NHTSA Complaint #10264017 — 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA

WHILE DRIVING ON TX US59 NB RIGHTHAND LANE AND VEHICLE SPEED APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE FAILED. I MANAGED TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND STOP ON THE SHOULDER. WHAT I FOUND WAS A VERY HOT TIRE WHICH HAD REMAINED INFLATED BUT HAD LOST APPROX. 75% OF THE TIRE TREAD CIRCUMFERENCE DOWN TO THE STEEL BELT. APPROX. 25% OF TREAD REMAINED WITH THE TIRE OF WHICH APPROX.10% REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE STEEL BELT. THE SITUATION DESCRIBED ALLOWED THE TIRE TO BECOME A ROTATING METAL EATING MACHINE, DOING CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE WHEEL WELL, TRUCK BED, SUSPENSION AND EXHAUST (3 INCH STAINLESS STEEL PIPE BENT TO 90 DEGREES). AFTER WAITING FOR THE TIRE TO COOL, I DEFLATED AND REMOVED THE TIRE. I WAS THEN ABLE TO BEND AND MOVE SOME DAMAGED SHEET METAL AWAY FROM THE WHEEL WELL TO ALLOW CLEARANCE FOR MY FULL SIZE SPARE, WHICH I INSTALLED AND DROVE APPROX. 5 MILES HOME, WITHOUT FURTHER DAMAGING THE VEHICLE. *TR