NHTSA Complaint #10049628 — 2003 NISSAN 350Z

PREMATURE, EXCESSIVE, ASYMMETRICAL FRONT TIRE WEAR ON 2003 NISSAN 350Z. TIRE WEAR IS CONFINED TO THE INSIDE TREAD BLOCK RING ONLY, CIRCUMFERENTIALLY AROUND THE TIRE. INDICATIONS ARE A RAISED HEEL AND LOWERED TOE PATTERN IN THE DIRECTION OF THE TREAD. THIS OCCURS ON ALL NISSAN 350Z'S, AND IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE TIRE FAILURE RESULTS IN SERIOUS INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE. SEE ZCAR.COM FOR MORE COMPLAINTS AND DETAILS. NISSAN'S TSB SOLUTION IS TO REALIGN THE FRONT END, AND SIMPLY ROTATE THE TIRE, TRANSFERRING THE ABNMORMAL WEAR PATTERN AND RESULTANT HAZARD TO THE OPPOSITE TREAD BLOCK. REALIGNMENT DOES NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. NISSAN HAS PUT A DANGEROUS NEW MODEL ON THE ROAD WITH A DESIGN FLAW THAT EATS TIRES AT AN EXTRAORDINARY RATE (5,000-8,000 MILES!!!). UNLESS FIXED, THE CAR IS LIKELY TO BECOME KNOWN AS THE CORVAIR OF THE 21ST CENTURY "UNSAFE AT ANY SPEED". *AK