NHTSA Complaint #11206008 — 2017 AUDI A4 ALLROAD

THIS IS A TIRE COMPLAINT ABOUT CONTINENTAL CONTIPROCONTACT 245/40/R18 79H TIRES. AUDI PRESTIGE A4 WAS PURCHASED FROM DEALER, FLETCHER JONES AUDI IN CHICAGO, ON 12/29/17. IT HAD BEEN A DEALER DEMONSTRATOR AND HAD VERY LOW MILEAGE. IT IS USED MOSTLY FOR CITY LOW SPEED DRIVING. ON 4/25/18 ALL 4 TIRES HAD MULTIPLE BUBBLES IN SIDEWALLS AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. NEW TIRES WITH WARRANTY WERE PURCHASED FROM DEALER. ON 7/6/18 ONE TIRE WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. ON 1/18/19 ONE TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH BUBBLES. ON 3/24/19 3 TIRES WERE REPLACED WITH MULTIPLE BUBBLES IN SIDEWALLS. ON 4/24/19 ANOTHER TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH BUBBLES IN SIDEWALL. AS A SCIENTIST I HAVE DIFFICULTY BELIEVING THAT THIS IS JUST BAD LUCK. THIS LOOKS TO ME LIKE POOR ENGINEERING OR A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. MY TIRES WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, AND TO THIS POINT MY PERSONAL EXPENSE HAS BEEN LOW. WE HAVE NOT HAD AN ACTUAL BLOWOUT OR ACCIDENT. NEVERTHELESS, I HAVE SAFETY CONCERNS FOR MYSELF AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THERE MUST BE SOMETHING DEFECTIVE IN THESE TIRES -- AND BEFORE ANOTHER PERSON GETS INJURED OR KILLED FROM A BLOWOUT