NHTSA Complaint #10342124 — 2010 BUICK LACROSSE

2010 BUICK LACROSSE CXS THE OTHER EVENING AS I WAS DRIVING HOME WITH MY WIFE A LITTLE BEFORE SUNSET AT ABOUT 30 MPH I HEARD A THUMP AND ASSUMED I HAD HIT SOMETHING. NEITHER MY WIFE OR I HAD SEEN ANYTHING IN THE STREET. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE HOME (3 BLOCKS) AND THE CAR DROVE NORMALLY - NO CHANGE. WHEN I GOT HOME I EXAMINED THE FRONT OF THE CAR (DRIVERS SIDE) AND SAW NOTHING UNUSUAL BUT NOTICED THE BACK RIGHT TIRE WAS FLAT. I GOT OUT THE JACK AND CHANGED TO THE SPARE. UPON LOOKING AT THE TIRE I FOUND NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE TIRE OTHER THAN IT WAS OBVIOUS I WAS DRIVING WITH THE TIRE FLAT. UPON CLOSER EXAMINATION OF THE WHEEL ITSELF I FOUND A GASH IN THE WHEEL ABOUT 6" LONG AND ELEVATED UP INTO THE TIRE AREA OVER AN INCH. OF COURSE ALL OF THE AIR ESCAPED THROUGH THE GASH - NO BLOWOUT. WENT TO THE DEALER (3800 MILES ON THE CXS) AND THEY DETERMINED I HAD HIT SOMETHING IN THE STREET - NO WARRANTY COVERAGE. COST FOR NEW WHEEL AND TIRE - $1002.00 WENT BACK TO EXAMINE THE ROAD (NO POTHOLES) AND FINALLY FOUND A ROCK OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THAT APPARENTLY CAUSED THE PROBLEM. IT WAS A ROCK, FLAT ON BOTH SIDES ABOUT 2 1/2" THICK AND ABOUT THE SIZE OF A RED BRICK ONLY OBLONG. HAVE NO IDEA HOW IT HIT THE BACK TIRE AND NOT THE FRONT. I AM CONVINCED THAT HAD THE TIRE BEEN AN OLDER 15" OR 16" TIRE THE TIRE WOULD OF ABSORBED THE HIT AND NOT DAMAGED THE WHEEL. OF COURSE IT MAY HAVE BLOWN A TIRE BUT THE WHEEL WOULD OF BEEN IN GOOD SHAPE. WITH THE ROADS BECOMING SO BUMPY WITH POTHOLES I NOW WORRY ABOUT HITTING A BAD SPOT IN THE ROAD AND HAVING THE SAME THING HAPPEN AGAIN. I CARRY A $1000 DEDUCTIBLE INSURANCE SO INSURANCE WILL NOT BE INVOLVED. (IN 50 YEARS OF DRIVING I HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT THAT WAS MY FAULT OR ANY OTHER DAMAGE TO ONE OF MY CARS - SO I CARRY A HIGH DEDUCTIBLE). JUST A WORD OF WARNING TO THOSE WHO HAVE THE 19" TIRES (AND PROBABLY THE 18") THAT A BUMP IN THE ROAD MAY DO MORE DAMAGE TO THE FANCY ALUMINUM WHEEL THAT THE TIRE. *TR