NHTSA Complaint #11163194 — 2017 MAZDA MAZDA3

I WROTE THE FOLLOWING DESCRIPTION OF WHAT HAPPENED TO MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICES: ON THE EVENING OF DECEMBER 4, 2018, I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK. I WAS DRIVING 75 MPH, THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT FOR THAT STRETCH OF TEXAS HIGHWAY. THE SURFACE OF THE ROAD IS BRAND NEW AND DRIVING CONDITIONS WERE IDEAL. AT APPROXIMATELY 6:10 PM, ABOUT 10 MILES FROM HOME, THERE WAS A LOUD THUD AND MY CAR DROPPED AND LURCHED TOWARD THE CENTER LINE. I THOUGHT I HAD HIT SOMETHING HUGE, AND EXPECTED TO FIND SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO MY CAR AND A SHREDDED TIRE. I MANAGED TO KEEP THE CAR UNDER CONTROL AND AVOID BEING HIT, AND WITH A SOUND OF GRATING METAL, MOVED OVER TO THE SHOULDER. TO MY SURPRISE, THERE DIDN'T SEEM TO BE ANY DAMAGE TO THE CAR. NO OTHER VEHICLES HAD TO SWERVE AROUND ANYTHING IN THE ROAD. THERE WAS NO DEBRIS IN THE ROAD. I CALLED A WRECKER SERVICE TO CHANGE THE TIRE. HE DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL WAS SPLIT IN HALF, AND SAID THE WHEEL NEEDED TO GO BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICE FOLKS SOUNDED SYMPATHETIC BUT TOOK OVER A WEEK AND SEVERAL CALLS TO TOW THE CAR TO A MAZDA DEALER. THEY INSPECTED THE CAR AND DETERMINED THAT I HAD HIT SOMETHING, THUS THEY WOULD NOT COVER ANY OF THE COST. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ROCK, WOOD, OR ANIMAL IN THE TREAD - I REMAIN CONVINCED THAT THE RIM SIMPLY BROKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING. NO METALLURGIST LOOKED AT THE SPLIT RIM, AND THE OTHER THREE RIMS WERE ONLY VISUALLY INSPECTED. I PAID $601 FOR A NEW WHEEL AND TIRE BUT AM CONCERNED ABOUT POTENTIAL ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY METAL WHEEL RIMS BREAKING. I HAVE PHOTOS AND THE BROKEN WHEEL RIM AND TIRE.