NHTSA Complaint #10861031 — 2010 MAZDA CX-7

ON 4/21/2016 AROUND 1:15PM, I WAS HEADING EAST ON I-694 AT ABOUT 65 MPH. SUDDENLY, THE TIRE LOW PRESSURE INDICATOR LIGHT UP ON THE DASHBOARD WITH THREE WARNING CHIMES. I TRAVELLED FOR ANOTHER 5-6 MILES AND THE TIRE NOISE BECAME MUCH MORE NOTICEABLE IN THE BACK. I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE OF THE 3 LANE INTERSTATE AND TWO MORE LANES ON THE RIGHT TO EXIT MN HIGHWAY 252. WITH NO EASY ACCESS TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER AND HEAVY TRAFFIC, I PULLED OFF ONTO THE LEFT SHOULDER, PUT ON THE EMERGENCY HAZARD FLASHERS. UPON EXITING THE CAR, I NOTICED MY LEFT REAR TIRE HAS BLOWN OUT, WITH A ONE FOOT GASH ON ITS SIDEWALL, TOTALLY FLAT, SMOKE CAME OFF FROM THE INSIDE, AND THE TPMS WAS MISSING FROM THE WHEEL OPENING. WAITED FOR 45 MINUTES FOR AAA TO ARRIVE AND PUT ON THE EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE. SUBSEQUENTLY, LIMBED MY WAY FOR 2 MORE MILES TO EXIT AT HWY 65 AND TOOK LOCAL STREETS HOME. THE LOCAL REPAIR SHOP DIAGNOSED THE TIRE BLOWOUT AS A TPMS HEX NUT FAILURE DUE TO CORROSION. ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THE FRONT LEFT TPMS HEX NUT HAS SPLIT IN HALVES DUE TO CORROSION AS WELL. IT COULD HAVE BEEN A REAL TRAGIC ACCIDENT WITH INJURIES OR EVEN FATALITIES. SUDDEN FAILURES OF TPMS UNITS, ESPECIALLY AT HIGH SPEED DRIVING, ARE SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISKS THAT SHOULD BE REMEDIED THROUGH RECALLS AND AWARENESS TRAINING TO THE PUBLIC.