# 2000 FORD FOCUS — TIRES:SIDEWALL
> NHTSA complaint `479677` · 2004-06-14 · Ford Motor Company
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** FORD
- **Model:** FOCUS
- **Year:** 2000
- **Manufacturer:** Ford Motor Company
- **Component:** TIRES:SIDEWALL
- **Miles at failure:** 44,313
- **Speed:** 35 mph
## Narrative
MY SON WAS ALMOST KILLED ALONG WITH DRIVERS ON THE FREEWAY BELOW THE OVERPASS HE WAS ON WHEN A 2 WEEK OLD TIRE BLEW AND HE INSTANTLY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.  IN VIEWING THIS TIRE, I FOUND IT TO LOOK AS IF IT HAS DRY ROT ALL AROUND IT.  LITTLE TINY HOLES UNDERNEATH THE TREADS ALL AROUND AS IF EATEN AWAY BY TERMITES OR SOMETHING.  FOR A NEW TIRE IT IS OLDER LOOKING THAN THE OTHER 6 MONTH OLD TIRES.  I KNOW NO ONE WHO WOULD LAB TEST THE MATERIAL, BUT IN MY GUT SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG WITH IT.  IT BLEW FROM UNDERNEATH A THICK NEW TREAD THAT HAS NO PUNCTURES ON TOP.  IT IS A FIRESTONE/FIREHAWK P205/50R16, DOT# W2W11TB0804.  MY CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS, BUT MY SON MADE IT THROUGH OK THANK GOD.  I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER MGR I PURCHASED IT FROM AND HE OUTRIGHT DISAGREED AND STARTED TO TAKE THE TIRE FROM ME SAYING HE WOULD HAVE THIER LAB TEST IT, BUT I HAVE LITTLE TRUST FOR THIER LAB.  I NEED HELP IN REVIEWING THIS.  I HAVE NO CAR AND I FEEL IT IS BECAUSE OF AN ACCIDENT CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE TIRE.  INSURANCE DOES NOT PAY COMPRABLE TO THE VEHICLE YOU HAD.  I HAD ONLY ONE LAST PAYMENT TO GO.  MY SON AND MANY OTHER PEOPLE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED.  BUYING TIRES IS LIKE A GAME OF RUSSIAN ROULETTE WITH LIFE AND DEATH.  IT SEEMS WE ALL JUST ACCEPT THAT FACT.*AK
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*