NHTSA Complaint #10584568 — 2004 FORD F-150

ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013 WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON THE FREEWAY, I FELT SEVERAL "THUMPS" PRIOR TO THE REAR LEFT TIRE ON MY F-150 BLOW. THERE WAS NO LOAD IN THE TRUCK NOR WAS I TOWING. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY GET ONTO THE SHOULDER. AAA RESPONDED AND ATTEMPTED TO CHANGE THE TIRE. HE WAS UNABLE, AS SOME OF THE TIRE TREAD WAS WRAPPED AROUND THE AXLE. WE ALSO OBSERVED THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE BROKEN. A TOW TRUCK WAS THEN DISPATCHED TO MOVE MY F-150 TO A GARAGE. DAMAGE NOTED TO THE TRUCK WAS A SNAPPED PARKING BRAKE CABLE AND A KINKED HYDRAULIC LINE. I AUTHORIZED THE GARAGE TO REPAIR THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND GET MY TRUCK BACK ON THE ROAD. BY THE TIME THEY WERE ABLE TO GATHER THE REPAIR PARTS, IT WAS THE FOLLOWING WEDNESDAY (DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING) WHEN I ABLE TO GET IT BACK. FIRST THING I NOTICED WAS THE BROKEN TRAILER ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ON THE BUMPER. DISCUSSIONS WITH THE TOW COMPANY AND THE GARAGE DETERMINED THAT THE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY FLYING RUBBER. THAT WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON I TOOK THE TRUCK TO DISCOUNT TIRE TO HAVE THE DAMAGED TIRE REPLACED UNDER THE ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY I HAD PURCHASED FROM THEM. EXAMINATION OF THE REMAINING THREE LTX M/S TIRES REVEALED ANOTHER TIRE WITH A DELAMINATION BULGE. DISCOUNT REPLACED TWO OF THE TIRES UNDER THE WARRANTY WITH LTX M/S2?S, AND I PURCHASED TWO MORE. I DID NOT WANT TO TAKE ANY MORE RISKS WITH THE REMAINING LTX M/S'S. *TR