NHTSA Complaint #10256277 — 2002 MERCURY SABLE

IN MID-DECEMBER 2008 I PURCHASED 4 NEW TIRES FOR MY 2002 MERCURY SABLE. ON DECEMBER 24, 2008 WHILE DRIVING HOME I HAD A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF MY REAR PASSENGER TIRE. WHEN THE TIRE WAS PULLED, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE REAR COIL SPRING HAD BROKEN, PUNCTURING THE TIRE. I FOUND THE FOLLOWING ON A WEBSITE: "THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) HAS RECEIVED 355 COMPLAINTS FROM CONSUMERS RESIDING IN "SALT BELT" STATES THAT ALLEGE FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING FRACTURE IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES. (NOTE: FOR PURPOSES OF THIS INVESTIGATION, THE "SALT BELT" INCLUDES CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA AND WISCONSIN).APPROXIMATELY 72% OF THE COMPLAINANTS ALLEGE THE BROKEN COIL SPRING PUNCTURED THE ADJACENT TIRE . RESULTING IN LOSS OF INFLATION PRESSURE. ODI IS AWARE OF 3 ALLEGED CRASHES RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT RESULTING IN ONE PERSON INJURED.THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO THOSE PREVIOUSLY INVESTIGATED BY ODI (PE02-080 AND PE04-044) AND RECALLED BY FORD (NHTSA RECALL NO. 04V-332).AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS HAS BEEN OPENED TO ASSESS THE FREQUENCY, SCOPE AND SAFETY CONSEQUENCES OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT." I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF SOMEONE COULD REVIEW THIS COMPLAINT. *TR