BRIDGESTONE POTENZA TIRES Complaints

I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW SET OF POTENZA'S ON THE DEC 7. I HAD THEM MOUNTED ON IN THE AFTERNOON DEC 8. WENT STRAIGHT HOME 10 MILES AWAY. ON DEC 9, I NOTICED MY CAR WOULD SWERVE A BIT I WAS ENTERING THE FREEWAY, I SPUN OUT SIX OR SEVEN TIMES AT 45 MPH. WHEN I PULLED OVER I SAW THAT I WAS DRIVING ON MY RIM, MY TIRE ON THE RIGHT REAR SIDE WASN'T ON. I RETRIEVED THE TIRE. THE TREAD AND WALL TORE AWAY FROM EACH OTHER. EVEN THOUGH I DID NOT HIT ANYONE/ANYTHING FROM THE SPIN OUT, MY CAR, A 2005 MODEL, IS CONSIDERED A TOTAL WRECK FROM ALL THE DAMAGES THAT RESULTED FROM THE TIRE LOSS. *NM

FEATHERING ON FRONT TIRES AT LOW SPEED AND BREAKING TO STOP. I HAD THE SERVICE DONE AT 8K TO CORRECT THE FEATHER AT A NISSAN DEALER AND AFTER A MONTH THE FEATHER OCCURS AT 75 MPH SPEED DUE TO SHAKING ON STEERING WHEEL BUT AT LOW SPEED WHEN BRAKING STEERING ALSO TENDS TO SHAKE AND PULLS TO THE RIGHT. WENT TO THE DEALER TO INVESTIGATE IF RECALL HAS BEEN UPDATED OR CORRECTING THE RECALL AND NO REPLY, AT 22K NISSAN DEALER RECOMMENDED TO REPLACE THE FRONT TIRES DUE TO UNEVEN WEAR. THIS I BELIEVE CAN LEAD TO DRIVING DAMAGE AND INJURES IF TIRE IS PUNCTURE DUE TO TIRE FLARE ACTION FROM THE RIMS TO THE TIRES, THIS WOULD CAUSE THE TIRE TO FLARE OFF THE RIM AND CAUSE THE CAR TO LOOSE CONTROL AND OTHER INJURY TO CARS AND DRIVERS DUE TO TIRE FLARE OFF AND BECOME A PROJECTILE. *AM *NM

PURCHASED 2006 LEXUS IS250 W/ BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE92 IN NOV 2005 - TIRES DO NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE TRACTION IN WET OR DRY DRIVING CONDITIONS. WHEN TURNING RIGHT, VEHICLE TENDS NOT TO STRAIGHTEN OUT WITHOUT INCREASED EFFORT. ABILITY OF TIRE TO HOLD UP UNDER SEMI-WET CONDITIONS IS VERY BAD. TIRES ARE 3 5PSI FRONT (225 45/17) AND 37 PSI REAR (245 45/17). *JB

BRIDGETONE POTENZA RE92 P225/R17 PASSENGER TIRE, ALL 3 TIRES HAS LONG CRACKS ON THE SIDEWALL. IT ALL HAPPENS IN BETWEEN 20K TO 33K MILES OF THE CARS MILEAGE. *JB

THIS STORY REFERS TO THE REAR, RIGHT TIRE OF A 2001 HONDA S2000. I HAD REPLACED THE REAR TIRES LESS THAN TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT WITH BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE050A POLE POSITION TIRES. I DROVE 120 MILES FROM SW RICHMOND, VA TO ANNANDALE, VA. THE PRIMARY HIGHWAYS I TRAVELED DURING THE TRIP INCLUDED I95 N AND I495 INNER LOOP; AND THE CONDITIONS ON I95 N WERE WINDY THE ENTIRE TRIP. I FREQUENTLY HAD TO SWERVE TO COUNTER LARGE WIND GUSTS. A FEW MINUTES AFTER EXITING I95 TO I495 (INNER LOOP) I SMELLED BURNING RUBBER, THEN NOTICED MY REAR TIRE WAS SMOKING LIKE CRAZY. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND MANAGED TO AVOID ONCOMING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC (VERY DANGEROUS). MY CAR ALSO STARTED TO SPIN OUT, BECAUSE BY THEN THE REAR, RIGHT TIRE HAD COLLAPSED WHILE BURNING; BUT I SOMEHOW MANAGED TO SAFELY STOP THE CAR. TWO FIRESTONE DEALERS CLAIM THAT A ROAD HAZARD PUNCTURED THE TIRE, WHICH IN TURN LEAKED, COLLAPSED AND STARTED TO CATCH FIRE. NEITHER DEALER COULD DETERMINE THE LOCATION OR CAUSE OF THE PUNCTURE. THIS INCIDENT SEEMS ODD TO ME, BECAUSE I FELT NO INDICATION OF A FLAT TIRE UNTIL SMOKE BEGAN TO FORM. FOLLOWING TWO PREVIOUS TIRE PUNCTURES (ON THE LAST SET OF TIRES, ONCE AT EACH REAR TIRE), I NOTICED THE PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING, AND BEFORE THEY CAUSED A PROBLEM. THE REAR, RIGHT TIRE WAS COMPLETELY RUINED, BECAUSE IT STARTED TO SMOLDER AFTER COLLAPSING, SO I REPLACED THE ORIGINAL, TWO-WEEK-OLD TIRE WITH A BRAND NEW IDENTICAL REPLACEMENT. TO THIS DAY I DON'T FEEL FIRESTONE ADEQUATELY INVESTIGATED WHAT CAUSED THE TIRE TO PUNCTURE, AND I WONDER IF A ROAD HAZARD REALLY CAUSED IT. *JB

CONTINUOUS UNRELIABILITY IN THE BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE050A RUN FLAT TIRES. I'VE HAD BOTH REAR TIRES FAIL EARLY AND NOW MY FRONT ONES ARE ALSO EXPIRING LONG BEFORE THEY SHOULD. I HAVE CUPPING ISSUES AS WELL AND THE BMW DEALERSHIP IS UNWILLING TO ASSIST WITH THE KNOWN PROBLEM. ON TOP OF THAT THE TIRES HAVE BEEN ON EMERGENCY BACK ORDER AND ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO GET IN THE EVENT OF A PROBLEM LIKE I'VE SUFFERED TWICE. *NM

I JUST RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA X-RUNNER THAT HAS BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE050A TIRES ON IT. I HAVE BEEN READING SOME FORUMS AND TALKED TO THE PREVIOUS OWNER LATELY AND I AM UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THESE TIRES HAVE BEEN CRACKING. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE TIRES ARE GETTING REPLACED BY FIRESTONE DEALERS UNDER A DEFECT WARRANTY. I HAVE ALREADY BEEN DIRECTED TO CALL AN 800 NUMBER ON THE ISSUE (WHICH I CALLED) AND THEY ACTED/SAID THAT THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF THIS ISSUE AND TOLD ME TO GO TO A BIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE DEALER. I WENT TO A DEALER IN TOWN AND THEY TOLD ME TO GO TO A FIRESTONE RETAILER. I'VE BEEN GOING ON THIS BIG RUN AROUND NOW FOR ABOUT A MONTH. THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF CONTROVERSY ON THIS ISSUE AND I AM CONTACTING YOU TO TRY TO GET HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION OF SOLVING THIS ISSUE. HAVE YOU HEARD OF THIS AND/OR DO YOU KNOW THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE THIS ISSUE. *JB

TIRES ARE FALLING APART. AT LESS THAN 10,000 MILES SUBARU ADVISED US TO REPLACE THEM. THEY ARE BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE92A 225 55R 17. *JB

I HAVE 215/45/17 TIRES FROM BRIDGESTONE. I HAD A NAIL IN A TIRE AND TOOK IT IN TO GET IT FIXED. WHEN I WAS LEAVING THE SHOP I WAS ADVISED THAT THE BEADS ON THE INSIDE OF MY TIRES ARE COMING APART. *NM

I RECENTLY OPENED A CORPORATE CASE AGAINST THE TOYOTA OF STUART DEALERSHIP. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST INCIDENT THAT I HAVE HAD WITH THEM, BUT THIS IS THE MOST RECENT. ON JULY 26, 2006, I NOTICED SOME GREASE ALL INSIDE THE RIM OF MY TIRE. I BROUGHT THE TRUCK INTO THE DEALERSHIP. I TALKED TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO TRY AND EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD, WE KNOW WHAT IT IS, WE WILL ORDER THE REAR SEALS AND CALL YOU WHEN THEY COME IN. NO ONE LOOKED AT MY VEHICLE!!! I WAS TOLD TO LEAVE AND I WOULD GET A PHONE CALL. ON JULY 27, 2006 AT 10:30 AM WHILE IN A LEFT HAND TURN, I APPLIED THE BRAKE LIGHTLY AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. THE TRUCK VERY QUICKLY SPUN AROUND AND BACKWARDS INTO A GUARD RAIL. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD TO BRING THE TRUCK BACK TO THEM. THEY ASSURED ME THAT BECAUSE OF THE GREASE ON THE WHEEL AND BEING MADE TO THINK THAT IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE, THAT THE DEALERSHIP WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENED, FORTUNATELY ON A ROAD WITH MINIMAL TRAFFIC, NOT ON I-95. I OFTEN THINK ABOUT WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I COULD HAVE SERIOUSLY INJURED MYSELF, OR SOMEONE ELSE. I COULD HAVE HAD MY 5 YEAR OLD IN MY VEHICLE GOING TO CAMP. ANYTHING SERIOUS COULD HAVE HAPPENED. FORTUNATELY, IT DID NOT. AFTER BRINGING THE TRUCK IN AND MANY PHONE CALLS AND TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD AFTER TWO WEEKS, BY THE MANAGER OF THE DEALERSHIP THAT I NEEDED TO CALL MY INSURANCE COMPANY. THIS WAS SO MY INSURANCE WOULD PAY FOR THE DAMAGES. THIS IS TOTALLY WRONG. I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR EVEN WORSE! IF THEY WOULD HAVE CHECKED MY VEHICLE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DEEMED UNFIT TO DRIVE. I AM NOT A MECHANIC. NOW THE DEALERSHIP WANTS MY $500.00 DEDUCTIBLE PAYMENT. YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! I MUST SAY, I AM VERY SORRY THAT I BOUGHT A TOYOTA VEHICLE. IF I HAD TO DO OVER AGAIN, I WOULD NOT DO SO. THIS IS A TERRIBLE WAY TO TREAT A CUSTOMER. *JB