NHTSA Complaint #722053 — 2000 AUDI S4

THIS IS THE SECOND TIRE FAILURE IN LESS THAN 4000 MILES. ONCE AGAIN WHILE WASHING MY CAR, I DISCOVERED A BULGE IN THE SIDEWALL. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO OCCUR APPROXIMATELY EVERY 1900 MILES. I CONTACTED BRIDGESTONE AND THE REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT SINCE THESE TIRES HAVE A LOW PROFILE SIDEWALL, THEY ARE PRONE TO DAMAGE FROM DRIVING ON "ROUGH" ROADS. I TOLD HIM THAT I UNDERSTAND THAT I LIVE IN NEW YORK CITY WHERE THE ROADS MAY BE "ROUGH" BUT THAT LOW PROFILE TIRES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ENGINEERED WITH A STRONGER SIDEWALL TO ABSORB ANY "ROUGHNESS" IN THE ROAD. THIS IS WHY THEY COST SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN TIRES WITH A LARGER SIDEWALL. AS AN ENGINEER, I KNOW THAT THE SIDEWALL SHOULD BE STRENGTHENED ON A LOW PROFILE TIRE TO PREVENT DAMAGE AND REDUCE THE RISK OF A FAILURE OR AN ACCIDENT. I BELIEVE THAT THESE TIRES ARE UNSAFE UNLESS THEY ARE USED ONLY ON PERFECTLY SMOOTH ROADS. I STILL HAD TO PAY $125, HALF PRICE FOR A NEW TIRE, AND I AM NOT SATISFIED WITH THE ANSWERS I RECEIVED AT ALL. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE QUALITY OF THESE TIRES AS WELL AS CONCERENED FOR MY SAFETY WHILE DRIVING WITH THESE TIRES. IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT NORMAL EVERYDAY DRIVING WOULD CAUSE TWO IDENTICAL TIRE FAILURES IN LESS THAN 4000 MILES ON A BRAND NEW CAR. THE MANUFACTURER INSISTS THAT THERE IS NO DEFECT AND THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE TIRES. HOW CAN THIS BE? MY FAMILY AND I HAVE BEEN DRIVING ON THE SAME ROADS FOR YEARS WITH VARIOUS DIFFERENT CARS EQUIPPED WITH VARIOUS TYPES OF TIRES AND HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED TIRE PROBLEMS BEFORE. ONE MORE POINT OF INTEREST IS THAT ON THE BRIDGESTONE WEBSITE, THE POTENZA RE-040 TIRES ARE NOT EVEN LISTED IN THE CATALOG. THIS SEEMS STRANGE TO ME. PERHAPS THERE IS A PROBLEM OR A RECALL AND THE MANUFACTURER JUST DOES NOT WANT TO STAY. I WILL BE KEEPING MY FINGERS CROSSED AND WILL REGULARLY CHECK THE CONDITION OF THESE TIRES, THOUGH IT MAY BE IN MY BEST INTEREST TO CHANGE ALL THE TIRES TO ANOTHER BRAND ALTOGETHER. *AK