I have had 3 irreparable tire blowouts in less than 12 months: Approximate dates April 21, 2014, May 12, 2014, and February 2, 2015. All 3 were the result of hitting potholes. Okay, that happens to other cars on occasion. But I consider the result to be a design defect in either the wheel/tire combination, which would be the fault of Mercedes, or a defect in the Continental tires alone. The car is a 2012 Mercedes E350 with sport suspension. As a result, the stiff suspension combined with the low profile Continental oem tires (dot hw2P-N1H6) is a potential combination that is potentially lethal, not to say expensive to maintain at approx. $300 per tire replacement.

- Alexandria, VA, USA

I have a 2012 Mercedes E350 with 15000 miles. It has oem tires made by Continental. Conti pro 245/40 R18 97V. I incidentally noticed on 7/23/14 that one of the tires had a bubble where the wall was bulging and tire was soft. On examination of the other tires, I saw that 3 of the 4 tires were weak and bubbles had formed. I talked to the dealership, they told me that they have seen at least 300 similar problems in the last 4 months. They ascribed it to the fact that Mercedes has a "low profile high performance" tire. If it hits a pothole, the tire wall weakens and a bulge can form. He told me not to use the car but instead get all the tires changed. He mentioned that since a lot of oem tires on Mercedes are Continental conti, it is one of the common ones but it happens on other low profile tires too. I have not changed the tires and I am keeping the car in the garage, and using my second car instead. If the problem is so common, I believe that owners of such vehicles and tires should be asked to check their tires regularly as a blowout on a highway can easily be fatal.

- Okemos, MI, USA

2012 Mercedes Benz E350. Consumer writes in regards to defective tires on vehicle. The consumer stated his wife experienced three tire failures, two at the same time, and one on a different occasion. The consumers wife noticed a cut in one of the tires and a bubble in another, the dealer sated it was cosmetic. They replaced the tire, with the bubble. On May 13, 2012, the technician found a puncture close to the sidewall.

- Hasbrouck Heights, NJ, USA

Large bubble (approx 2" across) on outer sidewall of left front tire. There was no impact to cause this tire defect. This is the second similar incident with these original equipment tires since the car was purchased new. The original equipment tires on this Mercedes Benz E350 are: Continental, contiprocontact, 245/40 R18 97V. These tires do not have significant tread wear. Having had 2 tire defects out 4 tires in 8,500 miles on this vehicle, I am afraid to take this car on a road trip at high speed. I am an attorney; this appears to me to be a significant safety hazard, product liability problem. The tire dealer who has handled both tire replacements can provide further detail and tire serial numbers: Big O tire, 3090 kietzke lane, reno, Nevada 89502, 775-827-5000. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Reno, NV, USA