BRIDGESTONE TIRES Complaints

I PURCHASED A BMW 330I IN MAY 2006. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE THE TIRES WERE MAKING NOISE. INITIALLY, THE NOISE WASN'T TERRIBLY OBJECTIONABLE, BUT IT CONTINUED TO WORSEN. I TOOK THE CAR TO HENDRICKS BMW IN CHARLOTTE, NC ,AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TIRES WERE CUPPING OR FEATHERING. THEY OFFERED A 50% DISCOUNT ON THE PURCHASE OF 4 NEW TIRES AT 11,500 MILES. I CALLED BMW CONSUMER AFFAIRS, AND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT BRIDGESTONE FOR A RESOLUTION OF THIS PROBLEM. LATER, ON THE WEB I FOUND BMW TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN SIB 36 06 06 WHICH ADDRESSED THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE INFORMATION IN THIS BULLETIN WAS NOT MADE AVAILABLE TO CONSUMERS THAT PURCHASED A VEHICLE WITH BRIDGESTONE TURANZA EL 42 RFT TIRES. BMW WAS STILL RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, I AM NOT OPTIMISTIC THEY WILL ADDRESS IT.*AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE, THE STEERING WAS UNEASY, AND THE RIDE WAS BUMPY. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND NOTICED THAT THE TREAD DETACHED FROM THE TIRE. THE CONTACT CHANGED THE TIRE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE DEALER AND BRIDGESTONE WERE NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 20,048. THE CONSUMER STATED THIS IS THE 2ND TIME TREAD DETACHED FROM THE TIRE. UPDATED 05/23/07 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEN MAKING A TURN AND BRAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THE FOLLOWING DAY AND THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLES BRAKE PADS WERE WEARING INTO THE ROTORS AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE FRONT TIRES ARE WORN ON THE OUTSIDE EDGES OF BOTH TIRES. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE TIRES SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALIGNED AFTER 12 MONTHS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER FOR 12 MONTHS AND THE ALIGNMENT WAS NOT PERFORMED UNDER THE WARRANTY AND SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF NEW TIRES. THE CONTACT DOESN'T KNOW THE TIRE SIZE AT THIS TIME. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 10,000.

I HAVE A CHEVROLET MALIBU 2005, THE SIDEWALLS OF THE TIRES ARE CRACKING AND I NEED TO REPLACE THEM. I HAVE ONLY HAD MY VEHICLE FOR A YEAR AND A HALF. I HAVE ALWAYS KEPT UP MY SERVICES AND TIRE ROTATIONS. I HAVE ANOTHER VEHICLE 2005 WITH DIFFERENT TIRES AND NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS. MY FRONT PASSENGER TIRE BLEW OUT DUE TO THE SIDEWALL CRACKING. I NOW HAVE TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES. DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THEM, THEY SHOULD BE REPLACED AT MANUFACTURER'S EXPENSE DUE TO ALL THE DAMAGES I HAVE RECENTLY READ UP ON THIS PROBLEM.

I OWN A 2006 BMW 325I WITH OEM BRIDGESTONE TURANZA EL42 RUN FLAT TIRES. THE TIRES HAVE BEEN MAKING A LOUD NOISE FOR QUITE SOME TIME WITH 19K MILES ON THEM. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE DEALER (LEITH BMW-RALEIGH, NC) AND WAS INFORMED THE TIRE WAS NOT WEARING PROPERLY AND THAT THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THAT MODEL TIRE. THE DEALER WAS ONLY WILLING TO PAY FOR 2 NEW TIRES. IF THE TIRE HAS A PROBLEM I FEEL IT IS FAIR TO GET 4 OF THEM REPLACED. I WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND A RECALL ON THIS TIRE BUT I FELT LIKE IT DESERVED TO BE INVESTIGATED BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE HAVING PROBLEMS THAT ARE POSTED ON VARIOUS WEBSITES. *JB

BRIDGESTONE TIRES. CUSTOMER STATES THAT THEY HAVE LIVED WITH THE SQUISHING INTO THE PAVEMENT SINCE 11/06 AND WAS REIMBURSED BUT STILL IS NOT HAPPY WITH THE NEW TIRES THAT WERE PUT ON THE CAR**CC THE CONSUMER STATED SHE HAS HAD TO LIVE WITH AN UNCONTROLLABLE VEHICLE WHEN TURNING OR ACCELERATING. IT WAS THE CONSUMERS OPINION THAT THE TIRE WERE BEING BROKEN AT THE SIDEWALLS BEFORE INSTALLATION AND OVERPRESSURIZED ON THE RED TIRE MACHINE TO STRETCH THEM AND THEN FILLED WITH A GAS THAT CAUSES THEM TO AGE PREMATURELY, SO THEY LOOK LIKE THEY HAVE BEE DRIVEN 40, 000 WHEN THEY ARE BRAND NEW. A MECHANIC TOLD THE CONSUMER, THE TIRES WERE BEING FILLED WITH NITROGEN INSTEAD OF AIR. *JB UPDATED 04/09/07. *JB THE CONSUMER HAS HAD 8 SETS OF TIRES PLACED ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SIDEWALL WERE WEAK WHICH CAUSED THE TIRES TO BLOW OUT. UPDATED 04/12/07. *JB CONSUMER STATED ON APRIL 7, 2007 SHE HAS RECEIVED A FULL REFUND FROM DISCOUNT TIRES IN THE AMOUNT OF $374.10 AND RETURNED THE FOUR TIRES TO TIRE COMPANY. UPDATED 4/18/07 *TR THE CONSUMER STATED SHE HAS NOT RECEIVED COMPENSATION FOR HER TIME. THE CONSUMER STATED THE BUSINESS MERELY BOUGHT THEIR TIRES BACK. UPDATED *JB

OEM TIRE BLOWOUT ON A 2007 PRIUS TOURING EDITION PURCHASED APPROXIMATELY BEFORE 11 /06 PURCHASED NEW FROM A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER. INCIDENT TIRE FAILED BRIDGESTONE TURANZA EL400-02 SIZE 195/55-16 DOT EL L3@DLN3606 SIDEWALL BLOWOUT RIGHT REAR TIRE LESS THEN 2000 MILES ON TIRE ITINERARY WAS TO DRIVE TO LA LEAVE SATURDAY THE 17TH FOR HOME BEFORE LEAVING THE HOUSE CHECKED TIRE PRESSURE COLD IN ALL FOUR TIRES IT WAS RIGHT ON THE RECOMMENDED FACTORY SPEC 33REAR/35 FRONT WE LEFT FOR LA ON THE 3/15/07 AT 5:00 PM WE DROVE AT OR BELOW POSTED I15 SPEED LIMITS DRIVING SOUTHBOUND LEFT LANE ON I15 AT 70 MPH AT ABOUT 6:30 PM WITHOUT WARNING A LOUD METALLIC SOUND SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING HIT THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR LOWER QUARTER ABOUT ONE MINUTE LATER THE LOW PRESSURE TIRE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WE WERE AT EXIT 259 WE CONTACTED TOYOTA ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE FOR HELP WITH TIRE CHANGE TO THE SPARE HOPING TO GET A REPLACEMENT TIRE AT THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER SO I COULD GET OFF THE LIMITED RANGE SPARE TRAVELED ANOTHER 70MILES TO BARSTOW CA GOT TO THE LOCAL BARSTOW TOYOTA DEALER DID NOT HAVE THE TIRE IN STOCK OR EVEN ONE TO FIT THE TIRE SIZE SO I CALLED WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND THEY HAD NO TIRE FOR THE PRIUS TOURING EDITION EITHER AND THE BEST THE DEALER IN BARSTOW COULD DO AT THAT TIME WAS MONDAY OR TUESDAY MORNING!! !THE 20TH SO THE PARTS GUYS CREDIT IN THE BARSTOW TOYOTA DEALER FOUND A FIRESTONE FIRE HAWK GTA-02 H NOT V RATED AT 1:30PM FRIDAY IN MY WHICH I PAID DOLLARS FOR TO GET HOME ON I CONTACTED BRIDGESTONE CUSTOMER AFFAIRS ON 3/23 THEY OPENED A FILE TOOK THE BLOWN TIRE IN TO A LOCAL BRIDGESTONE DEALER AND HE LOOKED AT THE TIRE AND SAID IT WAS CAUSED BY A DEFECT AND COULD TO GET A REPLACEMENT HE WOULD HAVE TO SPECIAL ORDER THE TIRE I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE OF TOYOTA AND BRIDGESTONE TOTAL LACK OF CONTINUING BURY THERE HEAD IN THE SAND PASS THE BUCK, ITS NOT THERE PROBLEM SUPPORT THERE CUSTOMERS IT 3/29/07 AND I STILL DON'T HAVE4 RELIABLE TIRES. *JB

NOISE CAUSED BY TIRES WHILE DRIVING MAKING UNCOMFORTABLE IN 2006 3 SERIES BMW.*AK

ON MARCH 16TH 2007 I WAS DRIVING FROM MY HOME IN FORT MYERS FLORIDA TO A BUSINESS MEETING IN CLEARWATER FLORIDA. I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 75 GOING NORTH. I WAS APPROXIMATELY A QUARTER OF A MILE FROM THE SKYWAY BRIDGE. SINCE THIS IS A TOLL BRIDGE I WAS DECREASING IN SPEED GETTING READY TO MAKE A STOP, AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS A LOUD EXPLOSION AND BEFORE I COULD THINK I WAS BEGINNING TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR. THE EXPLOSION OR IMPLOSION WAS THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE COMPLETELY CAME OFF THE RIM OF THE CAR. THIS SENT ME INTO A TAIL SPIN TRYING TO CONTROL THE CAR AT WHICH TIME THE CAR CAME UP ON TWO WHEELS. I THEN PROCEEDED INTO THE DITCH AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR. I THEN CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WHICH THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER STATED HE NEVER SAW ANYTHING LIKE THIS. WE WERE ABLE TO GET A SPARE TIRE ON THE CAR SO THAT I COULD DRIVE TO A TIRE SHOP TO HAVE THE TIRE REPLACED. THIS WAS A NIGHTMARE TO SAY THE LEAST. I FIRST CALLED THE DEALERSHIP SINCE I HAPPENED TO PURCHASE THE CAR FROM A DEALERSHIP IN WHICH MY BUSINESS MEETING WAS BEING HELD. THE CAR DEALERSHIP MASTRO MOTORS STATED THAT THEY DO NOT KEEP TIRES IN STOCK. I EXPLAINED THIS CARE ALMOST KILLED ME AND THE RESPONSE WAS THAT I PURCHASED TIRE INSURANCE TO CALL THEM. I THEN CALLED SUBRAU ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THEY DO NOT WARRANTY THE TIRES AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO CALL BRIDGESTONE. I THEN CALLED BRIDGESTONE AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO HELP ME FIND AN ATHORIZED SERVICE CENTER. I THEN FOUND A FIRESTONE TIRE OUTLET IN WHICH AFTER DRIVING AROUND ALL WEEKEND ON A SPARE TIRE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO GET THE CORRECT TIRE FOR MY CAR AND REPLACE IT. I NOW HAVE THE TIRE THAT EXPLODED ON IN MY POSSESION AS PROOF THAT THIS TIRE IS CLEARLY A DEFECT AS I HAVE NOT OWNED MY CAR MORE THAT SIX MONTHS. I PURCHASED THIS CAR NEW AND IT HAS ABOUT 5400 MILES TOTAL ON THE CAR. AT THIS TIME I DO NOT FEEL SAFE WITH THE TIRES ON THIS CAR. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS AND MAKING SLIGHT TURNS THE 1998 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE WILL VIBRATE AND BOUNCE. THE STEERING WHEEL WILL BEGIN TO PULL AND THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE FEELS LIKE IT IS COMING OFF OR BOUNCING. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER AND THREE INDEPENDENT SHOPS FOR THIS PROBLEM OVER A 2 YEAR PERIOD. ALL OF HAVE FELT THE PROBLEM AND HAVE NO IDEA WHERE IT IS COMING FROM. I HAVE SO FAR REPLACED THE ENTIRE FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM, ALL FRONT BUSHINGS, SHOCKS, TIRES, FRONT U BOLTS, AND HAD THE WHOLE SYSTEM INSPECTED BY AT LEAST 10 DIFFERENT MECHANICS. ALSO THE BRAKES FEEL LIKE THEY ARE RIDING ON A WARPED ROTOR. WHEN BREAKING THE PEDAL PUSHES BACK AT THE DRIVER AND MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE BREAKING. THIS PROBLEM HAS ALSO BEEN LOOKED AT BY THE DEALER AND THE AFOREMENTIONED SHOPS. TO DATE NO SOLUTION HAS BEEN FOUND AND THE PROBLEM KEEPS GETTING WORSE. I FEAR THAT EITHER OF THESE PROBLEMS CAN CAUSE A MAJOR FAILURE LEADING TO INJURY OR DEATH. *JB