BRIDGESTONE POTENZA TIRES Complaints

2 INCH BUBBLE IN EXTERIOR SIDEWALL OF FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE NOTICED WHILE CLEANING WHEELS. BRIDGESTONE DEALER SAID BUBBLE WAS DUE TO "ROAD HAZZARD DAMAGE" BUT NONE HAD OCCURRED. RESEARCHED PROBLEM ON "AUDI WORLD" WEBSITE AND FOUND NUMEROUS SIMILAR LOW*AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 225/45R17 )

BELIEVE MANUFACTURER IS PUTTING INFERIOR TIRES ON ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AUTOS AND THEN REFERS CUSTOMER TO TIRE MANUFACTURER WHEN COMPLAINTS ARISE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205/65R15 )

THIS IS THE THIRD TIRE FAILURE SINCE I RECEIVED MY S4. A FELLOW MOTORIST NOTICED A LARGE BUBBLE IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. THIS TIRE IS A REPLACEMENT TIRE THAT WAS INSTALLED AFTER THE ORIGINAL FAILED. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY SOME PROBLEM OR DEFECT WITH THESE TIRES. I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH OTHER S4 OWNERS AND MANY OF THEM COMPLAIN ABOUT THESE SIDEWALL BULGES. THE FACT THAT BRIDGESTONE DENIES ANY PROBLEM AND WILL NOT REPLACE THE TIRES FREE OF CHARGE IS RIDICULOUS. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR WITH THESE TIRES. PRESSURE NEEDS TO BE PUT ON AUDI AND BRIDGESTONE TO EITHER REIMBURSE US FOR THE TIRES AND REPLACE THEM FREE OF CHARGE, OR TO SUPPLY US WITH A NEW IMPROVED OR DIFFERENT TIRE. THESE TIRES SHOULD BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE THEY ARE UNRELIABLE AND UNSAFE. A BLOWOUT IN THE SIDEWALL OF A TIRE AT HIGHWAY SPEED CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AFTER WHICH A SERIOUS LAWSUIT WOULD FOLLOW. *AK( DOT NUMBER: EJH8CFE279 TIRE SIZE: P225/45R17 )

CALLED HONDA RE: CAMPAIGN #99I002000 & WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS AN ERROR AND DOES NOT APPLY TO THE ACCORD BUT ONLY TO THE 96 CIVIC. MY ACCORD'S ACCELERATOR SEEMS TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM OF "THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FEELS ROUGH OR NOTCHY WHEN YOU PRESS IT" AND "AND "ARE REQUIRED TO MOVE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO MAKE SLIGHT SPEED ADJUSTMENTS". YOU CAN REALLY FEEL THIS WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOPPED POSITION AND THE CAR EITHER ACCELERATES TOO SLOW AND/OR WHEN ADJUSTING FOR MORE ACCELERATION IT THEN ACCELERATES TOO FAST AND NOT SMOOTHLY. FIND THAT I HAVE TO REALLY FOCUS MY ATTENTION ON THE USE OF THE ACCELERATOR FOR FEAR THE CAR WILL ADVANCE TOO QUICKLY ON ICE AND/OR RUN INTO THE CAR AHEAD OF ME. DEALER STATES THIS IS THE WAY THE CAR OPERATES.*AK( DOT NUMBER: Y7LX 00L TIRE SIZE: 185/65R15 )

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

A SNOW STORM HIT BOSTON ON 2/18/2000. AFTER WORK, I FOUND MY CAR HAVING DIFFICULTY LEAVING THE PARKING LOT IN WHICH THE EXIT IS A SLOPE. AS I WAS DRIVING HOME, THE CAR HAD TROUBLE CLIMBING UP EVERY SLOPE ALONG THE WAY. AT ONE POINT, WHEN I CAME TO A ST. *AK( DOT NUMBER: Y79L TIRE SIZE: 205/65R15 )

HONDA HAS IDENTIFIED THAT THE 1998 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS A MANUFACTURER'S DURABILITY DEFECT. THEY HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY REFUSED TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM, COSTING CONSUMERS $2700.00 EACH TIME THE TRANSMISSION FAILS. MORE OVER, THEY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO KEEP IT QUIET. I HAVE SPECIFIC DOCUMENTATION OF THE ISSUE, AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO SEND IT TO YOU! *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 205/50/16 )