NHTSA Complaint #742154 — 1999 CHEVROLET TAHOE

I WAS 20 MILES FROM HOME GOING 64 MPH, ON A SLIGHT CURVE. I HEARD AND FELT THE BACK TIRE BLOW THE TIRE WALL FROM THE POINT OF TIRE WEAR TO THE CENTER. I WAS SHOCKED AT THE DAMAGE.. THE TAHOE LEANED SEVERELY TO THE RIGHT, BUT REMAINED UPRIGHT. I HELD THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHT AND STRAIGHT. AND EASED THE TAHOE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE TAHOE WAS HARD TO CONTROL, BUT WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. WHEN THE TIRE BLEW THE TAHOE LEANED SEVERELY TO THE RIGHT. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE TAHOE, I DISCOVERED THE TIRE HAD SUFFERED CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. THE TIRE COMPLELEY COLLASPED. THE SIDE WALL COMPLETELY BLOW AWAY. THIS TIRE WAS A FULL SIZE SPARE WITH ONLY 4000 MILES ON IT. SQUARE CHUNKS WHERE REMOVED FROM PART OF THE SIDEWALL. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF TEARS IN THE TIRE. FROM THE POINT OF THE TREAD TO THE CENTER.. I CALLED MY HUSBAND ON THE CELL PHONE; HE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A TRIAL (HE'S AN ATTORNEY). HE DROVE THE 20 MILES TO THE SITE AND HE WAS SHOCKED AT THE DAMAGE. WE CALLED A TOW TRUCK THE WHEEL ITSELF WAS DAMAGED. AT THIS TIME WE DO NOT KNOW IF THE REAR AXLE IS DAMAGED, IT WILL BE CHECKED OUT TOMORROW. IT'S AT THE DEALERSHIP NOW. NO ONE HAD SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. THIS WAS NOT A FLAT, IT WAS AN ENTIRE BLOWOUT. WE STILL HAVE POSSESSION OF THE DEFECTIVE TIRE AND PHOTOS WERE TAKEN AT THE SCENE AND AT THE DEALERSHIP.*AK (TIRESIZE: P2451/76R1)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P2451/76R1 )