NHTSA Complaint #745080 — 2000 FORD FOCUS

THIS SPRING MY DAUGHTER HAD TWO TIRES BLOW WITH SIDEWALL PROBLEMS. THE FIRST TIME, SHE HIT A POTHOLE GOING ABOUT 25 MPH AND THE SIDEWALL WENT OUT. SHE REPLACED THIS TIRE. THEN ABOUT ONE MONTH LATER, SHE WAS DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. SHE HAD PASSED TWO TRUCKS AND WENT BACK INTO HER LANE WHEN SOMETHING DID NOT FEEL RIGHT. BY THE TIME SHE COULD SLOW DOWN AND STOP, THE TREAD OF THE TIRE CAME OFF IN A LARGE CIRCLE AND DENTED THE SIDE OF HER CAR. THE WHEEL WAS ALSO DAMAGED. SHE CLAIMS THAT SHE DID NOT HIT ANYTHING. THERE IS NO DAMAGE TO THE TREAD OF THE TIRE TO INDICATE THAT SHE DID. HOWEVER, THE SIDEWALL WAS SHREDDED. NOW WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE TIRES. I DID NOT SEE THE FIRST TIRE, HOWEVER, SHE SAID THAT THE SIDEWALL HAD A HUGE HOLE IN AND THE TIRE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. HAVE THERE BEEN OTHER REPORTS OF PROBLEMS WITH THESE TIRES? ON THE OTHER HAND, AFTER SEEING THE DAMAGE DONE TO THE TIRE, WE FEEL THAT THE FORD FOCUS HANDLED VERY WELL, ALLOWING HER TO GET OFF THE ROAD SAFELY AND AVOID AN ACCIDENT.*AK( DOT NUMBER: )