Saturday The 13th is a bad day for me. Blown Tire under 1200 miles. Warning Big Pics

[ChewyChevy]

Tire went flat on I580(California) from Hayward to Livermoore going about 70mph. If you want to skip the story, Paragraph 4 is where the important stuff is.

1) Around 11:15ish?? Mazda3 veers right a couple times, I check rear-views in case to pull over. A cop car behind me was flashing lights, and slowing traffic behind me. I pull over to the left shoulder. Cop car leaves as he sees I'm pulled over and safe.

2) I get out, left rear is blown. Call Kyle to let everyone else know I won't be making the cruise. Get out jack and begin jacking up. I'm thinking "Crap I must have ran over glass or a nail..."

3) Pull off tire and the inner tire sidewall is SHREDDED(see pics). The tire look like it just blew-out and wasn't punctured by any object. I checked the tread of the tire and no holes, metal, glass or nails sticking out.

4) It's been about 5 hours since it blew out. I'm concerned that the tire blew out at 1200 Miles or so on the car, without reason. I'm afraid that if more tires blow out, in worse conditions than mine (70mph, low traffic + police assistance) this may be another Ford/Firestone incident. The Mazda 3 is in its first model/first year.

True the tire may have just been overinflated at the dealership(the other 3 are at 32 psi), or perhaps I was just unlucky.

I'm going to go to the dealership to give them a heads up and hopefully get a new rim and possibly get the tires swapped. I'm going to file a complaint/comment/warning with my regional Mazda and Mazda USA. Gonna spread the word to other Mazda forums as well.

I'm grateful I'm alive though and there's no damage to the vehicle, as the situation could have been much worse. If I can't get any warranty or Mazda Usa direct compensation, it's cool, but there's no reason not to try.

Hopefully I was just an unlucky guy who got the 1 in a thousand bad tire that wasn't properly inspected before sold and put on a vehicle. Good motoring all!

Rim

CloseUp

Another CloseUp

Final CloseUp
http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/bc/2cde74c6/bc/Mazda3_BlownTire/Third+Close_up.jpg?

Odometer

Shredded

Compound

Best part of all!! Yellow Rim of Bling! http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/bc/2cde74c6/bc/Mazda3_BlownTire/Yellow+Rim+of+Bling!.jpg?{/IMG]

Other Pics here...
[url]http://www.norcal-ls1.com/multimedia/showgallery.php?ppuser=1760&cat=500[/url]

Alex

 

[canada3]

Thanks for sharing your story

 

[mazdaspeedpower]

pics ain't werking for me...maybe it's just me, says it's not found????

 

[canada3]

the last link works

 

[goldwing2000]

That does look like some kind of separation issue.

A word to the wise: while your car is still new, go to your local tire retailer and buy road hazard protection! Around here it's only $6 per tire and is excellent insurance for just such an issue.

Chewy, with only 1200 miles they should definitely warranty that tire! Mazda probably won't do anything for you, though. All tire warranty issues have to be addressed to the tire manufacturer. Your dealer should help you out with the details.

 

[RonH]

My MZ3 has Goodyear RS-A's on it, not Firestone.

 

[rodslinger]

That does look like some kind of separation issue.

A word to the wise: while your car is still new, go to your local tire retailer and buy road hazard protection! Around here it's only $6 per tire and is excellent insurance for just such an issue.

Good advise. I always do that. Even better advise it to pull the Goodyears off and trade them in on something better.

Chewy, with only 1200 miles they should definitely warranty that tire! Mazda probably won't do anything for you, though. All tire warranty issues have to be addressed to the tire manufacturer. Your dealer should help you out with the details.

I'd guess the tire lost air from a puncture. The separation was likely caused by driving on it flat. The lip of the rim basically cut the sidewall. This may be a problem with a tire warranty claim. If the tire shop sees any sign of a puncture other than the tear in the sidewall, they aren't likely to warranty that.

On a related note, I picked up a nail on the way home from buying my 3s sedan. The tire pressure monitor light came on about ten miles from the dealership on the interstate. I pulled over immediately and saw a nail in the tire. I was glad I got the early warning as the air was coming out fast. Had I not gotten the warning, I too probably would have driven on it long enough to destroy it. I just took the car to a local Firestone and they repaired it for $10.

 

[canada3]

My MZ3 has Goodyear RS-A's on it, not Firestone.

same