NHTSA Complaint #10349637 — 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU

ON JUNE 18, 2010 I HAD AN ACCIDENT THAT I BELIEVE WAS CAUSED BY A TIRE FAILURE. NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED IN THIS ACCIDENT AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY. ON JUNE 18, 2010 AT APPROXIMATELY 6:00PM I WAS DRIVING ON THE PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE. MY VEHICLE WAS HEADED WEST SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE DONEGAL EXIT AND THE NEW STANTON EXIT OF THE TURNPIKE. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE WHAT I CONSIDER IDEAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. I WAS IN THE RIGHT LANE OF THE TWO LANE ROADWAY AND AS I WAS APPROACHING A MODERATE CURVE IN THE ROADWAY MY VEHICLE PULLED SEVERELY TO THE LEFT, I ATTEMPTED TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE BY USING THE STEERING WHEEL AND MODERATE PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES. NO AMOUNT OF CONTROL I TRIED TO EXERT WAS OF ANY VALUE AND WITHIN SECONDS MY VEHICLE HAD STRUCK THE JERSEY BARRIER ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND SPUN INTO A POSITION AGAINST THE RIGHT JERSEY BARRIER FACING TRAFFIC. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD HERE THAT I HAD OWNED AND DRIVEN THIS VEHICLE FOR OVER 10 YEARS AND APPROACHING 75,000 MILES, I WAS COMPLETELY ACCUSTOMED TO MAINTAINING CONTROL OF THIS VEHICLE EVEN WHILE DRIVING UNDER THE WORST OF CONDITIONS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT MY VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH FOUR P215/60R15 93T YOKAHAMA AVID TOUR S S319 BW SERIAL NO. M6ORPLHR1410 TIRES. THESE TIRES WERE PURCHASED AND MOUNTED ON JUNE 15, 2010 AND HAD APPROXIMATELY 150 MILES ON THEM. THE IMMEDIATE AND SEVERE LOSS OF THE CONTROL I EXPERIENCED IS THE BASIS FOR MY OPINION THAT ONE OF THESE TIRES FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY TO CAUSE THIS ACCIDENT. MY AUTO INSURANCE COMPANY HAS RESEARCHED THE MATTER AND FOUND THAT THERE WERE NO MANUFACTURER RECALLS, INVESTIGATIONS, OR TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS RELATING TO THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED. I URGED THEM TO MAKE A PHYSICAL INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE IF THE TIRES OR ANY OTHER DEFECT OF THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE CAUSED THE LOSS OF CONTROL, BUT THEY WERE UNWILLING TO DO SO. UPDATED IVOQ 09/22/10 *TR UPDATED 10/2811