LAST 8 DAYS AND GET THE SAME ANSWER, "MY MANAGER HAS YOUR NUMBER AND WILL CALL YOU BACK. SHE EVEN GAVE ME THE NUMBER FOR THE REPAIRMAN, RAHEEM, 610-202-6389 AND HE WAS RUDE AND REFUSED TO ADDRESS MY COMPLAINT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION OVER SIMPLE NEGLECT. I EXPECT SOME ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND REIMBURSEMENT OF THE $20, I STILL HAD TO GO TO ANOTHER SERVICE FACILITY TO HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED. *TR