2002 Audi A4

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 AUDI A4 EQUIPPED WITH BRIDGESTONE POTENZA TIRES, SIZE: 225/45R17. WHILE PARKED, IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE HAD TREAD SEPARATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE WAS REPLACED PREVIOUSLY FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE TIRE AND VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE DOT NUMBER AND VIN WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 60 MPH ON A DRY AND FLAT INTERSTATE, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE TO THE LEFT AND ALMOST COLLIDED WITH A MEDIAN. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE WHOLE SIDEWALL HAD SEPARATED FROM THE TREAD, AND THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE HAD SMALL SPOTS WHERE THE TREAD JOINED THE SIDEWALL. A DONUT TIRE REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE TIRE. ON 09/18/06, THE TIRE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND SUGGESTED THAT THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN TO A TIRE DEALERSHIP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO AGREED THAT THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE BUT OFFERED NO RESOLUTION. THE MANUFACTURER SUGGESTED THAT THE DEFECTIVE TIRES BE SENT IN FOR INSPECTION AND THAT 4 NEW TIRES SHOULD BE PURCHASED. THE TIRES WERE REGULARLY CHECKED FOR CORRECT PRESSURE, AND ROTATED ON TIME. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY VIBRATIONS WHILE DRIVING. THERE WAS NO ABNORMAL BULGING IN THE TIRES. PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SIDEWALLS ON THE FRONT DRIVER AND REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRES WERE CRACKED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 20-25 MPH, THE RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT TIRES BLEW OUT FOR NO REASON CAUSING THE DRIVER TO HIT A GUARD RAIL. THE TIRES ARE THE ORIGINAL TIRES SOLD ON THE VEHICLE. NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE TIRES WERE LOSING AIR AND THERE WAS A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE TIRES. THE DEALERSHIP WAS ALERTED AND PUT AIR IN THE TIRES. THE TIRE INFORMATION WAS UNAVAILABLE. THERE WAS ONE PERSON INJURED AND THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. UPDATED 05/16/2006. *AK *NM

3 OF 4 BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE-950 TIRES, SIZE 235/45/R17 93H TIRES HAVE EXPERIENCED DELAMINATION OF THE TREAD ON THE INSIDE WEAR EDGE; ALIGNMENT ON MY AUDI A4 HAS BEEN VERIFIED TO MEET MANUFACTURER SPEC, YET THE INSIDE EDGES OF THE TIRES HAVE BROKEN OPEN TO EXPOSE LAYERS OF TIRE AND THE INTEGRITY OF THE TIRE HAS BEEN BREACHED. IN ONE CASE, A 8 INCH BY 1/2 INCH BY 1/2 INCH SECTION COMPLETELY GAVE WAY AND FLEW OFF THE TIRE. THESE TIRES WERE DISCONTINUED BY BRIDGESTONE AND I NOW KNOW WHY. I REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES WITH BRIDGESTONE G09'S AND I HAVE NOT HAD THIS PROBLEM REOCCUR. NOTE, SYSTEM WILL NOT ACCEPT AUDI A4 AS VEHICLE TYPE, SO I USED TOYOTA; I DO HAVE A 3.0L A4 QUATTRO. *JB

DT: THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE HAD TWO TIRE FAILURES WITHIN THE LAST ELEVEN MONTHS FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHY HE WAS HAVING TIRE FAILURE. MICHELIN, PRIMACY, SIZE IS 235/4517. ON JUNE 24,2004, THE CONSUMER NOTICED A LOSS OF TIRE PRESSURE WHICH WAS ABOUT 1LB OR 2 EVERY MONTH. THE PROBLEM WAS UNABLE TO BE FIGURED OUT. WHILE REPLACING THE VALVE STEM, ALONG WITH PLACING THE TIRE BACK ON THE RIM WHILE TRYING TO RE-INFLATE THE TIRE, THE INSIDE WALL OF THE TIRE BLISTERED. THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE TIRE WAS SENT TO MICHELIN FOR EVALUATION. THERE WAS A TINY LEAK IN THE TIRE, BUT THAT WASN'T ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE BLISTER, REEVALUATION COULD NOT DETERMINE WHY THE TIRE BLISTERED. THE REPLACEMENT TIRE FAILED ON 5-25-2005 WHILE IN A PARKING LOT AND THE TIRE WALL BEGAN TO SEPARATE FROM THE TIRE. AMERICA TIRE COMPANY ANALYZED THE TIRE, AND NO CAUSE FOR THE TIRE FAILURE WAS DETERMINED. ALSO, THIS TIRE WAS SENT FOR EVALUATION AND THE CONSUMER HAS NOT HEARD ANYTHING YET. HE TRIED TO FIND OUT FROM TIRE MANUFACTURER AND AUDI ABOUT THE RECALLS, AND THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION. *AK *SC *JB

STEREO-FAILURE AND REPLACEMENT ON AT LEAST (4) OCCASIONS WINSHIELD FLUID DISPENSER/WIPER MALFUNCTION SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT MALFUNCTION-AT LEAST (5) OCCASIONS SOLENOID VALVE BAD CLUTCH SWITCH BAD BLOWER IN AIR CONDITIONING/HEATER UNIT BAD PIRELI TIRES-BROKEN BELTS IN ALL FOUR (AT 25,000 MILES)- THESE ARE THE TIRES PLACED ON THE VEHICLE BY AUDI COILS BAD GAS GAUGE MIS READ