NHTSA complaint: FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT — TIRES:TREAD/BELT
ON APRIL 25, 2003, I WAS DRIVING TO KANSAS CITY, MO. FROM TULSA, OK. ON I-44. PURSUANT TO THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT, I WAS TRAVELLING AT OR NEAR 75 M.P.H. THERE WAS ONLY MYSELF AND MY DOG IN THE CAR. SUDDENLY, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE FROM THE BACK OF MY CAR, A 1993 FORD BRONCO. ACTUALLY, IT SOUNDED MORE LIKE AN EXPLOSION. THE CAR IMMEDEATLY WENT UP ON TWO WHEELS TOWARDS A BARRICADE. I TRIED TO CORRECT IT AND LOST CONTROL THE OTHER DIRECTION. THE DOG, A ONE HUNDRED POUND LAB, WAS THROWN INTO THE FRONT SEAT. I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO GET KILLED AND SHUT MY EYES. WHEN I OPENED THEM, I WAS PERPINDICULAR TO TRAFFIC ON THE INTERSTATE. I REGAINED MY COMPOSURE AND PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I GOT OUT TO INVESTIGATE THE ANAMOLY AND FOUND A FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT, SIZE: 31X10.5, DOT #VD60 AW3 497. WITH THE TREAD 3/4 DETACHED. THE MUFFLER WAS SMASHED, THE WHEEL WELL WAS SHOVED INTO THE BACK SEAT WELL PAST THE POINT WHERE IT WAS WHEN I HAD LAST OBSERVED IT. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (I.E. BRAKE LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS) WAS INOPERABLE. I PUT A SPARE ON THE CAR AND HAD IT CHANGED A FEW HARROWING HOURS LATER AFTER DRIVING ON THE SHOULDER FOR SOME TIME AT 25 M.P.H. AS I HAD NO IDEA WHAT TYPE OF STRUCTURAL DAMAGE MAY HAVE OCCURED. I DID WAIT FOR A STATE TROOPER FOR SOME TIME BUT NONE SHOWED. I STILL MAINTAIN POSSESSION OF THE TIRE.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation