No nails that I can find and the pressure is spot-on in the the other three just as Porsche PhD stated. I really don't think that pressure was an issue here.. not that it would hurt to check it more often.. Thanks for all of the comments, I'll follow-up after the IA team has a chance to see the tire in person. TireRack guy; are you out there??

 

Update:

The team at Imagine Auto has been doing their best for me and at this point a new tire is enroute from TireRack that I am paying for as TireRack will not commit without seeing the tire, despite the fact that the tear in the tire extends a full inch inside the bead and there is no rim damage/marking of any sort. The opinion at IA is that the tire is defective. So far TireRack is being reasonable but certainly is not doing much more than they have to. Here is what Damon(TireRack) said:

"Hi Guys -

We want this tire back to see it when it comes off.

When Scott's replacement comes in and is put on, call our customer service dept. at ext. 360 and reference order number 8412809. We will send UPS out to get it (on our nickel) and have Michelin look at at. If they deem it to be a defect we'll credit you for the tire.

Based on the pictures this tire needs a closer look. This does not mean it IS a mfgr. defect, only that we need to look at it closer. Based on the amount of miles on it, it's either a defect, or coincidence.

Thanks for the pics and the patience.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Damon
Retail Sales
800-428-8355
ext. 643
Fax: 574-236-7707

 

As soon as our Michelin rep takes a look at it we can determine if it's a mfgr. defect or not. I'd LOVE to replace it at no charge, but these low profile tires are very susceptible to road damage and will break if you hit something too hard - even with 100 miles on them. To me it looks like it was pinched, but without it in front of me it's too hard to say. We are letting them make the call because it has so few miles on it.

Here are the other pictures they sent if anybody else who knows tires want to give their opinions:

 

Hello,

Ok, well after a lot of effort here is the response from TireRack, specifically Damon. Both Porshce PhD and I think it would be hard to explain how a road hazard pierced the tire below the bead without at least marking my rim. According to Damon, I am "lucky". I think that everyone here should consider the customer service TireRack is displaying when making their next tire/wheel buying decision. Here is his response:

Scott-

I had the tire reviewed again by one of our product specialists, and they too agree that the damage is consistant with damage caused by a road hazard.

If a tire is defective, the damage usually is seem along the seam of a tread splice or body ply connection and is usually sraight up from the rim. In this case it it is a J-shaped puncture that looks like whatever speared your tire just missed the rim (consider yourself lucky) by the way it entered.

With this being said you have two choices: Take the 50% discount Michelin has gracefully offered for your replacement, or we can send the tire directly to Michelin for their further review and a possible 100% re-imbursement.

The total refund will only be if they judge the tire to be defective. If we send the tire to them, we will have to hold the 50% credit until their judgement. If they deem the damage to be a road hazard and not defect, you will be responsible for the 100% of the tire's replacement cost. This is how their system works.

Road hazard protection for tire cannot be purchased if after two weeks from sale, and can only be purchased if a retail sale. You purchased the original set (4) from a speed shop (a wholesale account) and not from me directly, so I cannot offer the protection now. Sorry.

We are awaiting your direction. Thanks again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Damon
Retail Sales
800-428-8355
ext. 643
Fax: 574-236-7707
damon@tirerack.com

 

It sucks that Michelin won't just replace it no questions asked given the type of damage/circumstances. Hard to believe that failure isn't due to a manufacturing defect. Also, their profit margin is very high on replacement tires vs OEM (almost zero), making it much easier for them to eat the cost of one tire.

That said, take the 50% and go with a different brand in the future. The continued aggravation outweighs the potential monetary gain.

 

I think the 50% is a fair deal. One "expert" already gave his opinion that it was a road hazard. Unfortunately, $hit happens, but that's not Michelin's fault.

 

The wonders of parts that wear out.
I can't say what happened to your tire ... but I gotta admit I like the service you got (the replies you posted). Very communicative, and really not biased, considering they are just the middle-man here. Sure it sounds like a slow process ... but finding out the cause of a tire blow-out is pretty tough,thank you!
I really can't advise you on the 50% or 100%, since personally I wouldn't even thought about the defective tire ... I'd have cursed about the sharp thingie I didn't see on the road (wether it's true or not). lol
If these Michelins' don't havea history of sensitive sidewall, you could as well stay with them ...