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Mazda Protege 1999 Complaint

Complaint about TIRES : TREAD/BELT

SILVER SPRING, MD

Consumer Complaint:
TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE AND DAMAGED THE FENDER WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED. FIRESTONE, SIZE P185/65R14, DOT# H406JDNO79. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE AND STEERING WHEEL STARTED SHAKING. THE CONSUMER TURNED OFF THE A/C, RADIO AND REDUCED SPEED TO LISTEN AND DETERMINE THE CAUSE. ONLY TWO EXITS AWAY FROM THEIR EXIT, THE CONSUMER HEARD A THUD. HE PULLED OVER AND SAW THE RIGHT REAR FENDER HANGING OFF TO THE CURB AND THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WAS BALD. ALL THE TREAD ON THE SURFACE WAS GONE. HE CHANGED THE TIRE, SECURED THE FENDER WITH DUCT TAPE AND WENT TO SEARS TO PURCHASE A NEW TIRE. CONSUMER SENT THE TIRE TO FIRESTONE/BRIDGESTONE FOR INSPECTION AND COMPENSATION. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THERE INSPECTION SHOWED THAT THE TIRE WAS OPERATED FOR AN UNKNOWN PERIOD OF TIME WITH INSUFFICIENT AIR PRESSURE TO CARRY THE LOAD. THE INSUFFICIENT AIR PRESSURE WAS EVIDENT BY THE DEFORMATION THROUGHOUT THE TIRE BEAD AREA. THEY CONCLUDED THAT THE TIRE FAILURE WASN'T THE RESULT OF DEFECTIVE MATERIALS OR WORKMANSHIP. THE TIRE WAS RETURNED TO THE CONSUMER UPON HIS REQUEST. THE INSURANCE COMPANY ESTIMATED DAMAGES AT $902.54. *PH *NLM

Date of Incident:
20030706