NHTSA Complaint #10493198 — 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS

I WAS DRIVING ON THE 101 N FREEWAY AT ABOUT 55 MPH AND I HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE. I HAD NEVER HAD A TIRE BLOW BEFORE SO I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE WHAT WAS HAPPENING UNTIL I HEARD THE FLAT TIRE. LUCKILY IT WAS MY LEFT REAR TIRE SO I WAS NOT INJURED AND I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY MAKE MY WAY ACROSS THE FREEWAY ONTO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE FREEWAY WHERE I CALLED AAA TO COME AND CHANGE IT TO MY SPARE. I CALLED TOYOTA, THEY SAID THEY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TIRES AND COULD NOT HELP ME AND I WOULD HAVE TO MAKE A COMPLAINT TO YOKOHAMA, THE TIRE COMPANY. I CALLED THE TIRE COMPANY, THEY TOLD ME TO HAVE IT INSPECTED AND IT WAS FOUND THAT IT WAS A ROAD CONDITION THAT LED TO THE TIRE DAMAGE AND THEREFORE IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE EXACT SAME INCIDENT OCCURRED AGAIN ON 01/15/2013, THIS TIME I WAS GOING 65 MPH ON THE 101 S FREEWAY. MY REAR RIGHT TIRE BLEW OUT AND I HAD TO GET ACROSS TRAFFIC WHERE I GOT OFF THE FREEWAY AND WAS ABLE TO CALL FOR HELP. MY CONCERN IS NOT WHETHER THE TIRE COMPANY WILL BE ABLE TO FOOT THE COST, BUT THE FACT THAT MY TIRES WILL BLOW OUT WHEN I'M DRIVING UNDER OR ABOUT THE SPEED LIMIT FOR A ROAD CONDITION THAT EVERYONE ELSE MANAGES TO DRIVE ON WITH NO PROBLEMS. I REPORTED BOTH INCIDENTS WITH TOYOTA AND YOKOHAMA. *TR