NHTSA Complaint #10375508 — 2004 LEXUS GX 470

SNOW CHAINS FOR LEXUS GX470 2004 BROKE AND CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGES. PURCHASED: FEBRUARY, 2010. USED ONLY ONCE BEFORE IT BROKE (3 OF 4) AND DAMAGED VEHICLE. REPORT: CHAINS, FILLED QUESTIONNAIRE, SENT TO MANUFACTURER: SCC, IN CLACKAMAS, OR TO [XXX]. RESULTS OF [XXX]: CHAINS SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON ONLY THE REAR TIRES (THIS IS A 4WD) AND STORE PURCHASED FROM: VULCANTIRE, STATED FRONT AND REAR FOR BETTER VEHICLE CONTROL. ALSO, MR. CAPRINE STATED QUESTIONABLE CLEARANCE WITH GX470, WHEREAS THIS VEHICLE WAS BUILT FOR OFF-ROAD, AND HAS MUCH HIGHER CLEARANCE THAN OTHER VEHICLES. HE STATES THE GX470 HAS A HEIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM AND ADDED TO CAUSED CHAIN FAILURE, WHEREAS THE HEIGHT CONTROL IS MANUALLY ACTIVATED, AND WAS NEVER ACTIVATED SINCE PURCHASE; AND ONLY THE REAR SUSPENSION ELEVATES, WHEREAS 3 OF 4 CHAINS FAILED. [XXX] ALSO FAULTS THE CHAINS WERE NOT THE CORRECT, SINCE THE NEW TIRES INSTALLED WERE 265/70/17, WHEREAS THE OEM IS 265/65/17. THIS STATEMENT WAS NEGATED BY: VULCAN TIRE, LEXUS DEALERS IN KINGSPORT, TN AND WINSTON-SALEM, NC, AND THE LOCAL TIRE DEALER: CLARK TIRE, BOONE, NC. [XXX] CALLED BY TELEPHONE, EMAIL, AND HE HAS FAILED TO RESPOND. [XXX]TOOK THE CALL,AND INFORMED ME [XXX] WILL CALL BACK ON 1/3/2011, AND AS OF 1/10/2011, 7:52 P.M., NO CALLS WERE RETURNED. ALL OF THE REASONS FOR FAILURE WERE NEGATED BY THE LEXUS DEALER, AND THE BODY SHOP THAT REPAIRED VEHICLE (OLDE JONESBOROUGH BODY SHOP) AND THE GEICO CLAIMS ADJUSTER ([XXX]), BOTH FROM JOHNSON CITY, TN, NEGATED [XXX] STATEMENTS, AND BLAMED THE DIRECTLY VISUALIZED CHAINS (THEY WERE PRESENTED TO THEM) FAULTINESS. THE CHAINS WERE PRACTICALLY NEW, AND FAILED (3 OF 4). WITNESSES: NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR DR. WILLIAM WESTMORELAND , AND NEARBY NEIGHBOR [XXX] VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN FROM MY HOME, DOWN 70 YARDS OF MY DRIVEWAY, UP TO NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR (40 YARDS) BEFORE FAILING. AS OF THIS DATE, NO COMPENSATION HAS BEEN MADE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR