BRIDGESTONE POTENZA TIRES Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE, THE STEERING WAS UNEASY, AND THE RIDE WAS BUMPY. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND NOTICED THAT THE TREAD DETACHED FROM THE TIRE. THE CONTACT CHANGED THE TIRE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE DEALER AND BRIDGESTONE WERE NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 20,048. THE CONSUMER STATED THIS IS THE 2ND TIME TREAD DETACHED FROM THE TIRE. UPDATED 05/23/07 *TR

ON MARCH 16TH 2007 I WAS DRIVING FROM MY HOME IN FORT MYERS FLORIDA TO A BUSINESS MEETING IN CLEARWATER FLORIDA. I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 75 GOING NORTH. I WAS APPROXIMATELY A QUARTER OF A MILE FROM THE SKYWAY BRIDGE. SINCE THIS IS A TOLL BRIDGE I WAS DECREASING IN SPEED GETTING READY TO MAKE A STOP, AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS A LOUD EXPLOSION AND BEFORE I COULD THINK I WAS BEGINNING TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR. THE EXPLOSION OR IMPLOSION WAS THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE COMPLETELY CAME OFF THE RIM OF THE CAR. THIS SENT ME INTO A TAIL SPIN TRYING TO CONTROL THE CAR AT WHICH TIME THE CAR CAME UP ON TWO WHEELS. I THEN PROCEEDED INTO THE DITCH AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR. I THEN CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WHICH THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER STATED HE NEVER SAW ANYTHING LIKE THIS. WE WERE ABLE TO GET A SPARE TIRE ON THE CAR SO THAT I COULD DRIVE TO A TIRE SHOP TO HAVE THE TIRE REPLACED. THIS WAS A NIGHTMARE TO SAY THE LEAST. I FIRST CALLED THE DEALERSHIP SINCE I HAPPENED TO PURCHASE THE CAR FROM A DEALERSHIP IN WHICH MY BUSINESS MEETING WAS BEING HELD. THE CAR DEALERSHIP MASTRO MOTORS STATED THAT THEY DO NOT KEEP TIRES IN STOCK. I EXPLAINED THIS CARE ALMOST KILLED ME AND THE RESPONSE WAS THAT I PURCHASED TIRE INSURANCE TO CALL THEM. I THEN CALLED SUBRAU ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THEY DO NOT WARRANTY THE TIRES AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO CALL BRIDGESTONE. I THEN CALLED BRIDGESTONE AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO HELP ME FIND AN ATHORIZED SERVICE CENTER. I THEN FOUND A FIRESTONE TIRE OUTLET IN WHICH AFTER DRIVING AROUND ALL WEEKEND ON A SPARE TIRE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO GET THE CORRECT TIRE FOR MY CAR AND REPLACE IT. I NOW HAVE THE TIRE THAT EXPLODED ON IN MY POSSESION AS PROOF THAT THIS TIRE IS CLEARLY A DEFECT AS I HAVE NOT OWNED MY CAR MORE THAT SIX MONTHS. I PURCHASED THIS CAR NEW AND IT HAS ABOUT 5400 MILES TOTAL ON THE CAR. AT THIS TIME I DO NOT FEEL SAFE WITH THE TIRES ON THIS CAR. *AK

I AM CURRENTLY DRIVING A 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA X RUNNER. THERE ARE CRACKS ACROSS THE TREADS OF AT LEAST TWO OF THE FOUR TIRES ON THE TRUCK (BRIDGESTONE POTENZA TIRES). I WENT TO A BRIDGESTONE SHOP AND THEY TOLD ME TO DRIVE ACROSS THE STREET AND TALK TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING A VEHICLE WITH CRACKS ACROSS THE ENTIRE TREAD FACE. I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WITH THIS PROBLEM, NEARLY ALL OF THE X RUNNER DRIVERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM; SOME OF WHICH GET THE TIRES REPLACED OR GET THE RUN-AROUND LIKE MYSELF. PLEASE HELP ME. I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT AND I NEED SAFE TRANSPORTATION. *JB

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 2003 MERCEDES CLK 500, HAD A BLOWOUT ON THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE. THIS HAPPENED ON A COLD CLEAR DAY WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH. HE TIRE DEALERSHIP INFORMED HER THAT THERE WAS NAIL IN THE TIRE, BUT NOT IN THE SECTION OF THE BLOWOUT. THE TIRE WAS A BRIDGESTONE POTENZA. THE TIRE WAS PURCHASED 21/2 MONTHS AGO. THIS BLOWOUT SPLIT ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE NAIL. THE CONTACT WILL SUBMIT THE TIRE SIZE WITH THE HARD COPY AND SHE STILL HAD THE OLD TIRE THAT BLEW OUT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO WARRANTY FOR THE TIRE. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAD 72000 MILES. *AK

IN MAY 2006, I LEASED A NEW 2006 BMW 325I WITH THE SPORT PACKAGE FROM DON JACOBS BMW IN LEXINGTON, KY. THIS PACKAGE IS COMPRISED OF 17" TIRES THAT ARE BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RFT. MY CAR CURRENTLY HAS 11,990 MILES ON IT, THE TIRES ARE WORN OUT, EXTREMELY LOUD AND WILL NOT GO IN THE SNOW. ALSO, BMW INFORMED ME THAT MY CAR HAS A STABILITY CONTROL SENSOR THAT IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AND WILL CAUSE THE CAR TO OVERCORRECT ITSELF AND POSSIBLY CAUSE THE CAR TO SWERVE WITHOUT WARNING. HOWEVER, THE BMW DEALER SENT ME HOME (120 MILES) IN THIS VEHICLE THE SAME DAY THEY DIAGNOSED IT. I AM CONCERNED THAT MY CAR IS NOT SAFE. NOT ONLY ARE THE BRIDGESTONE POTENZA TIRES ON MY CAR EXTREMELY WORN WITH LITTLE MILEAGE ON THEM, THE STABILITY/STEERING SENSOR HAS GONE BAD. I AM AFRAID THAT MY CAR WILL STEER ITSELF INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHILE I AM DRIVING IT. TOTAL FAILURES INCLUDE 4 TIRES AND ONE STABILITY SENSOR.*JB

WE PURCHASED A NEW 2006 SUBARU WITH BRIGSTONE TIRES. WE DRIVE IN WET AND SNOWY CONDITIONS REGULARLY. ON OUR FIRST DRIVE TO CO FROM WI, WE NOTICED POOR WET WEATHER HANDLING. ON OUR NEXT TRIP TO CO FROM WI, WE EXPERIENCED HORRIBLE TRACTION ON SNOW AND ICE COVERED ROADS. WE HAVE HAD THE TIRES ROTATED PER WARRANTY, WE HAVE HAD THE ALIGNMENT AND SUSPENSION CHECKED. THE TIRES APPEAR TO BE THE PROBLEM. WE HAVE EMAIL THE MFR/BRIGSTONE TWICE AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED AN ANSWER. I BELIEVE THE OEM TIRES ARE NOT SAFE ON WET AND SNOW COVERED ROADS. *NM

AUTOMOBILE WILL RANDOMLY VEER OR DRIFT IN EITHER DIRECTION. ACTION IS MORE SEVERE WHEN ROAD SURFACE IS LESS EVEN, BUT IT CAN OCCUR AT SLOW SPEED ON SMOOTH STREET. DEALER HAS CHECKED AND PERFORMED ALIGNMENT AND OTHERWISE CHECKED OUT THIS CONDITION. DEALER STATED IT IS "NORMAL" FOR SPORTS TIRES TO DO THIS. *NM

TL * - THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW M3. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON JANUARY 21, 2007, WITH 2 BALD REAR TIRES. THE DEALER HAS NOT AGREED TO REPLACE THE TIRES. BRIDGESTONE, POTENZA , DOT # EMH8CKA. THE CONTACT THOUGHT THE SIZE WAS 18. THE CONTACT HAS NOT EXPERIENCED ANY FAILURES AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER, HE RECEIVED A CITATION FOR HAVING BALD TIRES, AND WAS TOLD IT WAS AGAINST THE LAW TO SELL A VEHICLE WITH BALD TIRES FOR SAFETY REASONS. *AK

OEM TIRES ON THE 2005 SUBARU LEGACY GT ARE DANGEROUS. JUST TWO MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING OUR VEHICLE WE WERE CAUGHT IN AN ICE STORM. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO NAVIGATE A GAS STATION AT EXTREMELY LOW SPEEDS THE CAR LOST TRACTION AND RAN INTO A POLE IN FRONT OF A FUEL PUMP. WE OWN A NON-AWD VEHICLE AND IT HAS NEVER LOST TRACTION AT SUCH LOW SPEEDS ON ICE. WE ALSO NOTICED IT DID NOT HANDLE WELL IN THE RAIN, THOUGH IN SNOW IT WAS MARGINALLY BETTER BUT STILL DANGEROUSLY EASY TO LOSE TRACTION IF THE SNOW WAS PACKED ANY. DECIDED TO PURCHASE SNOW TIRES BECAUSE TRAVEL IN THE WINTER WAS DANGEROUS. NOW, WE'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE OEM TIRES BECAUSE OF PREMATURE WEAR -- THEY HAVE LESS THAN 20,000 MILES ON THEM AND THE REAR TIRES ARE NEARLY BALD. ALL PAID FOR OUT OF POCKET -- SUBARU CLAIMS NO RESPONSIBILITY OVER THE TIRES SINCE THEY DON'T MANUFACTURE THEM AND THEY AREN'T COVERED BY WARRANTY AND CONTINUES TO PUT THEM ON THEIR VEHICLES. SUBARU NEEDS TO RECALL THE TIRES AND GIVE PEOPLE TIRES THAT CAN ACTUALLY HANDLE REAL-WORLD CONDITIONS. THE DROPDOWN MENU FOR THE TIRES IS INCORRECT -- THESE ARE 17" TIRES, STANDARD FOR THE GT LTD. *NM

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRIDGESTONE TIRES ON THE 2006 TOYOTA CAMRY DID NOT PROVIDE TRACTION WHEN IT RAINED OR SNOWED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP AND PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE CAR WOULD VIBRATE AND MAKE A NOISE. THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM IN DRY CONDITIONS. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS.*AK