NHTSA Complaint #10264024 — 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA

WHILE DRIVING ON TX US-59 NB RIGHTHAND LANE GOING APPROX. 65 MPH, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE FAILED. I MANAGED TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND STOP ON THE HIGHWAY SHOULDER. WHAT I FOUND WAS A VERY HOT TIRE WHICH HAD REMAINED INFLATED, BUT HAD LOST APPROX. 75% OF THE TREAD CIRCUMFERENCE DOWN TO THE STEEL BELT. APPROX. 25% OF THE 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, CAUSING CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE WHEEL WELL, TRUCK BED, SUSPENSION AND EXHAUST SYSTEM (3 INCH STAINLESS STEEL PIPE BEND TO 90 DEGREES). INSURANCE ESTIMATES ARE APPROX. $2400.00. AFTER WAITING FOR THE TIRE TO COOL, I DEFLATED AND REMOVED THE TIRE. I WAS THEN ABLE TO BEND AND MOVE DAMAGED SHEET METAL AWAY FROM THE WHEEL WELL AREA TO ALLOW CLEARANCE FOR MY FULL SIZE SPARE, WHICH I INSTALLED AND DROVE APPROX. 5 MILES HOME WITHOUT CAUSING FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *TR