NHTSA Complaint #11699088 — 2000 FORD F-350

On [XXX], I rented a Class C motorhome from Cruise America at their Duluth, Georgia branch (Reservation #[XXX]). When I picked up the vehicle, the Cruise America employee pointed to a handwritten note taped over the tire pressure warning light on the dashboard that said: “ignore tire sensor.” The note was already in place before I arrived, suggesting that other renters may have used the vehicle in that same unsafe condition. Three days later, while traveling northbound on [XXX] near Memphis, Tennessee, the RV suffered a sudden tire blowout at highway speed. We narrowly avoided a collision while maneuvering to the shoulder. Thankfully, no one was injured, but the incident was extremely dangerous and could easily have resulted in fatalities. Cruise America knowingly rented out a vehicle with an active tire pressure warning covered and concealed, depriving the driver of critical safety information. The company did not repair or document the issue, instead instructing renters to “ignore” the tire warning. This conduct may violate Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 138 (49 C.F.R. § 571.138) and 49 U.S.C. § 30122, which prohibit making safety equipment inoperative or misleading drivers about safety system status. While TPMS sensors can fail naturally, covering the warning light constitutes deliberate concealment and undermines the system’s purpose. I am concerned that Cruise America may be circulating other rental vehicles in similar unsafe condition. Please investigate whether Cruise America, Inc. is in compliance with federal vehicle-safety laws governing TPMS functionality and rental-vehicle maintenance standards. Specifically, whether any branch locations are renting vehicles with disabled, covered, or ignored tire-pressure monitoring systems or other concealed safety warnings. Reported to Cruise America Customer Relations (Case #[XXX]). INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)