NHTSA Complaint #11481995 — 2016 LEXUS LS

On march 17, 2022, I purchased 4-Michelin CrossClimate2 car tires (245/45R19/XL 102V) for my Lexus LS460. From the attached photos you can see how soft the rubber is as tested with a Durometer Meter reading of 54 compared to 64.5 Meter on the replaced Michelin Radial MXV.4 tire. Never had a single problem with the MXV.4 tires. Those tires came with the Lexus and had a hard rubber ridge just above the rim which protects these tires from damage. I don't remember ever running into a curb with the CrossClimate2 tires that caused the damage to the tire. The scuffing of the rim wheel is due to tall curbs, narrow tires, narrow drive ways and the driver of course. The CrossClimate2 tire was on the front driver side and usually never is a problem with contact with the curb, these rims have been rotated many times and show curb scuffing. The 4-Michelin CrossClimate2 rubber is very very soft and should have a protective edge to the tire and harder rubber like the Michelin Radial MXV.4 tires, there is no protection as is the case with the Radial X. I spoke to Michelin help desk twice and only received a directive, talk to your dealer. I purchased these tires from Amazon Business and had Walmart install the tires. I checked the Durometer on two of the CrossClimate2 tires still on the auto and the Durometer reading is not consistent on the rubber hardness, telling me there is a problem in manufacturing and quality control. The 4-Michelin CrossClimate2 tires are defective in manufacture and design and I would not recommend them 100%. As soon as I saw the slit in the tire I went to a Tire Dealer who said that the tire could rapture, so I removed the CrossClimate2 tire and replaced it with the spare, Michelin Radial MXV.4 on August 26, 2022.