BRIDGESTONE TIRES Complaints

AFTER GETTING FIRESTONE TIRES REPLACED WITH BRIDGESTONE TIRES, THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE HAD A TREAD SEPARATION, THE OTHER FOUR TIRES HAD SOME CRACKING IN THE SIDEWALLS. P235/75R15, MOUNTED ON A 1994 FORD EXPLORER, REPLACEMENT TIRES. *AK *SCC

OF FIVE OF THESE TIRES SUPPLIED AS NEW EQUIPMENT, TWO HAVE FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY AFTER APPROXIMATELY 10,000 MILES; ONE AT APPROXIMATELY 23,200 MILES. THESE ARE VERY EXPENSIVE TIRES, SUPPOSEDLY HIGH PERFORMANCE. TIRE PRESSURE WAS MONITORED USING BOTH ELECTRONIC AND MECHANICAL PRESSURE GAUGES, TIRES WERE KEPT AT THE RECOMMENDED PRESSURE OF 42 PSIG. PRESSURE CHECKS ON THE REMAINING 3 TIRES AFTER EACH FAILURE REVEALED THAT THEY WERE PROPERLY INFLATED TO 42 PSIG.*AK (TIRESIZE: 225/45R17)

TRAVELING 75 MPH SUDDEN LEFT FRONT BLOWOUT, NEW TIRE LESS THAN 20 MILES.*AK (TIRESIZE: P205/75R14)

VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH TIRES DIRECT FROM THE FACTORY, WHEN DRIVEN IN LESS THAN ONE INCH OF SNOW WAS VIRTUALLY UNDRIVEABLE. SPEED DID NOT MATTER - 5MPH OR 40MPH SAME AFFECT - OR LACK THERE OF. ALL INDICATOR LIGHTS FOR SKID CONTROL, ABS, TRACTION CONTROL WERE ACTIVELY FLASHING AT ALL TIMES - DRIVING OR BRAKING. CAR SLIDE THRU THREE INTERSECTIONS, WHILE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE CAR 1/2 BLOCK BEFORE INTERSECTION. CAR ALSO LACKED ACCELERATION, TAKING 20 SECONDS TO COMPLETE A TURN ACROSS A TWO LANE ROAD. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED SAME DAY. THEY RAN SEVERAL TESTS PER TOYOTAS TECH LINE ON ABS/SKID/TRACTION SYSTEM...LATER CHANGED THE TIRES AND THE MOST NOTABLE DIFFERENCE WAS MADE. IT IS AMAZING THAT NO ACCIDENTS OCCURRED.TOYOTA SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO SWAP TIRES FOR CLIENTS THAT HAVE THIS ISSUE. IT IS NOT SAFE FOR THE DRIVER, THE OTHERS ON THE ROAD AND ULTIMATELY THIS IS A TERRIBLE RISK FOR TOYOTA. PLEASE ENSURE TOYOTA AND OTHER CAR MANUFACTURERS ARE TRULY TESTING THE VEHICLES AND ALL FEATURES THEY SELL SO CUSTOMERS CAN HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE THEY PURCHASE. AIRBAGS, TRACTION, AND ABS WILL ONLY BE EFFECTIVE IF THEY WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE OTHER FEATURES OF THE CAR. THIS CAMRYSE THAT IS AFFECTEDIS NOT THE ONLY ONE AFFECTED.. PLEASE DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO ENSURE TOYOTA CORP. ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE IN A TIMELY MANNER.*AK (TIRESIZE: 215/60R16)

1992, MALLARD, SPRINTER, TIRE SIZE 225575R16, DOT SWPTUBLPS R273. RIGHT REAR TIRE DEFLATED, AND NEXT DAY TWO FRONT TIRES WERE FLAT. CAUSE WAS UNKNOWN. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND THEY STATED IT WAS THE VALVE STEM.*AK

TIRES ON 2001, TOYOTA, PRIUS, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, TIRE SIZE P175/65R14, DOT# EL 9P CHA 2700 AND EL 9P CHA 2800 ARE WEARING UNUSUALLY. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK *YH

RIMS DENT AND CRACK WHEN HITTING POTHOLES AT LOW SPEEDS. SLOW AIR LEAKS REPORTED ALSO. *AK (TIRESIZE: 205/55/16)

BRIDGESTONE, TIRE SIZE P235/75R15. WHILE DRIVING 40MPH HEARD A LOUD POP, VEHICLE BEGIN TO WOBBLE. STOPPED TO CHECK, AND THERE WAS A GASH IN TIRE ABOUT 2 INCHES . *AK

THIS COMPLAINT CONCERNS BLIZZAK WS-50 WINTER TIRES MANUFACTURED BY BRIDGESTONE AND PURCHASED NEW FROM "THE TIRE RACK" THESE TIRES HAVE NOT EXHIBITED A "FAILURE" IN THAT THEY HAVE NOT DEFALTED, BLOWN OUT, SHREDDED ETC.THE CONCERN WITH THESE TIRES IS THEIR HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS ON DRY PAVEMENT. THEY EXHIBIT EXTREME TREAD SQUIRM AND SIDEWALL FLEX. DURING CORNERING OR LANE CHANGES, THEY GIVE THE SENSATION THAT THEY WILL "TUCK UNDER" THE WHEEL RIM, LEADING TO A TIP OVER.THEY ARE AN EXTREMELY "SOFT" TIRE, WITH NO REASSURING FEELING OF SUPPORT IN THE SIDEWALL. IT SHOULD BE NOTED FOR SAKE OF COMPARISON THAT THE TWO PRIOR SETS OF WINTER TIRES ON THIS SAME VEHICLE WERE BRIDGESTONE WS-15 WHICH DID NOT EXHIBIT ANY OF THE AFOREMENTIONED NEGATIVE CHARACTERISTICS. I HAVE CONTACTED BRIDGESTONE BOTH BY PHONE AND CERTIFIED LETTER TO EFFECT A REPLACEMENT OF THESE TIRES, WITHOUT SUCCESS. I WILL MAKE AVAILABLE TO THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION BOTH MY COPY OF THIS LETTER AND MY TELEPHONE CONVERSATION LOG IN THIS MATTER. THE VENDOR OFTHESE TIRES WAS "THE TIRE RACK". THIS ORGANIZATION MAINTAINS A WEB SITE BULLETIN BOARD FOR ITS CUSTOMERS TO POST COMMENTS REGARDING VARIOUS TIRES. I HAVE DOWNLOADED, PRINTED AND RETAINED SEVERAL CUSTOMER COMMENTS REGARDING THE NEGATIVE HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS OF THESE TIRES ON DRY PAVEMENT. I WILL ALSO MAKE MY VEHICLE AVAILABLE FOR TEST DRIVE BY THE LOCAL NHSTA OFFICE IF NECESSARY.PLEASE ADVISE.*AK (TIRESIZE: 19565QR15)

WHILE IN MOTION, DRIVING A 53-FOOTER OWNED BY BSFS, CONSUMER EXPERIENCED 14 BLOWOUTS WITH BOTH FIRESTONE AND BRIDGESTONE TIRES IN A 12 MONTH PERIOD. *JG *TT