BRIDGESTONE TIRES Complaints

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

THIS STORY REFERS TO THE REAR, RIGHT TIRE OF A 2001 HONDA S2000. I HAD REPLACED THE REAR TIRES LESS THAN TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT WITH BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE050A POLE POSITION TIRES. I DROVE 120 MILES FROM SW RICHMOND, VA TO ANNANDALE, VA. THE PRIMARY HIGHWAYS I TRAVELED DURING THE TRIP INCLUDED I95 N AND I495 INNER LOOP; AND THE CONDITIONS ON I95 N WERE WINDY THE ENTIRE TRIP. I FREQUENTLY HAD TO SWERVE TO COUNTER LARGE WIND GUSTS. A FEW MINUTES AFTER EXITING I95 TO I495 (INNER LOOP) I SMELLED BURNING RUBBER, THEN NOTICED MY REAR TIRE WAS SMOKING LIKE CRAZY. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND MANAGED TO AVOID ONCOMING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC (VERY DANGEROUS). MY CAR ALSO STARTED TO SPIN OUT, BECAUSE BY THEN THE REAR, RIGHT TIRE HAD COLLAPSED WHILE BURNING; BUT I SOMEHOW MANAGED TO SAFELY STOP THE CAR. TWO FIRESTONE DEALERS CLAIM THAT A ROAD HAZARD PUNCTURED THE TIRE, WHICH IN TURN LEAKED, COLLAPSED AND STARTED TO CATCH FIRE. NEITHER DEALER COULD DETERMINE THE LOCATION OR CAUSE OF THE PUNCTURE. THIS INCIDENT SEEMS ODD TO ME, BECAUSE I FELT NO INDICATION OF A FLAT TIRE UNTIL SMOKE BEGAN TO FORM. FOLLOWING TWO PREVIOUS TIRE PUNCTURES (ON THE LAST SET OF TIRES, ONCE AT EACH REAR TIRE), I NOTICED THE PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING, AND BEFORE THEY CAUSED A PROBLEM. THE REAR, RIGHT TIRE WAS COMPLETELY RUINED, BECAUSE IT STARTED TO SMOLDER AFTER COLLAPSING, SO I REPLACED THE ORIGINAL, TWO-WEEK-OLD TIRE WITH A BRAND NEW IDENTICAL REPLACEMENT. TO THIS DAY I DON'T FEEL FIRESTONE ADEQUATELY INVESTIGATED WHAT CAUSED THE TIRE TO PUNCTURE, AND I WONDER IF A ROAD HAZARD REALLY CAUSED IT. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S REAR PASSENGER TIRE DROVE OVER A NAIL AND LOST AIR PRESSURE. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS NOTICED THAT A DIME SIZE PIECE OF RUBBER WAS MISSING ALONG THE MIDDLE OF THE TREAD. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A TIRE REPAIR SHOP, WHO REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE TIRE WITH A FULL SIZE SPARE. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE TIRE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND DETERMINED THAT THE CONTACT COULD HAVE HIT AN OBJECT ON THE ROAD, CAUSING THE TREAD SEPARATION. THE SERVICE DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE, IF A PIECE OF TIRE RIPPED OFF SO EASILY. THE TIRE WAS A BRIDGESTONE DUELER 684, SIZE: P265/70R17.

REPLACED TIRES ON MY 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX WITH ONLY 11,000 MILES. PRIOR TO THIS, I HAD TO GET AN ALIGNMENT HOWEVER, THE TIRES STILL WENT BAD. AFTER I PURCHASED MY NEW SET OF TIRES, I WENT BACK TO HAVE THEM ROTATED AFTER THERE RECOMMENDED MILES OF 5,000 AND THE TIRES ARE WEARING AGAIN. I HAD LESS THAN 18,000 MILES ON IT THIS TIME AROUND. I CAN NOT AFFORD TO KEEP REPLACING TIRES EVERY 5,000 MILES. THE GARAGE TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD REPLACED THE TIRES ON SEVERAL MORE EQUINOX THAT SAME DAY WITH JUST ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF MILES AS MINE. *NM

CONTINUOUS UNRELIABILITY IN THE BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE050A RUN FLAT TIRES. I'VE HAD BOTH REAR TIRES FAIL EARLY AND NOW MY FRONT ONES ARE ALSO EXPIRING LONG BEFORE THEY SHOULD. I HAVE CUPPING ISSUES AS WELL AND THE BMW DEALERSHIP IS UNWILLING TO ASSIST WITH THE KNOWN PROBLEM. ON TOP OF THAT THE TIRES HAVE BEEN ON EMERGENCY BACK ORDER AND ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO GET IN THE EVENT OF A PROBLEM LIKE I'VE SUFFERED TWICE. *NM

RUN FLAT TIRES ON MY 2004 SIENNA AWD SHOW EXCESSIVE, UNEVEN WEAR ON OUTER TREADS AS COMPARED TO INNER TREADS ON FRONT TIRES. TOYOTA HAS A CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAM TO REPLACE RUN FLAT TIRES WITH UNEVEN WEAR ON AWD MODELS BUT THE PROGRAM IS TOO RESTRICTIVE. MY VEHICLE SHOWED THIS WEAR AFTER 20000 MILES BUT TOYOTA SAYS I HAVE NOT MAINTAINED THE TIRES PROPERLY. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH SO FEW MILES ON A VEHICLE'S TIRES BEFORE AND I HAVE OWNED A LOT OF NEW CARS. *NM

AT 3700 MILES NOTICED FRONT TIRES WERE FEATHERING. AFTER VISITING DEALER AND QUESTIONING THEY ASKED IF I HAD TIRES ROTATED? I EXPLAINED THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE WAS TOO LOW SO THEY SUGGESTED ROTATING AND COMING BACK. ALSO, WINDOW TRIM ON 2 REAR WINDOWS COMING OFF SINCE FIRST DAY OF OWNERSHIP, RECENTLY BEEN TOLD THIS IS A RECALL AND A KNOWN PROBLEM.

BRAKES SQUEAL ON NORMAL BRAKING. BACK TIRES SPIN ON DRY ROAD AND SQUEAL LIKE SOMEONE IS "PEELING OUT". BRAKES SEEM TO RIDE LOW TO THE FLOOR AND BARELY STOP THE VEHICLE WHEN HAVING TO STOP QUICKLY. BESIDES THAT, THEY MAKE THE TRUCK KEEP ON ROLLING EVEN THOUGH THE BRAKES ARE BEING APPLIED . IT'S LIKE THE COMPUTER IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM DETECTS NOTHING WHEN YOU TRY TO STOP, I'VE HAD SOME VERY NEAR MISSES AS FAR AS ACCIDENTS ARE CONCERNED. I JUST PAID THIS MONSTER OFF NOW EVERYTHING IS GOING WRONG. *JB

I JUST RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA X-RUNNER THAT HAS BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE050A TIRES ON IT. I HAVE BEEN READING SOME FORUMS AND TALKED TO THE PREVIOUS OWNER LATELY AND I AM UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THESE TIRES HAVE BEEN CRACKING. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE TIRES ARE GETTING REPLACED BY FIRESTONE DEALERS UNDER A DEFECT WARRANTY. I HAVE ALREADY BEEN DIRECTED TO CALL AN 800 NUMBER ON THE ISSUE (WHICH I CALLED) AND THEY ACTED/SAID THAT THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF THIS ISSUE AND TOLD ME TO GO TO A BIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE DEALER. I WENT TO A DEALER IN TOWN AND THEY TOLD ME TO GO TO A FIRESTONE RETAILER. I'VE BEEN GOING ON THIS BIG RUN AROUND NOW FOR ABOUT A MONTH. THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF CONTROVERSY ON THIS ISSUE AND I AM CONTACTING YOU TO TRY TO GET HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION OF SOLVING THIS ISSUE. HAVE YOU HEARD OF THIS AND/OR DO YOU KNOW THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE THIS ISSUE. *JB

SATURDAY AFTERNOON 30 SEPT 2006 AT ABOUT 3:00 PM, I JUST HAD MY 2006 TOYOTA TUNDRA LIMITED WASHED AT A FACILITY IN CONROE, TX. I DEPARTED, THERE DROVE ABOUT A HALF A MILE AT A SPEED OF 15-20 MPH AND HAD A BLOWOUT ON THE RIGHT REAR TIRE OF MY VEHICLE. WHILE HAVING THIS TIRE CHANGED BY AAA I WAS ROBBED BY TWO BLACK THUGS WHO TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE DISABLED SITUATION. IT WAS WITNESSED BY THE TIRE CHANGER AND IT WAS SO BOLD THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO GET THE TAG NUMBER OR TOTAL DESCRIPTION OF THE VEHICLE EXCEPT MAKE, COLOR, AND GENERAL DESCRIPTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE CONROE, TX POLICE DEPARTMENT. TIRES ARE KEPT AT PROPER PRESSURE, MAINTAINED BY ME AND THE TOYOTA EQUIPPED PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM. SINCE THIS HAD NO CAUSE EXCEPT FAILURE OF THE TIRE, MY WIFE REFUSES TO DRIVE ON BRIDGESTONE EXTENDED MILEAGE TIRES THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE. SO AT 17,000 MILES I WAS FORCED TO PURCHASE 4 NEW DIFFERENT BRAND TIRES TO PROVIDE FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY. THIS MANUFACTURERS FLAW CAUSED ME TO GET ROBBED AND PLACED ME IN UNNECESSARY DANGER OF BEING KILLED OR INJURED WHILE OUTSIDE OF A DISABLED VEHICLE. I FEEL THAT BRIDGESTONE SOLD TO TOYOTA A DEFECTIVE TIRE WHICH WAS INSTALLED ON MY VEHICLE. I HAVE TO ONLY ASSUME THAT THE OTHER THREE MAY HAVE THE SAME DEFECT. I WANT BRIDGESTONE TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE COST OF REPLACING THE ENTIRE FOUR TIRES AT A COST OF $827.73. *JB