NHTSA Complaint #10091108 — 2003 VOLVO S60

MY WIFE, JANELLE, AND I HAVE A 2003 VOLVO S60 WHICH WE PURCHASED NEW IN APRIL, 2003, AND WHICH HAD FOUR ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MICHELIN TIRES (MXV-4, I BELIEVE). WE USE IT FOR NORMAL HIGHWAY AND SUBURBAN TRAVEL IN THE BOSTON AREA. WHEN THE CAR HAD GONE ONLY 8000 MILES, ONE OF THE LEFT TIRES GAVE OUT ON US. THE SIDE WALL OF THE TIRE UNRAVELED, AND THE TIRE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. NO SPECIFIC CAUSE COULD BE DETERMINED. FORTUNATELY, THIS HAPPENED IN A QUIET CAPE COD TOWN AND WE WERE NOT IN ANY DANGER (BUT I WAS OUT ABOUT $150). WE HAD NO FURTHER PROBLEMS UNTIL SEPTEMBER 13, WHEN THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE GAVE OUT FROM THE SIDE IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE PREVIOUS TIRE ON ROUTE 128 IN WAKEFIELD, MA (AT 23000 MILES), WHILE I WAS TRAVELING MORE THAN 60 MILES AN HOUR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. WE WERE LUCKY NOT TO HAVE BEEN KILLED OR INJURED. AGAIN, THE TIRE WAS RUINED. AGAIN, IT COST ME OVER $150 FOR A REPLACEMENT TIRE. BOTH TIRE DEALERS WHO SOLD US REPLACEMENT MICHELIN MATCHING TIRES ADVISED US THAT PERHAPS THE PROBLEM HAD TO DO WITH THE "LOW PROFILE" OF THE VOLVO S60 AND BUMPING INTO CURBS. YET THE FIRST TIRE WHICH UNRAVELED WAS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE SECOND TIRE WHICH UNRAVELED HAD ABSOLUTELY NO CONTACT WITH A CURB FOR ABOUT 100 MILES PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. I BELIEVE THAT THE ORIGINAL TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE, AND WE ARE NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR AT ALL, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE PLANNING LONG TRIPS IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. I WANT THE REMAINING TIRES REPLACED BY MICHELIN ASAP, AND I WANT TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE $300 I HAVE ALREADY SPENT ON THE FIRST 2 REPLACEMENT TIRES. HAVE THERE BEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS? WHAT SHOULD I DO? COULD YOU CONTACT MICHELIN FOR ME? VOLVO REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING. MY OFFICE PHONE NUMBER IS 781/431-9788, AND MY HOME PHONE NUMBER IS 781/641-0668. MY CELL PHONE NO. IS 617/645-4345. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR PROMPT ASSISTANCE. *JB