BRIDGESTONE TURANZA TIRES Complaints

HAVE OWNED A 2005 CHRYSLER T&C FOR 7 MONTHS SINCE MAY 2006 AND THE BRIDGESTONE TURANZA EL42 TIRES HAVE EXPERIENCED ABNORMAL OUTSIDE EDGE TIRE WEAR AS WELL AS SEVERE ABNORMAL VIBRATION WHEN ACCELERATING. VIBRATION IS FELT IN GAS PEDAL, SEAT AND STEERING WHEEL. HAD TIRES ROTATED/BALANCED/ALIGNMENT CHECK AND 5 SEPARATE SERVICE GARAGES LOOK AT VIBRATION ISSUE BUT NO SOLUTION. CHRYSLER DEALER TOLD ME BACK IN JULY 2006 THEY DID NOT FEEL THE VIBRATION BUT EVERY OTHER PERSON THAT HAS DRIVEN VEHICLE FEELS THE ABNORMAL VIBRATION AND THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. TIRES ALSO HAVE HAD "INDENTATIONS/LINES" IN ALL TIRES SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE NEW WITH LESS THAN 200 MILES ON IT. I NOW HAVE 8,200 MILES ON VEHICLE AND AM CONCERNED ABOUT REPORTS OF DOZENS OF OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT TIRE FAILURE/BLOW OUT AS VALID REGISTERED COMPLAINTS. I WOULD LIKE TO REPLACE THESE TIRES WITH ANOTHER BRAND BUT NOT AT MY EXPENSE SINCE IT SHOULD BE A TIRE MANUFACTURER SAFETY ISSUE. TIRE SIZE IS 215/65R16 EVEN THOUGH THE PULL DOWN BOX DID NOT LET ME SELECT MY CORRECT SIZE. *NM

NEW VEHICLE WITH BRIDGESTONE TURANZA EL42 TIRES. THE CAR REPORTED LOW TIRE PRESSURE. I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE (MAZDA CX-7) TO THE DEALERSHIP FROM MY HOME. 5 MINUTES AFTER I ENTERED THE FREEWAY, THE TIRE ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE HAD A BLOW OUT. THE TIRES ONLY HAD 3,000 MILES ON THEM. *JB

EXCESSIVE PREMATURE TIRE WEAR ON A 2006 BMW 330I. I HAVE MADE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAY THEY ARE WORKING ON A FIX OR A TIRE REPLACEMENT BUT THAT I SHOULD CONTINUE TO DRIVE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 2,000 MILES AND IT HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE. I DRIVE MY 3 YEAR OLD SON TO DAY CARE AND I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO FEEL SAFE WHILE DRIVING HIM. HAVING GIVEN THE DEALERSHIP OVER 2 MONTHS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM I FEEL IT IS TIME TO LOOK INTO OTHER AVENUES TO GET A RESOLUTION. *JB

TIRES ARE EXTREMELY NOISY AT LOW VEHICLE SPEEDS-2006 BMW 330I TURANZA EL42 RUN FLAT TIRE (RFT), P225/45R17: I WAS TOLD TODAY BY FIRESTONE THAT THE CUPPING OF THE EDGES OF ALL FOUR TIRES WILL CAUSE LACK OF TRACTION IN THE WINTER MONTHS. THEREFORE, HE SUGGESTED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES SHOULD BE REPLACED. *NM

I HAVE OWNED THIS 2004 ACURA TL SINCE JAN. 2004. IT HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP ON AT LEAST 4 OCCASIONS DUE TO A SIGNIFICANT VIBRATION. THE VIBRATION IS MOST NOTICEABLE AT ABOUT 60 MPH. ONE CAN FEEL AND SEE THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATE. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE TIRES (AT NO CHARGE) WITH LESS THAN 20,000 MILES DUE TO PREMATURE WEAR. HOWEVER, THE VIBRATION PROBLEM HAS NEVER BEEN CORRECTED. IN REVIEWING WEB SITES IT APPEARS THE VIBRATION PROBLEM I AM HAVING IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, BUT ONE COMMON TO MANY ACURA TL OWNERS. IT SEEMS THAT HONDA HAS AN OBLIGATION TO IDENTIFY AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL WENT TO THE LEFT AND THE DRIVER PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE DRIVER EXITED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE HAD BLOWN OUT. THE TIRE WAS CHANGED, AND NOT INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THIS WAS A BRIDGESTONE, TIRE LINE: TURANZA EL41, SIZE: P195/65R15.

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 3 BRIDGESTONE EL42 TIRES DUE TO THEM HAVING SMALL PINHOLES IN THE SIDEWALL. THE FIRST TIRE WAS ON 2005 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY AND THE SECOND AND THIRD TIRES ON A 2006 TOWN & COUNTRY. EACH TIRE HAD SMALL PIN HOLES IN THE SIDEWALL. I TOLD THE BRIDGESTONE DEALER THAT I THOUGHT THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND THAT THREE TIRES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WAS A LOT MORE THAN COINCIDENTAL. HE TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE TIRES AND THAT I HAD TO PAY FOR NEW ONES SINCE SIDE WALL LEAKS CANNOT BE REPAIRED. I TOLD HIM THAT BRIDGESTONE DIDN'T RECALL THE FORD EXPLORER TIRES UNTIL FORCED TO. *NM

MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM WITH TIRE AIR PRESSURE SYSTEM. NORMAL TIRE PRESSURE IS 35 PSI. BECAUSE OF THE TIRE DESIGN, YOU CAN RUN WITH VERY LOW AIR PRESSURE AND NOT FEEL IT (ON A NORMAL CAR, IT IS VERY OBVIOUS). THAT IS WHY TOYOTA HAD TO PUT IN THE TIRE PRESSURE WARNING SYSTEM/LIGHT. TWICE THE TIRE PRESSURE WARNING SYSTEM DID NOT COME ON UNTIL A TIRE HAD ~10 PSI. THAT IS A DANGEROUS LEVEL. THE FIRST TIME I DID NOTHING AND THE TIRE WAS REPLACED BY THE TIRE MANUFACTURER (NAIL ISSUE) AND THE TIRE WAS LESS THEN 7 MONTHS OLD. THE SECOND TIME, I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER. THEY TESTED TWO WAYS: 1) ON THE COMPUTER AND IT PASSED; 2) TEST DRIVE WHERE ALERT LIGHT CAME ON BELOW 18 PSI. IN MY TESTING IT CAME ON BETWEEN 10-15 PSI AND IN REAL LIFE CLOSER TO 10-11 PSI (BASED ON MY 2 PROBLEMS). CHECKING TIRE PRESSURE DAILY DOES NOT HELP BECAUSE IN REAL LIFE, IF YOU TAKE A TRIP YOU CAN DRIVE FOR 3-6 HOURS WHICH IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO THE TIRE DURING THE TRIP, YOU WILL NOT KNOW UNTIL IT FAILS (AGAIN THIS IS BECAUSE UNLIKE NORMAL TIRES, YOU CAN NOT TELL THE TIRE HAS LOST SIGNIFICANT AIR PRESSURE. YOU CAN READ HERE AND OTHER PLACES ABOUT THE CATASTROPHIC FAILURES OTHERS HAVE HAD IN JUST THIS SITUATION. I SPENT MANY MANY HOURS ON THE PHONE WITH TOYOTA TO GET THE SPECIFICATION ON WHEN THE SYSTEM SHOULD ALERT YOU. I WAS ONCE TOLD IT IS A DIFFERENCE OF MORE THEN 5 PSI. HOWEVER, IT SEEMS THAT TOYOTA HAS NO PUBLISHED SPEC FOR HOW THE SYSTEM SHOULD WORK IN REAL LIFE. THIS IS DEFECTIVE AND TOYOTA IS NOT TELLING US THE TRUTH. ALL SYSTEMS HAVE TO BE DESIGNED TO A SPEC. THIS SYSTEM WAS AND THERE IS SOMEWHERE AT TOYOTA A SPEC. THEY ARE NOT SHARING WITH CONSUMERS BECAUSE OF THE IMPLICATION IT WOULD HAVE (THEY WILL HAVE TO RECALL/FIX THEM). I DO HOPE SOMEONE AT THE NHTSA WILL PURSUE THIS SINCE IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR FAMILIES. *NM

HISTORICAL SUMMARY OF NOISE AND VIBRATION CAUSED BY IRREGULAR (UNEVEN) TIRE WEAR (FEATHERING) ON 2006 330I BMW WITH BRIDGESTONE TURANZA EL 42 225/45/17 RUN FLAT TIRES: EUROPEAN DELIVERY 9-12-2005, ARRANGED BY DEALER. AT ABOUT 16,000 MILES, BEGAN TO NOTICE FRONT TIRE NOISE (ROAR) AND VIBRATION AT 15-30 MPH, ESPECIALLY UPON BRAKING. THE NOISE BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND COULD FEEL VIBRATIONS IN DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S FLOOR PANS. THE NOISE CONTINUED TO INCREASE AND THE VIBRATION BEGAN TO SOUND LIKE WORN FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS. I TOOK TO DEALER AT 18,500 MILES AROUND 7/ 31/2006. VEHICLE TEST DRIVEN AT 18,775 MILES. SA ADVISED THAT THE FRONT TIRES HAD UNEVEN WEAR WHICH CAUSED THE NOISE AND VIBRATIONS, AND TIRES NOT COVERED BY NEITHER BMW NOR BRIDGESTONE. NO OTHER ADVICE OR REMEDY WAS GIVEN. WROTE TO PRESIDENT BMWNA, ON 8/04/2006 REQUESTING BMW PERFORM WHEEL ALIGNMENT (TO CORRECT THE FACTORY DEFECTIVE ALIGNMENT) AND TO REPLACE THE FRONT TIRES. CUSTOMER RELATIONS REP INSTRUCTED ME TO TAKE CAR TO DEALER FOR ALIGNMENT CHECK. ON 8/14/2006, ALIGNMENT CHECK PERFORMED BY DEALER, AND DETERMINED THAT THREE WHEELS ALIGNMENT WERE OUT OF FACTORY SPECIFICATION RANGE. CHARGED $225 FOR THIS ALIGNMENT. SERVICE MANAGER ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE UNEVENLY WORN AND NOISY TIRES. ON 8/16/2006, MESSAGE FROM CUSTOMER RELATIONS THAT BMW WOULD PAY FOR THE ALIGNMENT. HAD TIRES INSPECTED BY THE LOCAL BRIDGESTONE TIRE DEALER, AND MANAGER ADVISED THAT VEHICLE WAS MISS-ALIGNED CAUSING ALL FOUR TIRES TO EXHIBIT IRREGULAR WEAR (FEATHERING) CAUSING THE EXCESSIVE NOISE AND VIBRATION. HE SAID THE DEALER SHOULD REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES. ON 08/29/2006 WROTE 2ND REQUEST TO PRESIDENT OF BMWNA FOR REPLACEMENT OF ALL FOUR TIRES AND FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF $225. 09/18/2006 RECEIVED LETTER FROM CR REP PROMISING REIMBURSEMENT FOR ALIGNMENT, BUT DENYING REQUEST FOR REPLACEMENT TIRES ON THE BASIS THAT VEHICLE WAS ALIGNED TO SPECIFICATIONS AT THE FACTORY PRIOR TO DELIVERY. *NM

I PURCHASE A 2006 HONDA CIVIC FOR MY WIFE IN OCT. 2005 AND FROM THE BEGINNING SHE HAS COMPLAINED OF A ROAD NOISE WHILE DRIVING. THE NOISE STARTED OUT BARELY AUDIBLE AND HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE WITH MORE MILES. WE BROUGHT THE CAR TO TWO HONDA DEALERSHIPS BEFORE IT HAD 6000 MILES ON IT AND THEY TOLD US THAT IT WAS JUST NORMAL TIRE NOISE. AFTER MORE COMPLAINING THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS OUR FAULT, BECAUSE WE DID NOT ROTATE THE TIRES FREQUENTLY ENOUGH. WHEN I POINTED OUT TO THEM THAT THEY BALANCED AND ROTATED THE TIRES PRIOR TO THE REQUIRED PERIOD OUTLINED IN THE VEHICLE MAINTENANCE RECORDS THE STORY CHANGED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE NOW HAS 19000 MILES ON IT AND THE NOISE IS HORRIBLE AND THE LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIP NOW SAYS THE REAR TWO TIRES HAVE SEPARATED BELTS DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE MUST HAVE HIT A POTHOLE OR ROAD DEBRIS. I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW I COULD HAVE HIT A POTHOLE OR ROAD DEBRIS WITH JUST TWO TIRES, BECAUSE LAST TIME I CHECKED THE FRONT TIRES WERE FOLLOWED BY THE REAR TIRES. I HAVE ALSO BROUGHT THIS CAR TO A BRIDGESTONE DEALER, WHICH IS THE MAKE OF THE TIRES, AND HE SAID THE TIRES WERE CUPPED DUE TO THE CAR BEING OUT OF ALIGNMENT. I THEN CALLED THE CUSTOMER SUPPORT LINE ON THE TIRE WARRANTY PAMPHLET FOR BRIDGESTONE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WAS A VEHICLE ISSUE. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS IS BECOMING A SAFETY ISSUE EVEN THOUGH I HAVE BEEN ASSURED THAT THIS WILL NOT CREATE A PROBLEM OTHER THAN BEING NOISY. I HAVE RECEIVED NO HELP FROM HONDA OR BRIDGESTONE IN THIS MATTER OTHER THAN A BUNCH OF FINGERPRINTING AND THE OFFER TO SELL ME NEW SET OF TIRES AT A COST OF OVER $600. EVERYONE AGREES THAT THE TIRES HAVE A PROBLEM AND ARE THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE, BUT NOBODY WANTS TO ADMIT RESPONSIBILITY FOR A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. *NM