NHTSA Complaint #10413878 — 2011 FORD TAURUS

I WAS DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY IN THE LEFT LANE. TRAFFIC CAUSED ME TO BRAKE HARD AND TURN THE WHEEL SLIGHTLY TO AVOID COLLISION. MOMENTS LATER, I GET A LOW TIRE PRESSURE WARNING. WHEN I EXIT TO A GAS STATION, THE TIRE HAS BECOME COMPLETELY FLAT AND IS OFF THE RIM. IT IS THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THE TIRE THAT RECEIVED THE MOST FORCE FROM BRAKING. IT APPEARS THE FORCE CAUSED A BREAK IN THE SEAL WITH THE RIM. SUBSEQUENTLY THE TIRE AND POSSIBLY THE RIM WERE DAMAGED. THE CAR IS A 2011 TAURUS WITH 700 MILES ON IT. THE DEALERSHIP IS ALREADY TAKING THE POSITION THAT THIS SCENARIO COULD NOT HAPPEN UNLESS THE TIRE WAS ALREADY LOW ON PRESSURE SUCH AS FROM A PUNCTURE. I AM STATING THE TIRE WAS NOT LOW ON PRESSURE BEFORE THE BRAKING INCIDENT. THERE WAS NO LOW PRESSURE INDICATION UNTIL IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE BRAKING INCIDENT. *KB