NHTSA Complaint #11689767 — 2022 MAZDA CX-5

The four 225/55 R19 tires’, purchased 05/02/25 and available for inspection upon request, asymmetrical tread design has 5 treads & 4 troughs across its width. The center tread and the adjacent one to its outside both have varied design water dispersal slots. When the tires are properly mounted with the word “outside” viewable on the outside of all 4 wheels and the vehicle is rolling forward, the 2 above referenced treads’ slots of the right side tires will force water away from the treads and into the adjacent troughs, but these same tread slots on the left side tires, now spun 180 degrees when mounted on the left side, will force water toward the center of the two above referenced treads, actually building up water upon the referenced treads’ surfaces, not dispersing it like on the right side tires. On wet roads, this will dangerously set up the likelihood of hydroplaning on the referenced left side treads, as well as a surface grabbing imbalance between the right and left side tires which sets things up for a spin out. When viewing the mounted tires, the above safety concerns are easy to envision. They appear to pose a risk for an accident, but Pirelli states that their tires are “engineered with advanced tread patterns that balance performance, safety, and comfort” and the tires are properly mounted as described. I have no data indicating that actual issues have been confirmed with my concerns, but I feel they are valid and that this asymmetrical tire should have also been designed and marketed as a directional tire, with left and right mirrored tread designs, which it has not been. I just noticed this tread discrepancy concern.