NHTSA Complaint #11254932 — 2004 ISUZU RODEO

MY VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN MINNESOTA WHERE ROAD SALTS ARE IN CONSTANT WINTER USE. ON AUGUST 21, 2019 MY MECHANIC HOISTED MY SUV AND WE WATCHED WITH SURPRISE AS SOME FLAT RUST SLABS FELL TO HIS SHOP FLOOR. HE LOOKED ABOVE THE FALL LOCATION: THE SPARE TIRE IS ATTACHED JUST BELOW A WELL, AND WITHIN THE SPARE-TIRE WHEEL-GAPS WERE ADDITIONAL LOOSE RUST SLABS THAT HAD NOT YET FALLEN. THEY WERE REMOVED. THE MECHANIC THEN PONDERED A LIKELY CAUSE: HE REASONED THE METAL PLATE (AND/OR THE AREAS ALONGSIDE IT) THAT HELPS SECURE THE SPARE TIRE MIGHT BE EXCESSIVELY RUSTY. TO SEE IT HE HAD TO INSERT HIS HEAD UP INTO THE WELL, BUT WHICH DID NOT GIVE HIM ENOUGH OF CLEAR VIEW TO ASSESS THE MATTER ADEQUATELY (NOR COULD I MANAGE TO GET MUCH OF A LOOK). HE REASONED THAT MINNESOTA WINTER-SALT ROAD-SPRAY CAN REACH THE WELL (HE SAID THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING THERE CALLED A CARRIER ASSEMBLY OF PARTS) AND CORRODE THE PLATE, MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR THE SPARE TIRE TO COME LOOSE WHILE MY SUV IS MOTION, CREATING A ROAD HAZARD. WE DID PHOTOGRAPHY BUT DID NOT HAVE A FLEXIBLE-NECK CAMERA TO INSERT UP INTO THE WELL. SO ALL WE HAVE ARE SNAPS OF 1) MANY OF FLAT RUST SLABS THAT FELL DOWN DURING THE MECHANICS INSPECTION (SHOWN AS A PILE ON THE FLOOR JUST BELOW THE SPARE TIRE?S WELL LOCATION) IN ONE PHOTO, AND 2) AN UPWARD SHOT AT THE SPARE TIRE WITH SOME RUST SLABS THAT HAD NOT YET FALLEN, WHICH ALSO OFFERS A GENERAL LOOK OF WHEEL AND WELL RUST CONDITIONS THAT WE SAW. LASTLY, I DECIDED TO VISIT NHTSAS WEBSITE TO LOOK FOR SIMILAR INCIDENTS THAT MIGHT PERTAIN TO MY VEHICLE. I CAME UP WITH ID #10649039. IT OFFERS A SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TEXTUAL NARRATIVE DESCRIBING REAR FRAME RUST CONDITIONS THAT MAKES MENTION OF A SPARE TIRE. I CREATED A PDF OF PHOTOS AND INCIDENT ID #10649039, WHICH I WILL UPLOAD AFTER THIS PDF. IT WILL BE TITLED PART2_IJN5-55344_ISUZURODEO2004TIRESUPPORTFAILUREVIN[XXX].PDF. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR