NHTSA Complaint #10626174 — 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA

ON JULY 8, 2014 (10 DAYS AFTER THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED AND ONLY THE 4TH TIME I HAD DRIVEN ON THE NEW TIRES) I WAS DRIVING MY SON TO PHYSICAL THERAPY (ABOUT 15 MILES AWAY) ON THE INTERSTATE IN BATON ROUGE, THE CAR WAS FEELING A LIL SHAKY BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS THE ROAD CONDITIONS KNOWING I HAD JUST PURCHASED NEW TIRES. WHEN WE WERE RETURNING HOME MY TIRE LIGHT CAME ON AND I STOPPED TO LOOK AT THE TIRES. I GOT OUT LOOKED FOR A FLAT DID NOT SEE ANY LOW TIRES AND THEN RETURNED TO DRIVING HOME. WHEN I ENTERED THE INTERSTATE MY CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE AGAIN AND I STAYED AT A 50 MPH SPEED JUST HOPING TO MAKE IT HOME, AFTER ABOUT 5 MILES THE TIRE BLEW OUT AND STARTED SLAPPING THE SIDE OF MY CAR, I WAS LOSING CONTROL OF THE CAR WITH MY 10 YEAR OLD AS A PASSENGER. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE SHOULDER OF THE INTERSTATE SAFELY BUT VERY SCARED AND CONFUSED. AS I EXAMINED THE DAMAGE I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED TO THE TIRE, IT WAS UNROLLED FROM THE RIM, IT WAS PEELED IN A STRIP. I WAS NOW STRANDED ON THE INTERSTATE WITH MY CHILD IN OVER 100 DEGREE TEMPERATURE. WE RETURNED THE TIRE TO SAMS CLUB WHERE WE PURCHASED IT, THEY ORDERED ME A NEW TIRE AND TOLD US TO CALL GOODYEAR ABOUT THE DAMAGED TIRE, THE SERVICE CENTER SAID THEY HAD NEVER SEEN A TIRE PEEL OFF THE RIM LIKE THAT ONE. WE FILED A CLAIM JUST AS GOOD YEAR ADVISED US TO DO AND SHIPPED THE DAMAGED TIRE. AT THIS POINT I AM DRIVING ON A SPARE TIRE AND HAVE DAMAGE TO MY CAR THAT WAS IN PERFECT CONDITION. I HAD TO TAKE A DAY OFF WORK TO GET 2 QUOTES FOR THE DAMAGE AND I RECEIVED A LETTER IN THE MAIL STATING THAT THE TIRE WAS NOT DEFECTIVE. THE GOODYEAR CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT WAS RUDE AND THE MOST UNHELPFUL PERSON I HAVE EVER SPOKEN WITH! I AM A HARD WORKING MIDDLE CLASS AMERICAN WOMAN AND THIS IS THE MOST UNJUST THING I HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED. I AM MENTALLY AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR FOR A LONG DISTANCE AND NOW I HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE A DAMAGED CAR. GOODYEAR IS THE WORST COMPANY I HAVE EVER HAD DEALINGS WITH. PLEASE HELP! *TR