BRIDGESTONE 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

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE WENT FLAT. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE TIRE WITH A SPARE. THE VEHICLE THEN BEGAN EXPERIENCING NUMEROUS FAILURES. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES ILLUMINATED AND THE ODOMETER BEGAN TO FAIL. THE DEALER STATED THAT IT WOULD TAKE A FEW DAYS TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. DAYS LATER, THE MECHANIC EXPLAINED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE COMPUTER SYSTEM NOT RECOGNIZING THE OVERSIZED TIRES. THE MECHANIC PLACED THE REGULAR SIZE TIRE BACK ON THE VEHICLE, WHICH CORRECTED THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED THAT THE SPARE TIRE COULD CAUSE DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS IF IT EVER NEEDED TO BE USED AGAIN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 14,500. UPDATED 11/14/08. *LJ UPDATED 11/18/08.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LEXUS RX330. THE VEHICLE HAS BRIDGESTONE DUELER H/L 683 TIRES, SIZE P265/70R15. AFTER PLACING AIR IN THE TIRES, THE CONTACT DROVE FOR 42 MILES. HE REACHED HIS DESTINATION AND NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE HAD THREE GRAPEFRUIT-SIZED KNOTS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TIRE. AAA ARRIVED AND DEFLATED THE TIRE AND NOTICED THAT THE TREAD WAS SEPARATING FROM THE TIRE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 95,042. UPDATED 11/07/08 *BF UPDATED 11/13/08. *JB

NOTICED FRONT END VIBRATION IN MERCURY GRAND PRIX. ASKED MECHANIC TO VERIFY IF WHEEL BEARING BAD. NO PROBLEM THERE SO TOOK TO SEARS TIRE STORE IN HEMET TO VERIFY IF TIRE PROBLEM. ADVISED THAT 3 OF 4 TIRES HAVE TREAD SEPARATION AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE EVEN THOUGH UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE ROAD HAZARD COVERAGE. MY DISPUTE WITH SERVICE WRITER INCLUDED ASSISTANT MANAGER WHO SUPPORTED HIS POSITION. MY POSITION WAS THAT THIS WAS A MATERIAL FAILURE AND SHOULD BE COVERED TO NO AVAIL SO LEFT STORE WITH 3 BAD TIRES. WENT TO TEMECULA BRANCH OF SEARS WHERE SERVICE WRITER IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM AND SET ABOUT CHANGING TIRES UNDER WARRANTY TO MY SATISFACTION. THESE TIRES ARE BRIDGESTONE BRAND WITH 65,000 MILE WARRANTY AND ABOUT 40,000 MILES USE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE TIRES ON HIS VEHICLE WERE DETERIORATING ON THE INTERIOR SIDEWALL. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON FIVE OCCASIONS AND THEY PERFORMED A REALIGNMENT. HE THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ADJUST THE CAMBER AND CASTER. THE CONTACT HAD TO REPLACE FOUR SETS OF TIRES, IN WHICH ALL OF THEM HAD A LARGE AMOUNT OF TREAD. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE LIFETIME OF THE TIRES WERE 28,000 MILES. ALL ATTEMPTS TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED PROPERLY HAVE BEEN INSUFFICIENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 79,000. UPDATED 10-30-08 *BF UPDATED 10/31/08

NEED ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF A DEFECTIVE BRIDGESTONE TIRE (RSC-RE050A-245/40R18-93W) BRIDGESTONE POTENZA TIRE WITH 25K MILES DAMAGE ORIGINALLY REPORTED AT 23,000 MILES. TIRE HAS BUSTED RADIAL BELT AND IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. COMPANY ADVISES SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN MAY 08 AS A USED VEHICLE FROM CARMAX THE TIRE WARRANTY IS ONLY COVERED WITH THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. I NEED TO KNOW IF THIS IS IN FACT CORRECT. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WARRANTY FOR THE TIRE? IS THAT NOT TRANSFERABLE WITH THE CAR? CARMAX IS GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND SAYING THE TIRES ARE COVERED UNDER THE BRIDGESTONE WARRANTY. PLEASE ADVISE WHAT MY RIGHTS ARE ASAP. I AM RIDING AROUND ON THIS TIRE NOT KNOWING WHEN IT IS GOING TO BLOW OUT ON ME. THANK YOU, DORSELL WILLIAMS *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

THE TIRES IN QUESTION WHERE PURCHASE IN JULY 2007. APPROXIMATE MILEAGE SINCE INSTALLATION 2200. TRAVELING WEST ON I80/94 IN NORTHERN INDIANA 3 MILES THIS SIDE OF ILLINOIS STATE LINE. I NOTICE AFTER PASSING EXIT 3/CLINE AVENUE, THAT THE ROAD WAY STARTED TO SOUND LIKE A "BUCK BOARD" ROAD SURFACE. SINCE I WAS IN THE FAR LANE I STARTED TO MOVE OVER TO EXIT ONTO KENNEDY AVE OFF RAMP AND DROVE INTO A PARKING LOT AND STEPPED OUT TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON . I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THAT THE "LEFT REAR TIRE" ON MY CORVETTE SEEMED LIKE IT WAS GOING FLAT. I SAW A SERVICE STATION UP THE STREET SO I DECIDED TO SEE IF I COULD DRIVE TO IT AND SEE IF ANYONE MIGHT BE ABLE TO OFFER US ASSISTANCE. AS IT WAS THEY COULDN'T. I LOOKED AT THE TIRE AGAIN AND FELT THERE WAS ENOUGH AIR IN THE TIRE TO GET US TO A DEALERSHIP OR TIRE STORE. WHILE WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO CHANGE AT THE INTERSECTION UPON EXITING THE SERVICE STATION WE HEARD A LOUD "BANG". I DROVE INTO A PARKING LOT ACROSS FROM THE SERVICE STATION AND PARKED THE CAR. IT WAS NOW AROUND 5:00PM. THE YOUNG WAS JUST GETTING OFF WORK FROM HIS JOB WITH "BERTS TOWING, INC". THE HAD HIM TOW THE VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP 'BILL JACOBS" IN THE JOILIET IL. THE DEALERSHIP GOT THE CAR INTO THEIR BODY SHOP AND "NOTICE" THAT THE "INSIDE" SIDE WALL HAD SEPARATED' WHICH CASED THE TIRE TO CRACK THE WHEEL. FOR HE NEXT THREE WEEKS THE DEALERSHIP TRIED TO GET A REPLACEMENT WHEEL, BUT COULDN'T FIND ONE SO WE PURCHASED A WHEEL SO I COULD MOVED THE CAR THE BILL AT THIS POINT WAS AROUND $950.00 DOLLARS PLUS IT WOULD COST AN ADDITIONAL $1212.00 FOR A NEW WHEEL FROM GM FOR A TOTAL AROUND $2150.00. I CONTACTED BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE ON SEPTEMBER 8TH WITH THEIR CLAIM REPORT NO. 842571. YESTERDAY I RECEIVED A LETTER REF. NO. 919077 THEY REJECTED THE CLAIM DO TO "THIS TIRE WAS OPERATED FOR AN UNKNOWN PERIOD OF TIME WITH INSUFFICIENT AIR PRESSURE. WAS I SUPPOSE TO STOP THE VEHICLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY AND WHICH COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR

2005 PONTIAC GTO WITH 18" PERFORMANCE TIRE/WHEEL PACKAGE. PREMATURE SUSPENSION BUSHING WEAR CAUSING PREMATURE TIRE WEAR AND ALIGNMENT ISSUES IN ONLY 14,000 MILES. TIRES ARE COMPLETELY WORN OUT ON THE INNER EDGE IN 14,000 MILES. FORTUNATELY, I CAUGHT THIS BEFORE THEIR WAS A BLOW OUT OF A STEERING AXLE TIRE WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND POSSIBLY A MVA. EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A WIDELY KNOWN PROBLEM GM HAS NOT ADDRESSED IT AND THE DEALERSHIP IS UNRESPONSIVE. FORTUNATELY THIS VEHICLE HAS THE 18" TIRE PACKAGE OR THE TIRE SIDE WALL WOULD BE RUBBING ON THE STRUT AS THEY DO ON THE VEHICLES WITH THE "STANDARD" 17" TIRE/WHEEL PACKAGE. *TR