NHTSA Complaint #740603 — 1999 MERCURY COUGAR

THIS IS THE SECOND WHEEEL FAILURE IN 200 MILES. THE HEAT FROM THE DOCUMENTED POOR BRAKE SYSTEM MAY BE CAUSING THE RIM FAILURE AND THE NUMEROUS BRAKE AND BLOWOUT RELATED COMPLAINTS POSTED TO DATE. ONCE AGAIN, TWO WEEKS SINCE THE FIRST SUDDEN DEFLATION, THE FRONT LEFT TIRE SUDDENLY DEFLATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE BRAKES WERE EXTREMELY HOT AS WERE THE TIRES AND WHEELS ON THE FRONTS OF BOTH SIDES. THE REARS WERE "AIR TEMPERATURE." EITHER THE PROPORTIONING VALVE IS NON-FUNCTIONAL, OR THE FRONT BRAKES ARE DRAGGING CAUSING EXCESS HEAT TO THE EXTENT THAT TIRES, BRAKES, AND EVEN ALUMINUM RIMS ARE SOFTENING ENOUGH TO CAUSE BLOW-OUTS. ONCE AGIN THE TIRE IS IN FINE SHAPE AND IS CURRENTLY HOLDING AIR; THE RIM IS BENT IN TWO PLACES ON THE INNER BEAD CONTACT AND I'M LEFT WITH ANOTHER $500 DILEMA AND A FAMILY SAFETY QUESTION. BOTH WHEELS AND TIRE ARE AVAILABLE FOR INVESTIGATION AS I WILL BE FORCED TO BUY ANOTHER REPLACEMENT TIRE AND WHEEL. ODI ID 850215 MAY HAVE HAD A SIMILAR DEFECT. PLEASE CHECK IT OUT.