NHTSA Complaint #10262832 — 2008 MERCURY MILAN

I OWN A 2008 MERCURY MILAN WHICH CAME FROM THE FACTORY WITH MICHELIN P225/50/R17 V93 M&S RADIAL TIRES ON IT. I DISCOVERED A BUBBLE IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE AND HAD TO THROW THE TIRE AWAY WITH ONLY 8700 MILES ON IT. I CONTACTED MICHELIN AND INQUIRED ABOUT THESE "50" SERIES SIDEWALL CONFIGURATION TIRES HAVING THIS PROBLEM AS TOLD TO ME BY MY TIRE DEALER. THEY AGREED WITH THEIR DEALER THAT THESE TIRES CAN'T TAKE POTHOLES AND WOULD BUBBLE ON THE SIDEWALL AND COULD BLOWOUT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS!! THEY SAID THEY HAVE NO CONTROL WHERE THE CAR MANUFACTURERS SELL THEIR CARS WITH THESE TYPE OF TIRES INSTALLED ON THEM. THIS PROBLEM EXISTS ON ALL "50" SIDEWALL CONFIGURATION TIRES SOLD BY ALL TIRE MANUFACTURERS. I LIVE IN NEW JERSEY, THE POTHOLE CAPITOL OF THE USA! THESE TIRES ARE DANGEROUS, IF A BUBBLE APPEARS ON THE INNER SIDEWALL WHERE IT CAN'T BE SEEN AND REPLACED, IT COULD BLOWOUT AT HIGH SPEED. I HAVE RECEIVED A COURTESY REIMBURSEMENT OF 50% FROM MICHELIN. I HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT I CANNOT CHANGE THESE TIRES AND HAVE A "55" SIDEWALL CONFIGURATION TIRE INSTALLED BECAUSE THE FACTORY ABS AND TIRE PRESSURE SENSORS WILL MALFUNCTION!!! I HAVE SENT A LETTER TO FORD/MERCURY ENGINEERING DIVISION TO REQUEST THEIR HELP IN SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF THESE SENSORS MALFUNCTIONING UPON REPLACING THESE "50" SIDEWALL TIRES WITH "55"S AS OF THIS WRITING, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A REPLY. I HAVE BEEN DOING BUSINESS WITH THIS TIRE/REPAIR FACILITY FOR 40 YEARS AND THEY ARE FULLY AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM EXISTING WITH ALL MANUFACTURERS "50" SIDEWALL CONFIGURATION, AND I TRUST THEM. I BELIEVE THESE TIRES SHOULD BE OFFERED AS AN OPTION ONLY IN THE NORTHEAST WITH A WARNING ABOUT THE POTHOLE DAMAGE. THEY WERE STANDARD EQUIPMENT ON MY MILAN...A 149 MILE PER HOUR TIRE ON A 4 CYLINDER SEDAN!!!! I WANT THE CAR MANUFACTURERS TO DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY AT THEIR EXPENSE TO CORRECT THE SENSOR MALFUNCTIONS IF THIS "50" TIRE IS REPLACED WITH ONE OF A HIGHER SIDEWALL. *TR