Low Profile Tire Warning

**Smkn_TA** · 10-02-2011, 12:57 PM

Sharing my experience as fair warning to others.

My TA had 275/35/ZR18 Bridgestone potenza pole position tires on it. I don't know what they go for online, I don't care to know, I just know when I got them at the local bridgestone place they charged 290 a piece. Not a cheap tire by any means. My parents vehicles never had low profile tires on them so I had no experience with them. I don't know what you would consider a regular schedule for checking air pressure but I'd do it once a month. Twice a month if it is during seasonal temperature changes. One day I checked a tire it only had 13psi in it. The tire looked exactly the same as the other tires. It was not squished. Even with a tape measure for reference you couldn't really tell a difference. Driving the car it didn't feel odd in sharp corners, it never pulled to the side which had the low tire. There was no way of knowing. I had the internal patch put on it, did it right.

I can't say for sure what exactly happened, but I surmise I must have got another puncture? I was traveling at a high rate of speed(read speeding) on a straight away. Hands off the wheel as I was busy texting and eating a cheeseburger. Yeah I eat in my car and text while driving, what of it? Car was straight as an arrow. Not pulling to either side even with hands off wheel. Didn't feel any different. I put my hands back on the wheel as I was entering a fun sharp banked turn. Still traveling at high rate of speed at this moment. All of a sudden horrible wobbling/shuddering in rear end. I let off the gas and maybe three seconds of wobbling if that when all of a sudden it got real interesting. Barley on the brakes at all when it went.

This is what was left of the tire...

I looked all over but never found the tire, I was curious if the whole thing came off as one piece or if it shredded. It basically went from good good good good EXPLOSION! And no it was not the tire with the internal patch either. Car went sideways immediately as I was in a tight corner knees braced against the door pulling some lateral G's. Contributing factor? Probably, but these were ZR rated tires, they should hold up to that. Wobbled three seconds, then bam rear end kicked out, tire gone.

So yeah, fair warning. Low profiles are deceiving, check them regularly and don't expect the usual flat tire experience. In my case had a car been coming the other way, I would have been sliding sideways with my driver door going right into their hood. Which probably would have been the last page in my book.

I'd post pics of the car, but it just makes me sad...suffice it to say the tire did not make a clean exit from the quarter panel.

**tatertot91** · 10-02-2011, 04:34 PM

Thats the first time I seen a tire shred up like that. What is the date on the tire?

**redss70396** · 10-02-2011, 05:35 PM

What was the tire pressure in this tire ? I see this all the time due to low tire presure - it breaks the side wall steel cords like bending a beer can back and forth. If you couldn't tell the other tire only had 13 psi you probable missed this one as well. I run these tires on my wife's 350Z and i can tell when they are 10 psi low. Check your tires more often to prevent this. Consider yourself very lucky.

**wileyCoyote** · 10-02-2011, 06:31 PM

...this should be a two-part epiphany,...
1) yes, make sure you are concienscious about low profile tire pressure, ...
2) strongly reconsider your "look ma no hands while i'm eating a cheesburger and texting" habit...

**35th-ANV-SS** · 10-02-2011, 07:00 PM

Glad you were able to make this post. Consider yourself lucky that you came out of this with minimal damage.

**cammed goat** · 10-02-2011, 07:51 PM

I just had to plug one of my rear Nittos as I had a metal shard in it. Noticed it in my driveway. Right rear tire looked squished. Pissed me off as these tires aren't even a year old yet. Bought a plug kit and put one in the tire. All is good now aside that all the other tires have nitrogen in them. And I NEVER drive without at least ONE hand on the steering wheel nor do I text or eat in my car. People want to contact you...pull off to the shoulder or a parking lot to reply. At least that's my way of thinking. Your incident could have been alot worse. You are not the only person to lose the tread patch in a blowout. A puncture or impact break(bubble) could have caused that.

**Blue28** · 10-07-2011, 10:32 AM

Glad to hear you're okay!
It's very possible you had a leaking valve stem core, did you replace the valve stems(or the cores) when you put the new tires on?
BTW, tire pressure that's too low can/will trash a tire regardless of price, brand, or speed rating. I'd start checking the tire pressure weekly.

**Smkn_TA** · 10-08-2011, 06:06 AM

I have no clue what the pressure was on that given day. After it happened I checked the other three and they were spot on 38psi where I run them.

I have three sets of wheels/tires so I haven't replaced the tires on the set of rims which the incident occurred, just switched to a different set. Running michelin pilot sports right now and by far my favorite tire I've ever had. They are what I'm going to put on those wheels next. But thanks for the advice, I'll definitely pop in a new valve stem before I have the new set put on.

The potenza's quite honestly sucked all around. When I'd take off ramps on the interstate my car would slowly slide outwards and you could hear the tires screeching, it's either crappy rubber compound or they are just too hard of a tire. Either way I'm kind of glad to see them gone. With the pilot sports when I plant it in the corners, I know it's going to stick.