NHTSA Complaint #10421520 — 2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

RE: GOODYEAR DUNLOP GRAND TREK TG35 P265/70R16 TIRE. ON AUGUST 19, 2011, I WAS DRIVING ON I-10 IN FL AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MILES PER HOUR. THE CAR SUDDENLY GOT VERY BUMPY AND IN A MATTER OF SECONDS, THE REAR RIGHT TIRE EXPLODED ON MY TOYOTA 4RUNNER. I LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE BUT MANAGED TO FINALLY PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE. AFTER EXAMINING THE DAMAGES TO MY VEHICLE, I NOTICED THAT THE TREAD ON THE RIGHT REAR TIRE COMPLETELY SEPARATED ALL THE WAY AROUND THE TIRE. LUCKILY, THE CAR DID NOT FLIP OR COLLIDE WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. I SUSTAINED PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EMOTIONAL INJURIES AND OVER $2000 WORTH OF DAMAGES TO MY CAR AS A RESULT OF THE BLOWOUT. MY CAR ONLY HAS 36K MILES ON IT AND IS ALWAYS KEPT IN THE GARAGE. THE TREAD ON ALL 4 TIRES IS PRACTICALLY BRAND NEW AS IT IS DRIVEN SELDOMLY, WITH REGULAR TIRE ROTATION/BALANCE/MAINTENANCE. THERE SHOULD NOT BE ANY REASON FOR A TIRE WITH THIS LITTLE WEAR AND TEAR TO EXPLODE THE WAY IT DID. I HAVE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH AND REALIZE THAT THIS COULD HAVE HAD A FAR WORSE OUTCOME, AND THAT THE TIRES ARE INDEED DEFECTIVE. IN ADDITION, MY INSURANCE COMPANY WILL NOT COVER THE EXPENSES OF THE TIRES. NOW I AM FORCED TO REPLACE ALL 4 TIRES OUT OF POCKET FOR FEAR OF THE SAME SCENARIO AND NOT AS LUCKY OF AN OUTCOME IF THIS HAPPENS AGAIN. IN MY RESEARCH, I ALSO SAW THAT NHTSA HAS OPENED AN INVESTIGATION INTO POSSIBLE TREAD SEPARATION PROBLEMS INVOLVING DUNLOP TIRES SOLD AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT ON 1995-1999 NISSAN PATHFINDER SUVS. NHTSA SAYS IT HAS RECEIVED SIX REPORTS OF INJURIES IN TWO ROLLOVER CRASHES THAT WERE BLAMED ON TREAD SEPARATIONS ON THE GRANDTREK TG35 TIRE. I FEEL THAT UNLESS I SUSTAINED LIFE-LONG INJURIES, PARALYSIS, OR DEATH WOULD THE TIRE MANUFACTURER COME FORWARD WITH ANY GOODWILL OR COMPENSATION. *TR