NHTSA Complaint #746671 — 1998 FORD CONTOUR

I OWN A 1998 FORD CONTOUR, VIN #[XXX]. ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF AGO, I WAS PREPARING TO TRAVEL ONTO INTERSTATE 79 TO GO FROM MEADVILLE TO ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA. LESS THAN A MILE FROM MY HOME ON HARMONSBURG ROAD, I HEARD A "POP" AND MY VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT HAD A FLAT TIRE. I TRAVELED ABOUT ANOTHER QUARTER OF A MILE TO A GAS STATION AND CHECKED THE TIRE. IT APPEARED TO BE OKAY. AS THE VEHICLE WAS BECOMING HARD TO STEER, I DECIDED TO RETURN HOME. I PUT ON MY FLASHERS AND TRAVELED AT 25 MPH BACK TO MY HOME, A STRAIGHT ONE MILE DRIVE FROM THE GAS STATION. WHEN I TURNED LEFT INTO MY DRIVEWAY, I HEARD A GRINDING SOUND AND MY VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER STEER. AS SOON AS I WAS OFF THE ROAD, I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. THE TIRE WAS FLAT, AND THE CAR LEANED TO THE RIGHT-FRONT. AT A VERY LOW SPEED, THE CAR SERIOUSLY TIPPED TOWARD THE GROUND ON THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE. AT A FASTER SPEED, IT COULD EASILY HAVE FLIPPED SEVERAL TIMES. I WAS VERY SHAKEN BY THIS INCIDENT, AND I HAVE BEEN UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING THIS CAR SINCE THIS FIRST INCIDENT. MY HUSBAND ATTEMPTED TO CHANGE THE TIRE AND FOUND THAT THE SUSPENSION COIL SPRING HAD SNAPPED AND EMBEDDED ITSELF INTO THE TIRE. WE CALLED THE AAA TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO LAKE VIEW FORD IN CONNEAUT LAKE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR