2002 Mazda Tribute Tires & Wheels Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL UNEXPECTEDLY DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V174000 (STRUCTURE: FRAME AND MEMBERS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED BECAUSE THE LOCATION OF THE DEALER WAS FAR AWAY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000.

I WAS DRIVING UP 101 NORTH AT 45-50 MPH WHEN THE DRIVER'S FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. I IMMEDIATELY FIRMED MY GRIP ON THE STEERING WHEEL, AND BRAKED IN A SAFE MANNER, BUT THEN THE CAR STARTED VIOLENTLY SHAKING, AND VEERING TOWARDS THE LEFT TO THE POINT WHERE I COULD NOT CONTROL IT, EVEN THOUGH THE CAR HAD SLOWED TO AROUND 20 MPH. I GRAZED THE CENTER MEDIAN, SCRATCHING THE SIDE OF THE CAR, THEN WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL. I THEN HAD TO PULL OVER ON THE FREEWAY GOING ABOUT 5 MPH. I THEN GOT OUT OF THE CAR, CALLED AAA, AND LOOKED AT THE DAMAGE. TO MY AMAZEMENT, THREE OF THE FIVE SPOKES ON THE RIM HAD CRACKED SEVERELY, AND THE WHEEL WAS WOBBLING BADLY. A CHP OFFICER STOPPED AT THE SCENE, AND WAS LIKEWISE AMAZED AT THE BROKEN WHEEL. HE CHECKED THE ROAD FOR DEBRIS, BUT FOUND NONE, CONFIRMING THAT THE TIRE HAD BLOWN ON ITS OWN. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER THEN ARRIVED, AND HELPED PUT THE SPARE ON, WHICH ALSO WOBBLED AND WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE ON. IT TURNS OUT THAT SOME SUSPENSION COMPONENTS HAD BROKEN ALONG WITH THE WHEEL. HE LATER TOWED THE CAR TO MAZDA OF MARIN, WHERE THEY BLAMED US FOR THE DAMAGE. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT WHEELS DON'T JUST BREAK FROM BLOUOUTS, AND THAT WHEELS LIKE THIS POSE A THREAT TO MOTORISTS.*AK

CONTINENTAL TIRES, MODEL CONTITRAC SUV. SIZE P235/70R16. BOTH FRONT TIRES SHOWED SIGNS OF EXCESSIVE WEAR. VEHICLE HAD VERY LOW MILEAGE. CONSUMER REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALERSHIP, BUT DID RECEIVE A SATISFACTORY RESPONSE FROM THEM.*AK

THE CONSUMER STATED THE RIMS CRACKED, WHICH CAUSED THE TIRES TO LOSE AIR. *JB

RIM FAILED ON FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE RIM FAILED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED A SUDDEN AND TOTAL LOSS OF AIR FROM THE TIRE. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AFTER THE FAILURE. UPON INSPECTION THE DRIVER NOTICED A ONE INCH WIDE BY 3 INCH LONG CRACK ALONG THE INSIDE OF THE RIM. THE RIM WAS TAKEN TOT HE DEALER TO REQUEST A WARRANTY REPAIR. AFTER THE RIM WAS INSPECTED THEY CONCLUDED THAT THE CONSUMER PROBABLY HIT SOMETHING TO CAUSE THE DAMAGE. AT THAT POINT THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALER WASN'T GOING TO HONOR THE WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER FACILITY TO BE INSPECTED. THEY DETERMINED THE RIM WAS INDEED THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. BASED ON THE INDEPENDENT EVALUATION THE CONSUMER REQUEST THAT MAZDA HONOR THE WARRANTY. *NM

WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 10 MPH AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM VEHICLE. CONTININENTAL TIRES, P23570R16. *AK

WHILE DRIVING NOTICED THAT FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS HT TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRES. PLEASE SUBMIT SIZE AND DOT#. *AK

NOTICED BULGE ON SIDEWALL OF TIRE. REPLACED TIRE TO PREVENT TIRE FAILURE AND POSSIBLE ACCIDENT/CASUALTIRES. DT