NHTSA Complaint #10066484 — 2003 SUBARU OUTBACK

TWO ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT BRIDGESTONE POTENZA TIRES ON OUR SUBARU 2003 OUTBACK FAILED AT 9,800 AND 11,700 MILES OF USE, WITHIN THREE MONTHS OF EACH OTHER. BOTH STARTED AS SLOW LEAKS FOR ABOUT A WEEK,WHICH WE MONITORED AND FILLED. THEN SUDDENLY A BIG WHITE CIRCULAR SPLIT APPEARED IN THE SIDEWALL ABOUT AN INCH AWAY FROM THE TREAD, AND TIRES WERE DEAD FLAT AND RUINED. FIRST TIRE WAS DRIVER-SIDE REAR; SECOND WAS PASSENGER-SIDE FRONT. WHEN BROUGHT TO FIRESTONE DEALER FOR WARRANTY FULFILLMENT FOR FIRST TIRE, WE WERE TOLD IT WAS OUR FAULT (?!) AND WE HAD TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENT. CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR EXPLANATION FOR SECOND INCIDENT...BUT NOT SURE I WANT ANOTHER OF THESE ON MY CAR. LOCAL SUBARU DEALER SAYS THIS IS FIRST HE'S HEARD ABOUT THESE TIRES, BUT I SEE THREE OTHER COMPLAINTS ON NHTSA WEBSITE SPECIFIC TO SUBARUS AMONG THE 92 "GENERAL" AND 37 "SIDEWALL" POTENZA COMPLAINTS. TIRE IS P225/60 R1697H. NEVER SAW ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN MY 30 YEARS OF DRIVING.*AK