2001 Audi S4 Tires & Wheels Problems

YOKOHAMA YK520 335/45R/17 TIRES... DRIVING ALONG WITH MY 2001 AUDI S4 AND STARTED NOTICING A WOBBLE OR SHIMMY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. KEPT GETTING WORSE. THE TIRES HAVE LESS THAN 20K MILES ON THEM SO I THOUGH I NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT. (ENTIRE FRONT SUSPENSION HAS BEEN UPGRADED).. I TOOK THE TIRES OFF TO MAKE SURE I DIDN;T HAVE A BENT RIM AND NOTICED BOTH FRONT TIRES WERE WORN OUT/CUT ON THE OUTER CORNER/LIP OF THE TIRES. I FIRST THOUGHT IT WAS CAUSED BY THE CONTROL ARMS. MY MECHANIC LOOKED AT THEM AND TOLD ME THAT THE BELTS HAD SEPARATED ON BOTH TIRES CAUSING THE TIRE TO "DEFORM" AND THEN HIT MY CONTROL ARMS/WISHBONE. HE SAID IT LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER 100 MILES AND BOTH FRONT TIRES WOULD HAVE BLOWN APART. THAT REALLY SOUNDED LIKE FUN ON THE FREEWAY AT FREEWAY SPEEDS...! I ROTATED THE FRONT TIRES WITH THE "GOOD" REAR TIRES, AND HAVE CHECKED THEM EVERY 20 MILES. ABSOLUTELY NO HITTING OR RUBBING ON ANYTHING. SO YES, THE BELTS HAD SEPARATED. *TR

OF FIVE OF THESE TIRES SUPPLIED AS NEW EQUIPMENT, TWO HAVE FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY AFTER APPROXIMATELY 10,000 MILES; ONE AT APPROXIMATELY 23,200 MILES. THESE ARE VERY EXPENSIVE TIRES, SUPPOSEDLY HIGH PERFORMANCE. TIRE PRESSURE WAS MONITORED USING BOTH ELECTRONIC AND MECHANICAL PRESSURE GAUGES, TIRES WERE KEPT AT THE RECOMMENDED PRESSURE OF 42 PSIG. PRESSURE CHECKS ON THE REMAINING 3 TIRES AFTER EACH FAILURE REVEALED THAT THEY WERE PROPERLY INFLATED TO 42 PSIG.*AK (TIRESIZE: 225/45R17)

I FEEL THAT I AM UNSAFE IN MY BRAND NEW CAR BECAUSE OF THE TIRES. *AK

NO ACCIDENT OR CRASH. BUBBLE WAS DISCOVERED WHEN CHANGING TO A DIFFERENT TIRE FOR WINTER. *AK (TIRESIZE: 225/45/ 17)

BRIDGESTONE-FIRESTONE TIRES SUPPLIED AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 2001 AUDI S4 FAILED AFTER APPROXIMATELY 10,000 MILES USAGE. THE FIRST EXHIBITED A TREAD SEPARATION BULGE AT APPROXIMATELY 10,000 MILES. IT WAS REPLACED BY THE SPARE IN THE TRUNK. THE SECOND TIRE (I.E., THE SPARE FROM THE TRUNK) FAILED AFTER AN ADDITIONAL USAGE OF APPROXIMATELY 10,000 MILES WITH A BLOWOUT ON U.S. 95.*AK (TIRESIZE: 22545Y17)

I DROVE OVER A MINOR EXPANSION CRACK IN THE PAVEMENT AND SIDEWALL OF THE RIGHT REAR TIRE TORE. NEXT DAY, A DIFFERENT EXPANSION CRACK CAUSED SIMILAR DAMAGE IN THE LEFT REAR TIRE. (TIRESIZE: 225/45 R17)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 225/45 R17 )

SEEMED TO BE A DEFECT AT THE VERY TOP OF THE SIDEWALL - 1 INCH SEPARATION( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 225X45X17 )

BUBBLE ON THE INSIDE SIDEWALL. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 225/45 17 )

DISSATISFIED WITH THE CUT OFF DATE PERTAINING TO THE 2001 AUDI A4 UNSAFE TIRES AND WHEELS. (NAR) *PH *CB

BUBLE APPEARED ON RIGHT FRONT TIRE WITHOUT IMPACT. DEALER REPLACED TIRE WITHOUT CHARGE. *AK (TIRESIZE: 225/45 R17)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 225/45 R17 )