NHTSA Complaint #11093744 — 2017 HONDA CIVIC

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY (GOING ON THE SAME LANE & SIMILAR SPEED AS ANY OTHER CAR) AND SUDDENLY MY BACK-RIGHT TIRE BURSTED. I PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER, CALLED TRIPLE A AND FOUND OUT THAT THE ENTIRE RIM OF THE RIMS WAS CRACKED AND TEARED FROM THE INSIDE, BUT THE TIRE ITSELF REMAINED INTACT AND UNPUNCTURED. I TOOK IT TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER TO GET A REPLACEMENT AND DIAGNOSTIC BUT THE MAINTENANCE SERVICE CLAIMED THAT IT WAS DUE TO AN IMPACT GOING OVER A POSSIBLE POTHOLE VS MATERIAL DEFECT OF THE WHEEL, THUS VOIDING THE WARRANTY. SINCE ITS A NEW CAR, I BELIEVE IT SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO CRACK AND BE COMPLETELY TEARED SO EASILY DUE TO A POTHOLE (WHICH IS A VERY COMMON THING TO ENCOUNTER). I FEEL AT RISK DUE TO THIS INCIDENT BECAUSE I'M UNCERTAIN OF THE DURABILITY OF THE RIMS MODEL ITSELF. NOT ONLY WAS I DRIVING ON THE SAME LANE AS ANY OTHER CAR, BUT CARS THAT WERE IN FRONT OF ME & BEHIND ME DROVE BY JUST FINE. IF IT WAS SOLELY A POSSIBLE POTHOLE MISHAP, THEN A NEW CAR LIKE THIS SHOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE SUCH A MINOR IMPACT FROM TYPICAL DRIVING. UNFORTUNATELY, HONDA SERVICES SAID THEY COULDN'T REALLY DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT AND COULD ONLY STAND BY THE DEALERSHIP'S DIAGNOSTICS. HOWEVER, I DON'T THINK I'LL FEEL SAFE WITH A CLAIM LIKE THIS UNRESOLVED. ESPECIALLY WHEN ITS A 2017 MODEL CAR, MY SAFETY FEELS MORE AT RISK NOW BECAUSE OF WHAT MAY HAPPEN TO ANY OF THE OTHER 3 WHEELS DUE TO A COMMON POTHOLE INCIDENT TO COMPLETELY TEAR-APART THE METALLIC RIMS FROM THE INSIDE WHAT THEY CONCLUDED: "IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN, THEN REPORT IT AGAIN FOR THIS TO BE ESCALATED". BUT TO ME, IT MAKES NO SENSE TO WAIT FOR IT TO EVEN HAPPEN AGAIN WHEN ITS A DANGEROUS RISK TO MY LIFE. I BELIEVE THEY SHOULD BE MORE RESPONSIBLE TO PREVENT IT THAN TO WAIT FOR IT TO HAPPEN AGAIN. JUST BECAUSE THEY REPLACE ONE RIM, DOESN'T MEAN IT COULD PREVENT IT IF IT IS AN OVERALL DEFECTED MODEL.