NHTSA Complaint #10759152 — 2008 MERCURY MILAN

WHEN GOING DOWN TO CINCINNATI, OHIO, SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED MY MERCURY MILAN, IN SEPTEMBER 2010, I HAD A FLAT TIRE OUTSIDE OF AKRON OHIO. (THE CAR ONLY HAD 3,000 TO 4000 MILES ON IT WHEN I BOUGHT IT & WAS KEPT IN A GARAGE DURING THE WINTER, DRIVEN ONLY IN THE SUMMER MONTHS HERE IN MICHIGAN.). I HAD TO PURCHASE A NEW TIRE WHILE IN OHIO AND ALSO PURCHASED A WARRANTY (LIFETIME) ON ALL THE OTHER MICHELIN TIRES. BETWEEN THEN AND NOW, I HAVE HAD NO LESS THEN 15 TO 20 INCIDENTS WHERE THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT COMES ON. I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER, EVEN THOUGH THERE HAS BEEN ONE RECALL AND THREE SERVICE BULLETINS ISSUED FOR THIS VEHICLE. ONE OF THEM INVOLVES THE TIRES. MY VEHICLE NOW HAS 32,000 MILES ON IT AND I AM TOLD I WILL BE NEEDING NEW TIRES SHORTLY. HOW COULD THIS BE? I'VE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE THAT I ONLY GOT 32,000 MILES OUT OF THE ORIGINAL SET OF TIRES. I'M NOW SUSPECTING THAT ITS POSSIBLE THE TIRES ARE LEAKING AIR DUE TO THE VALVE STEM ON THE TIRE ITSELF. I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHY I'VE NEVER RECEIVED ANY BULLETINS OR NOTIFICATIONS ON RECALLS. THE PROBLEM LIES EITHER WITH THE MANUFACTURER OF THE VEHICLE PUTTING POOR QUALITY TIRES ON THE VEHICLE OR WITH THE TIRE MANUFACTURER. I'M ON DISABILITY AND CANNOT AFFORD NEW TIRES. THE CAR HAS ONLY 32,000 MILES ON IT & IS DRIVEN GENTLY. I CERTAINLY WILL NOT BE BUYING MICHELIN TIRES EVER. ONE OTHER THING, 2 OF THE WHEELS HAD CORROSION GROUND OFF THEM IN HOPES THAT THE TIRE WOULD FIT BETTER, HOWEVER, THIS HAS NOT SOLVED THE PROBLEM. WHERE DOES THE PROBLEM LIE? I WAS TOLD BY DISCOUNT TIRE THAT IT'S SIMPLY A MATTER OF ECONOMICS THAT MANUFACTURERS MADE THE DECISION THAT IT'S "QUANTITY OVER QUALITY" WHEN PUTTING TIRES ON NEW CARS. IN OTHER WORDS POOR QUALITY TIRES ARE PUT ON NEW CARS?? APPARENTLY, THIS IS THE CASE WHEN ONE NEEDS TO BUY NEW TIRES AT ONLY 32,000 MILES.