NHTSA Complaint #708900 — 1999 DODGE NEON

WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HWY @ APPRO 70 MPH, THE STEERING COLUMN STARTED TO SHIMMY, AND MY FRONT PASSANGER BLEW. I LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND LANDED IN THE MEDIAN IN APPROX 3 FEET OF WATER. HAD TO TOW THE CAR FOR 50 MILES, BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD THAT THE "BEAD BROKE ON THE TIRE, DUE TO IMPROPER MOUNTING AT THE TIME OF MANUFACTURING." THEN ALMOST IN THE SAME BREATH, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS MY FAULT, MY TIRE WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER "ROAD HAZARD OR WEAR AND TEAR ON THE TIRE". I WAS THEN TOLD TO TURN IT INTO MY INSURANCE COMPANY, WHICH I DID, AFTER LOSING MY JOB FOR LACK OF TRANSPORTATION. I FILED A DEFECT COMPLAINT WITH GOODYEAR, AND CHRYSLER. CHRYSLER TOLD ME IT WAS UP TO GOODYEAR, WHO IN TURN DENIED MY CLAIM 3 HOURS LATER AFTER I FILED. MY INSURANCE COMPANY TOTALED OUT THE VEHICLE, AND LEFT ME WITH A $400 BALANCE STILL TO PAY ON MY LOAN FOR THE CAR. I UNDERSTAND THAT IN 1997, BOTH MANUFACTURES INVOLVED WERE FORCED TO RECALL APPROX 40,000+ VEHICLES DUE TO THE SAME PROBLEM. EVEN THOUGH I WAS NOT PHYSICALLY HURT, THE AMOUNT OF STRESS BOTH FINANCIALY AND MENTALLY HAS BEEN ENORMOUS. PLEASE ADVISE ME ASAP OF WHAT I CAN DO. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P185/65R14 )