NHTSA complaint: 1999 DODGE INTREPID — SUSPENSION:REAR
WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE WAS OBSERVED IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. AFTER FINDING A SAFE PLACE TO QUICKLY PULL OVER, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE RIGHT REAR STRUT HAD FAILED COMPLETELY AND WAS RESTING ON A BRAND NEW TIRE. THE TIRE WAS SMOKING AND DESTROYED. IT HAD ONLY MILLIMETERS OF TREAD LEFT BEFORE THE STRUT WOULD HAVE PUNCTURED AND EXPLODED THE TIRE. LATER AT A GARAGE, THE STRUT WAS SHOWN TO HAVE BROKEN COMPLETELY. ALTHOUGH I SURVIVED THIS NEAR DISASTROUS INCIDENT, IT COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN MUCH WORSE FOR ME AND OTHER INTERSTATE USERS NEARBY. *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation