NHTSA Complaint #10619421 — 2006 FORD FOCUS

I WAS COMMUTING TO WORK ON HIGHWAY 59 NORTHBOUND JUST SOUTH OF THE GESSNER EXIT AT 65 MILES PER HOUR WHEN I HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION AND I NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR. MY VEHICLE IS A 2006 FORD FOCUS ZX4 WITH 15 INCH STANDARD ALLOY RIMS. THE LEFT REAR GOODYEAR EAGLE GT TIRE HAD EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING. I SAW SMOKE EMERGE FROM THE WHEEL WELL AS I BROUGHT MY CAR TO A STOP ON THE EXIT RAMP AT BISSONNET. I CALLED MY HUSBAND WHO CAME OUT TO CHANGE THE TIRE AND UPON REMOVAL WE DISCOVERED THAT THE ENTIRE TREAD SECTION FROM ONE EDGE OF THE RIM TO THE OTHER HAD COMPLETELY COME OFF AND WAS STUCK IN THE WHEEL WELL, LEAVING THE RIM BARE. THERE WAS LIGHT CRACKING ON THE REST OF THE SET ON THE INNER PART OF THE TIRE NEAR THE RIM. THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED ON JUNE 17TH 2011 AT DISCOUNT TIRE AND ONLY HAD 23,000 MILES OF WEAR ON THEM. THEY HAD BEEN REGULARLY ROTATED AND INSPECTED AT DISCOUNT TIRE ON SCHEDULE. THE DOT NUMBER ON THE TIRES IS M7RB K11R 1511. I CONTACTED GOODYEAR CUSTOMER SERVICE TODAY AND THEY TOLD ME THE TIRES ARE NOT UNDER RECALL. MY WIFE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BY THIS INCIDENT. *TR