Now I am Paranoid
@GardenGerty (157485)
United States
August 3, 2016 7:22pm CST
I am paranoid about my car tires. I had a blowout today.
I was driving the MonteCarlo and was going to take my sister to do her shopping. Not twenty miles from home, I heard a weird sound, so I pulled off the highway.
Our car is part of a recall. It has had two other owners who never got the problem repaired. We asked at a dealership when we bought it. They were supposed to get back to us when they had the parts. We never have heard back. We have found another dealership and have an appointment for Saturday. I was certain the weird noise had to do with the head gasket. Maybe I had blown it. Nope, I blew out the driver front tire, doing seventy mph.
I am over sixty, and have never changed a tire in my life. I get the "donut" out, and the jack. I am clueless but the sheriff pulled up. Turns out my jack does not work. His jack only fits Dodge vehicles. He calls a deputy. I have a call in and my husband was on the way. The deputy has a more universal jack. We get it changed and they comment my rear tire is low.
Hubby meets me, looks at it, and we get it aired up.
My tires are uncommon and non standard.We finally found a place and got the two front tires replaced. I think I need to work hard and earn a lot. It was an unplanned for expense.
Now I am paranoid if anything feels strange on the tires. I am thankful that I was somewhere that had help immediately available.
16 people like this
13 responses
@LadyDuck (457388)
• Switzerland
4 Aug 16
@hereandthere I agree, we were lucky to be there when it happened.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (158680)
• Boise, Idaho
4 Aug 16
Sounds like time to get on the phone and get some answers. Shouldn't they have replaced the tires? I would bill them.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157485)
• United States
4 Aug 16
Tires are now replaced. We bought this car privately and cheaply. Hubby should have been monitoring the tires. Rear tires had been recently replaced. The recall parts are on hand at the shop where I will take it Saturday.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157485)
• United States
5 Aug 16
@celticeagle the young lady we got it from had figured it was too late. She had gotten too busy or something. I have no idea why the first owner or the lot that sold it to her had not taken care of it. A mechanic friend of ours said that they have to fix it. I looked it up online and learned that not only that, the first fix was faulty.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (158680)
• Boise, Idaho
5 Aug 16
@GardenGerty ....That's good. I hate to hear of them getting away without replacing things.
1 person likes this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
4 Aug 16
I haven't had a flat tire or blowout in many years (I should knock on wood!), but I had my share years ago. I have a donut that I am not even sure will hold air. Every now and then I think I should check on it, but I haven't yet. Another procrastination!
1 person likes this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
4 Aug 16
@GardenGerty That's very likely if there is a lot of construction.
@GardenGerty (157485)
• United States
4 Aug 16
What was brought home to me yesterday is that I cannot just assume my husband is doing it all because he is very busy as well. It may be that I picked up something that damaged my tire as we have tons of construction going on.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (72285)
• Philippines
4 Aug 16
I have never changed a tire my entire life as well and I have no idea how to or how to manage one when i get flat. I don't blame you for being paranoid about it.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157485)
• United States
4 Aug 16
We live so far from everything I drive a lot on the highway. I drove our truck home and the wind blowing across the road made it feel as if something was wrong with it.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157485)
• United States
4 Aug 16
It has been to the shop. Has new tires on front. We had to search for someone who could provide the wierd size. Luckily it was close to home. Hubby is a good mechanic, we have just not kept up like we should. I will be careful, for sure.
1 person likes this
@CRK109 (14558)
• United States
4 Aug 16
Someone was definitely watching over you. When I had my car, I always had AAA because I know absolutely nothing about cars. One morning when I was driving my husband to work, the car just stopped in the middle of traffic. Britt got out and walked the rest of the way to work and I was stranded in the car until a wonderful police officer came along, checked out the problem and called a tow truck for me. You can be paranoid for a little while but don't let it stop you from doing things you need to do.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157485)
• United States
4 Aug 16
We have emergency road service through our insurance, and I have used it. . . more than anything else. I have two brand new tires on front and the new shop we were referred too checked the rear ones as well. I am anxious to get the recalll service taken care of though.
1 person likes this
@CRK109 (14558)
• United States
4 Aug 16
@GardenGerty I don't blame you there. I've never had to go through a recall but it would definitely make me uneasy. I wish you all the best!
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157485)
• United States
4 Aug 16
@CRK109 Yes, this is an older car. We know that there was a recall, no one bothered with it. from what I read online the original fix for the head gasket and that area was not effective and so last year they began needing to fix the fix.
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
4 Aug 16
@GardenGerty That kind of public spirited attitude is a credit to the police force.
@GardenGerty (157485)
• United States
4 Aug 16
I think they would rather be doing stuff like this than giving tickets and arresting people. If I ever get around to making cookies I should take them some.
1 person likes this
@marsha32 (6631)
• United States
4 Aug 16
I am paranoid driving on the highway always and it started with a car I had that kept blowing some sort of gasket.
I've been fortunate to have never had a blow out that caused me to swerve, but I have had a few.
One was in OKC. I was there for a couponing convention...every one else was at the KOA while I was to my convention. I waited on the highway for at least 2 hours when thankfully a nice and honest person stopped to help me.
It was scary not knowing just who would stop.
@GardenGerty (157485)
• United States
4 Aug 16
I have insurance that would have paid for a road call. The sheriff was there before I could call anyone.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
5 Aug 16
I have Triple A, as I couldnt change a tire. I am glad you are safe! Scary to have a blowout at that speed
@MALUSE (69416)
• Germany
4 Aug 16
I can only remember one incident. My husband and I weren't married yet. There were two other young women with us in the car. When the tire gave up the ghost, we three young women waved down a lorry and the lorry driver changed the tire for us in no time. My (then) boyfriend remained in the background. :-)
@GardenGerty (157485)
• United States
4 Aug 16
Well, I guess that was wise of him to do, as the lorry driver could handle the problem quickly. It is almost too dangerous these days for a driver to have a stranger help, or for a stranger to stop for a disabled appearing vehicle. I am glad you had help.
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
4 Aug 16
You are lucky you were able to pull safely off the road. I hope you can get the others looked at and changed if necessary. I don't blame you I would be paranoid too.
