2001 Mazda Protege

TIRE SIDEWALL BUBBLE/BLISTER UPON HITTING SHALLOW POTHOLE - THIS IS 3RD TIRE OCCURANCE, ALL WITH SAME SIDEWALL BLISTER DAMAGE, OF THE FOUR OE TIRES DELIVERED ON MY 2001 MAZDA PROTEGE ES. THE OE TIRES ARE DUNLOP SP SPORT 5000M P195/50R16 83 V. DOT IDENTIFICATION: DOT EULV 4MD0901. ALL TIRES HAVE BEEN INFLATED TO 30-35 PSI AT TIME OF IMPACT AND THE POTHOLE WAS SUFFICIENTLY MINOR AS TO CAUSE NO DAMAGE TO THE ALLOY RIM OR ANY OTHER SCRAPE OR DAMAGE TO THE TIRE. THE SIDEWALL BLISTER WOULD FORM WITHIN SEVERAL MILES DRIVING AFTER IMPACT. I'VE NOW HAD TO PURCHASE THREE DUNLOP REPLACEMENT TIRES TO DATE.

THE CRUISE CONTROL SELECTOR ON THE 2001 MAZDA PROTEGE IS A SHORT STALK ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE STEERING WHEEL. ONCE THE CRUISE CONTROL IS ENABLED BY PRESSING A BUTTON IN THE END OF THE STALK, THE CRUISE SPEED IS SELECTED BY MOVING THE STALK DOWN. IF CRUISE IS INTERRUPTED, AS BY STEPPING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE PRE-SET SPEED CAN BE RESUMED BY MOVING THE STALK UP. SINCE THE STALK CHANGES LOCATION WITH THE MOVEMENT OF THE STEERING WHEEL, IT IS VERY EASY TO INADVERTENTLY OPERATE THE STALK. I HAVE HIT IT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPERATE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER (ANOTHER STALK ON THE RIGHT SIDE) AND WHILE TURNING A CORNER. THE HAZARD IS THAT THE ENABLED CRUISE CONTROL IS NOT DISABLED IF THE VEHICLE DROPS BELOW A CERTAIN SPEED, STOPS, OR EVEN WHEN THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF. IT REMAINS ENABLED UNTIL INTENTIONALLY TURNED OFF. A DRIVER, UNAWARE THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENABLED, COULD ACCIDENTALLY MOVE THE STALK UP TO RESUME, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE TO THE LAST PRE-SET SPEED. EVEN THOUGH A TAP OF THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD INTERRUPT THE ACCELERATION, BY THE TIME THE DRIVER REALIZED IT AND REACTED, A LOT OF DAMAGE COULD BE DONE. A DRIVER COULD ALSO ACCIDENTALLY MOVE THE STALK DOWN AND UNKNOWINGLY SET THE CURRENT SPEED AS THE CRUISE SPEED. IF THE DRIVER LIFTED HIS/HER FOOT FROM THE GAS PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DECELERATE AS EXPECTED BUT WOULD CONTINUE AT THE SET SPEED.

I WAS TOLD THAT THE TIRE WAS DRIVEN WHILE LOW. I CHECK THE AIR IN MY TIRES ONCE SOMETIMES TWICE A WEEK. THE MECHANIC THAT LOOKED AT MY TIRE SAID THAT IT ONLY HAS TO BE A LITTLE LOW TO START RUBBING ON THE RIM. AS YOU CAN SEE BY MY MILEAGE I DRIVE QUITE A BIT. PLUS BOTH MY DAD (RETIRED) AND MY HUSBAND WORK FOR UNIROYAL TIRES. MY HUSBAND IS A TIREBUILDER. I AM JUST GLAD THE TIRES DIDN'T BLOW WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I AM 36 YEARS OLD AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EVERY HAD A TIRE RUINED IN 20000 MILES. I THINK SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THESE TIRES. SO DOES MY DAD AND HUSBAND.*AK (TIRESIZE: 192/55/R15)