NHTSA Complaint #10251428 — 2007 ACURA RDX

PURCHASED NEW 2007 ACURA RDX IN JULY 2007 WITH MICHELIN PILOT TIRES. ON 5/5/08 WITH LESS THAN 14,000 MILES, EXPERIENCED SIDEWALL BLOWOUT ON I-270 IN MARYLAND WHILE TRAVELING UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT (TRAFFIC). PURCHASED NEW TIRE AT ACURA. I WAS TOLD IT WAS CAUSED BY RUNNING OVER SOMETHING IN THE ROAD (WHICH I DON'T RECALL DOING). 8/22/08 NOTICED ANOTHER TIRE WAS LOW ON AIR. THERE WAS A SMALL HOLE IN THE TREAD AREA SO THE TIRE WAS REPAIRED AT LOCAL SHOP. AGAIN WAS TOLD I RAN OVER SOMETHING. ON NOVEMBER, EXPERIENCED BLOWOUT WITH A LARGE HOLE IN THE SIDEWALL WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON I-70 IN MARYLAND. BROUGHT CAR TO ACURA AGAIN AND WAS TOLD I WAS JUST UNLUCKY AND AGAIN, RAN OVER "SOMETHING" IN THE ROAD. AT THIS POINT, I HAD NOW REPLACED TWO TIRES AND HAD A THIRD REPAIRED. ON DECEMBER 5, I DROVE TO PENNSYLVANIA. THE CAR SAT PARKED ALL DAY. AT NIGHT, WHEN I WENT OUT, THE REMAINING TWO ORIGINAL TIRES WERE BOTH FLAT. I HAD TO STAY OVERNIGHT AND WAIT UNTIL MORNING. I FOUND A LOCAL TIRES PLUS AN PURCHASED FOUR NEW BRIDGESTONE TIRES AS I DID NOT FEEL THE MICHELINS WERE SAFE. IN 17 MONTHS, WITH 22,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, I HAVE PURCHASED 6 TIRES AND SPENT OVER $1400. I DRIVE MOSTLY HIGHWAY ON WELL MAINTAINED AND HEAVILY TRAVELED ROADS. I DON'T SPEED OR DRIVE RECKLESSLY. THE VEHICLE IS KEPT IN MY GARAGE OVERNIGHT AND HAD BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AT ACURA. IN OVER 30 YEARS OF DRIVING, I HAVE ONLY HAD ONE OTHER FLAT TIRE. I HAVE HAD 4 IN 7 MONTHS. ALL 4 OF THE ORIGINAL MICHELIN TIRES GAVE OUT. I AM FORTUNATE THAT I WAS NOT INJURED BUT I AM CONVINCED THE TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS. *TR