NHTSA Complaint #10356248 — 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500

I WAS EXITING A HIGHWAY TRAVELING 35-40 MILES PER HOUR. THE ROAD HAD A SLIGHT TURN TO THE RIGHT WITH A SMALL PUDDLE OF WATER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TURN. WHEN I HIT THE PUDDLE MY TRUCK BEGAN TO FISHTAIL. I FIRST THOUGHT I WAS HYDROPLAINING BUT WHEN I TRIED TO DO CORRECTIVE STEERING NOTHING WAS WORKING. THE SWERVING GOT MORE AND MORE VIOLENT AND MOVE THE TRUCK THROUGH 3 LANES OF POSSIBLE ON COMING TRAFFIC. WHEN I REACHED THE BERM ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD THERE WAS A LOUD BANG AND MY TRUCK CANTO A SUDDEN STOP. I THOUGHT THAT I HIT THE GUARDRAIL AND WHEN I LOOKED IN MY REAR VIEW MIRROR I SAW MAY SPARE TIRE WHICH WAS MOUNTED UNDER THE BED OF MY TRUCK LAYING ON THE GROUND BEHIND ME. I EXITED MY TRUCK AND SAW I NEVER HIT THE GUARDRAIL AND THE LOUD BANG WAS WHEN THE TIRE BROOK FREE AND BENT OUT MY REAR FENDER. IT SOON BECAME EVIDENT THAT THE SPARE TIRE HANGER CAME LOOSE FROM PART OF THE BRACKET THAT WAS HOLDING IT INPLACE AND WAS SWINGING BACK AND FORTH UNTIL THE PART OF THE HANGER THAT WAS BOLTED ON FINALLY BROKE AND RELEASED THE TIRE. WHILE SWINGING BACK AND FORTH IT DAMAGED ONE OF THE SHOCKS, BENT MY TAILPIPE AND KNOCKED IT OF ITS HANGER AND DID SOME DAMAGE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TRUCK I WAS VERY LUCKY BECAUSE THE LIGHT FOR THE ON COMING TRAFFIC WAS RED AND ALL POTENTIAL HARM AND PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS AVOIDED. *TR