NHTSA Complaint #738164 — 1998 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE

FRONT TIRES SUDDENLY LOSE INFLATION. FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS LESS THAN A DAY AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW. THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEWOUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEED, CAUSING CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE. THE SECOND TIME WAS FIVE MONTHS LATER WHEN THE LEFT FRONT TIRE "FELL OFF THE RIM" WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET. THE THIRD TIME WAS LAST NIGHT, 11 MONTHS LATER, WHEN THAT SAME TIRE AGAIN FELL OFF THE RIM. PROPER INFLATION WAS MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES. IN FACT, INFLATION OF ALL TIRES HAD BEEN CHECKED ONLY FOUR DAYS (SIX MILES) EARLIER. DESPITE THERE BEING COMPLAINTS OF A SIMILAR NATURE IN YOUR DATABASE, MITSUBISHI AND GOODYEAR BOTH DENY EVER HEARING OF SUCH PROBLEMS, THOUGH MITSUBISHI DID SETTLE A DAMAGE CLAIM AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT AND HAS PROVIDED FREE ROAD SERVICE AFTER THE OTHER TWO. THE IN-TOWN FLATS ARE ANNOYING. MY BIGGEST FEAR IS THAT THIS MAY HAPPEN AGAIN SOMEDAY WHEN I AM TRAVELING AT FREEWAY SPEED. I COUNT MYSELF EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT I WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED IN THAT INCIDENT. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER TO LOOK AT THE CAR DEC. 28. I ALSO LEFT SOME OF THIS INFORMATION ON YOUR TELEPHONE VOICE MAIL. *AK (DOT NUMBER: M6PCLNR317 TIRESIZE: P215 50R17)