BRIDGESTONE TURANZA TIRES Complaints

AT 13000 MILES MY REAR TIRES ON A 4 MONTH OLD CAR WERE SO WORN , (FLAT SPOTS) THAT IN THE NEAR FUTURE I FEEL THEY WOULD BE A FUTURE ROAD HAZARD POSSIBLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT OR DEATH. IN MY LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH ON INTERNET THIS IS A ON GOING PROBLEM FOR YEARS. DEALER REPLACED MY BACK TIRES AFTER SEVERAL TRIPS TO DIFFERENT REPAIR,TIRE SHOPS. EVEN WHEN SOME SHOPS PUT IT IN WRITING THAT EXCESSIVE WEAR WAS DUE TO MECHANICAL FAILURE THEY STILL SAID NOTHING WRONG WITH CAR. I HAVE A FEELING I'LL BE BACK TO DEALER BEFORE 5000 MI MORE FOR SAME THING. THIS IS TRULY AND UNSAFE SITUATION FOR PEOPLE WHEN IF THEY LISTEN TO DEALER AND THEY TELL THEM NOTHINGS WRONG WHEN CLEARLY SOMETHING IS CAUSING THE UNEVEN WEAR. *TR

I PURCHASED A NEW 2007 TOYOTA CAMRY IN MAY 2006. I HAVE HAD THE TIRES, BRIDGESTONE TURANZA EL-400 ,ROTATED REGULARLY SINCE PURCHASING THE CAR. I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE TIRES SQUEALING UPON BREAKING AND NOTICED THAT THE TIRE TREADS ARE WEARING PREMATURELY. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND A BRIDGESTONE DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THE TIRES WERE NOT WEARING EVENLY BUT THEY COULD BE REPLACED AT A FEE OF OVER $400. I PRESENTLY HAVE 12,300 MILES ON MY CAR AND THE TIRES NEED TO BE REPLACED. *TR

WHILE ON A TRIP TO ATTEND A WEDDING IN GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, WE EXPERIENCED A SIDEWALL BLOWOUT OF A BRIDGESTONE TURANZA EL42 (21565R16 98T) ON OUR 2006 DODGE CARAVAN. THE BLOWOUT OCCURRED PULLING INTO A PARKING PLACE AT A LOW ANGLE, AT A LOW SPEED, AND WITH A RELATIVELY LOW CURB HEIGHT' JUST PULLING IN AT WALKING SPEED. THIS IS THE SECOND BRIDGESTONE TURANZA EL42 THAT HAS BEEN REPLACED ON A CAR THAT HAD 13,278 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE LAST ROUTINE SERVICE (12,000 MILES) WAS AT 10,970 MILES. THE FIRST REPLACEMENT WAS ON 5 NOVEMBER 2007 WITH 7,107 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THIS TIRE HAD A PRONOUNCED SIDEWALL BUBBLE AND WAS CLEARLY 'AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.' IT WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER, MARTY CANCILA DODGE, AT OUR EXPENSE DESPITE THE 'TIRES FOR LIFE SERVICE PLAN' AND EXTENDED WARRANTY WE HAVE ON THE AUTOMOBILE. AT THIS POINT, WE PURCHASED A TIRE SAFETY WARRANTY EXPECTING, OF COURSE, MORE DIFFICULTIES WITH THESE TIRES. UNWILLING TO TRUST NEITHER MY SAFETY NOR THE SAFETY OF ANY OF MY PASSENGERS, I PROCEEDED TO PURCHASE TWO NEW TIRES. I COULD NOT OBTAIN TWO BRIDGESTONE TURANZA TIRES IN THE GRAND RAPIDS, MI, AREA SO I PURCHASED TWO MICHELIN'S OF THE SAME SIZE AND SIMILAR TREAD PATTERN. I DROVE THE CAR HOME WITH THE TURANZAS ON THE FRONT BUT WILL HAVE THE MICHELIN'S SWITCHED TO THE FRONT TO REDUCE THE PROBABILITY OF DEATH, DISMEMBERMENT, OR OTHER PAIN AND SUFFERING DUE TO TIRE FAILURE. TO GET SOME SENSE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE TURANZA TIRE, I HAVE INCLUDED A RECALL NOTICE THAT I FOUND AT THE FOLLOWING WEB SITE: HTTP://WWW.USAUTOINJURYLAW.COM/CASES/TIRES/FAILUREFIRESTONE.HTM: BRIDGESTONE TURANZA EL41, P19565R15. THE EL42 MAY BE A RENAMED EL41 WHICH WAS NOTORIOUS FOR BLOWOUTS AND IS NOW A SUBJECT OF A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. IN OTHER WORDS, LIPSTICK MAY NOT TRANSFORM A PIG IT TO A PRINCESS. I KEPT THE FAILED TIRE AND ACTUALLY CARRY THE OTHER TIRE IN THE CAR TO HAVE A REPLACEMENT READILY AVAILABLE. *TR

I DRIVE A 2006 BMW 330XI WITH THE OEM BRIDGESTONE TURANAZA RUNFLAT TIRES. FROM 2006 TO TODAY I HAVE REPLACED ALL 4 OF MY TIRES AND RIMS TWICE AND STILL HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE TIRES BEING TO ROUGH ON NEW YORK CITY ROADS WHICH MEANS IT JUST CRACKING AND BENDING EACH AND EVERY RIM ON MY CAR OVER TIME. NOW THIS PROBLEM WITH THE TIRES BEING TO ROUGH AND LACK OF CONTROL WITH THERE TIRES LEAD TO ANOTHER PROBLEM SOMETHING IN MY STEERING RACK HAS CRACKED. BMW NOT WANTING TO TELL ME WHAT PART OF THE STEERING RACK WAS BROKEN ALL THEY TOLD ME WAS IT WILL COST 3000 DOLLARS AND I COULDN'T PAY IT IN MONTHLY INSTALLMENTS, I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO ALERT THEM OF MY SITUATION FOR ABOUT 1 YEAR BUT THEY DO NOT TAKE ME SERIOUSLY SINCE I AM ONLY 22 YEARS OLD AND TAKE ME FOR A FOOL. AS OF YESTERDAY ALSO MY LOCK ACTUATORS WHICH IS THE PART OF THE CAR THAT ALLOWS YOUR ALARM TO UNLOCK YOUR DOORS ARE FROZEN AND WILL NOT UNLOCK ANY OTHER DOORS EXPECT THE DRIVER BY USING THE MANUAL KEY. FOR THE IM PAYING EVERYMONTH BMW IS NOT DIVING ME THE ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE, I WILL NOT RECOMMEND THIS CAR TO ANYONE SOUL IN THE NEW YORK AND I AM LOOKING TO TAKE LEGAL ACTION FOR MY RIGHTS AGAINST THE LACK OR QUALITY AND SAFETY THEY HAVE PUT ME IN OVER THE LACK YEAR. *TR

MADE APPT. WITH MAZDA SERVICE , REGARDING EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR ON CX-7 SUV. I HAVE A FIRESTONE TIRE PROTECTION FOR THIS SUV, ACCORDING TO FIRESTONE IT DOES NOT COVER WEAR. AT MY LAST OIL CHANGE BY FIRESTONE, THEY TOLD ME MY TIRES NEED TO BE REPLACED, GAVE ME A PRICE, ETC. I TOLD THEM I WOULD CONTACT DEALER AND SEE WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY. APPT. WAS 8/1/08, I WAS TOLD MY TIRES ARE ONLY HALF WORN@20,113 MILES. TREAD WEAR WAS MEASURED @ 5/32 ON FRONT AND 4/32 ON REAR. FIRESTONE ROTATED AND BALL. TIRES @ 5,000 MI. OIL CHANGES. I WAS TOLD TO COME BACK WHEN 50% MORE WEAR. TOLD SERVICE ADVISER THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THERE IS NO TREAD TO WEAR, AND MENTIONED WHAT FIRESTONE HAD TOLD ME. HIS COMMENT WAS THEY JUST WANTED TO SELL YOU TIRES ". TOOK MY CX-7 TO NTB TIRE SERVICE, THEY CHECKED MY TIRES, REAR @ 2/32" AND FRONT @4/32", THEY SUGGESTED I NOT DRIVE WITH THESE WORN-OUT TIRES, THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED. PURCHASED A SET OF TAKE-OFF'S FOR $160.00 AND HAD NTB ALIGN AND BALL TIRES. I SENT A E-MAIL TO MAZDA CUST. SERVICE AND EXPLAINED , DEALER MEASURED 4/32" NOT 2/32".I WANTED TO MEET WITH MAZDA REP AT ANY NE OHIO DEALER, AND HAVE HIM CHECK TIRES, ETC. THEY NEVER RETURNED MY E-MAIL. FOLLOWED-UP WITH PHONE CALL TO MAZDA CUST. SERVICE, THEY WILL CHECK DEALER, ETC. MAZDA CALLED BACK AND SUGGEST I TAKE UP PROBLEM WITH DEALER, THEY WOULD NOT SET UP MEETING WITH REP, ETC. IF MAZDA SERVICE DEPT AT DEALER CAN'T MEASURE TIRE TREAD, AND BE CONCERNED WITH CUST SAFETY, I WOULD NEVER BUY ANOTHER MAZDA VEHICLE. *TR

EXCESSIVE ROAD NOISE AND ABNORMAL (PREMATURE) WEAR OF BRIDGESTONE-FIRESTONE TURANZA EL42 RUN FLAT TIRES 205/55R16. EXCESSIVE ROAD NOISE STARTED BEFORE 10,000 MILES AND ALL TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER ONLY 1 YEAR (APPROX 14,000 MILES). CAR WAS A 2007 BMW 328I. BMW HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN (SI B 36 06 06) REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND IS REPLACING ALL TIRES (UPON COMPLAINT) IF < 10,000 MILES. IF TIRES HAVE BETWEEN 10,001 TO 20,000 MILES, REPLACEMENT IS AT 50%. TIRES WERE "CUPPING" AND DEMONSTRATING VERY ABNORMAL WEAR PATTERNS. UPON COMPLAINT TO BRIDGESTONE FIRESTONE, THEY AGREED TO 100% REPLACEMENT COSTS. OLD TIRES ARE NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2008 I WAS DRIVING FROM MAR VISTA, CA TO SAN LEANDRO, CA WITH MY 4 YEAR OLD SON AND 20 YEAR OLD SISTER IN LAW. WE WERE ON THE 580 W DRIVING IN THE FAR LEFT LANE AT 65MPH AT 11:30 AM WHEN WE HEARD AN EXPLOSION IN THE REAR OF THE CAR. THE CAR BEGAN VEERING TOWARD THE RIGHT. I TRIED TO PULL OVER INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE, BUT THE CAR KEEP VEERING TOWARD THE RIGHT AND WE HIT THE CENTER DIVIDE. THE CAR WAS PERPENDICULAR TO THE DIVIDE. WE WERE IN DUBLIN, CA NEAR THE TASSAJARA RD. EXIT. WHEN WE INSPECTED THE CAR, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WAS BLOWN THROUGH. THE SIDE WALLS WERE INTACT, BUT THE WHOLE TREAD OF THE TIRE WAS NOT CONNECTED TO THE SIDE WALL. THIS ALSO CAUSED THE RIGHT REAR SPLASH GUARD TO DETACH FROM THE CAR AND THE REAR BUMPER WAS SLIGHTLY DETACHED. MY CAR IS A 2007 HONDA CIVIC COUPE EX AND IT HAD ABOUT 8300 MILES. I PURCHASED THE CAR IN JULY 2007. THE CRASH CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE FRONT LEFT SIDE OF MY CAR. THE CAR IS NOW AT A BODY SHOP AND IS BEING REPAIRED IN SAN LEANDRO, CA. WE HAVE THE DEFECTIVE TIRE. *TR

I OWN A 2006 VW JETTA TDI AND HAVE 30,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I NOTICED AT ABOUT 25,000 MILES THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED A VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END. I TOOK IT TO THE VW DEALER AND HAD THE FRONT END INSPECTED FOR PROBLEMS, BUT NONE NOTED. I HAD THE WHEEL ROTATED AND BALANCED AND THAT DID NOT HELP THE PROBLEM. THE TECH AT VW DEALER NOTICED WEAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TIRE. HE STATED THAT MY TIRES (TURANZA EL 400-02, 205/55R16) ARE MORE THAN LIKELY THE CAUSE OF THE VIBRATION AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY COULD DO EXCEPT REPLACE ALL THE TIRES. WILL BE TAKING THE VEHICLE TO A FIRESTONE DEALER SOON TO FIGHT THE BATTLE WITH THEM. *TR

215/55/17 BRIDGESTONE TURANZA EL-42 TIRE ON FRON DRIVER SIDE BEGIN TO SPLIT ON SIDE TRADWEAR. ONLY 15000 MILES ON THE TIRE. EXPER TIRE CARE WOULD NOT REPLACE THE DEFETIVE TIRE FOR FREE. *TR

TRAVELING ON A WELL-MAINTAINED INTERSTATE IN THE RAIN AT A SPEED BETWEEN 50-55 MY REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. DAMAGE IS LIMITED TO THE OUTER WALL OF THE TIRE. TIRE HAD ONLY 27,800 MILES ON IT AND WAS IN GOOD CONDITION. *TR