NHTSA Complaint #11032971 — 2017 TOYOTA PRIUS

1) THE EVENT OCCURRED ON OCTOBER 4, 2017. 2) 2017 TOYOTA PRIUS WITH APPROXIMATELY 19,980 MILES. 3) THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVED ON SCHEDULE AT A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. 4) AT THE PRIOR INSPECTION NO DAMAGE OR ABNORMAL WEAR WAS REPORTED. 5) FROM THE TIME OF THE 15,000 MILE INSPECTION NO DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE TIRE. 6) AT NO TIME DID THE TIRE PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, DID THE TIRE INFLATION WARNING ANNUNCIATOR ILLUMINATE. 7) WHILE TRAVELING ON A STATE HIGHWAY (SIMILAR TO A INTERSTATE) WHICH IS IN VERY GOOD AND SMOOTH CONDITION, DRY AT THE TIME, FREE OF DEBRIS, STRAIGHT AT THE LOCATION OF THE INCIDENT, AT APPROXIMATELY THE POST SPEED LIMIT OF 70 MPH. WITH VIRTUALLY NO WARNING THE LEFT FRONT TIRE FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY WITH ENTIRE OUTBOARD PORTION OF THE TREAD SEPARATING FROM THE SIDEWALL STRUCTURE. THE CAR REMAINED UNDER CONTROL AND I WAS ABLE TO DECELERATE WHILE TRAVELING STRAIGHT AHEAD AND REMAINING WITHIN THE CONFINES OF MY LANE, TO A SPEED WHERE I WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE TRAFFIC LANE AND CAME TO STOP ON THE RIGHT HAND SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. 8) OTHER THAN TOTAL FAILURE OF THE TIRE, NO ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE WAS SUSTAINED AND NO INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT OR OTHER PARTIES OCCURRED. 9) I HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE FAILED TIRE WHILE STILL MOUNTED TO THE WHEEL, INCLUDING THE TREAD OF THE TIRE AND THE OUTER SIDE, WHICH IS THE LOCATION OF THE FAILURE.