NHTSA complaint: 2003 SUBARU BAJA — TIRES
I HAVE A 2003 SUBARU BAJA WITH 17,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THIS CAR CAME FACTORY EQUIPPED WITH BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE92 HIGH PERFORMANCE ALL SEASON TIRES, SIZE 225/60/R16. THESE TIRES ARE POSITIVELY HAZARDOUS ON SNOW AND ICE: I HAVE TWICE IN THE PAST SIX WEEKS LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE ON SNOWY, FLAT, STRAIGHT ROADS, CAUSING A TOTAL OF $5,000 OF DAMAGE TO MY CAR. THE LOSS OF CONTROL IS UNPREDICTABLE AND SUDDEN, AS IF A GIANT HAND PICK THE CAR UP AND TOSSED IT OFF THE ROAD. WHILE RESEARCHING SNOW TIRES YESTERDAY, I FOUND NUMEROUS WARNINGS ON WEB SITES FROM CONSUMERS (TIRERACK.COM, 1010TIRES.COM, NHTSA.DOT.GOV) ABOUT THE DANGERS OF DRIVING ON WET/SNOWY/ICY PAVEMENT WITH BRIDGESTONE POTENZA TIRES. THESE TIRES ARE EXPOSING UNWARY CONSUMERS TO ACCIDENTS, INJURY AND WORSE. I FEEL RESENTFUL TO BRIDGESTONE FOR MAKING SUCH AWFUL TIRES, ALSO TO SUBARU CORPORATION FOR INSTALLING THEM ON A CAR WHICH IS ADVERTISED AS A VERY SAFE VEHICLE TO DRIVE IN WINTER WEATHER AND TO MY LOCAL DEALER WHO SOLD ME A VEHICLE WITH SUCH DANGEROUS TIRES. *JB
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation