LEMANS TIRES Complaints

I PURCHASED A USED VEHICLE WITH NEW LEMANS CHAMPION SE TIRES ON IT (P185/75R14) APPROXIMATELY FIVE YEARS AGO. I ONLY DRIVE THIS VEHICLE OCCASIONALLY (11,000 MILES IN 5 YEARS). ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO THE VEHICLE STARTED PULLING TO THE RIGHT AS IF IT WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. RECENTLY, WHILE I WAS AWAY AT WORK, THE LEFT FRONT TIRE SUFFERED AND EXPLOSIVE FAILURE WHILE SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY. IT LOOKS LIKE A HIGH SPEED SEPARATION. I EMAILED THE MANUFACTURER WITH PICTURES AND THE RESPONSE WAS A COPY OF THE WARRANTY INFORMATION (12 MONTHS). MY MAIN CONCERN WAS THAT THE TIRE'S STEEL BELTS SEPARATED WHILE SITTING STILL. IF IT HAD HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, ONE CAN IMAGINE THE RESULTS. I IMMEDIATELY PURCHASED NEW TIRES, DIFFERENT BRAND, AND TOOK THEM TO MY MECHANIC FOR INSTALLATION. HE INFORMED ME THAT ANOTHER ONE OF THE TIRES HAD STEEL BELT SEPARATION ALSO. AS I DESCRIBED THE VEHICLE PULLING TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING, HE EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY THE ONE TIRE ON THE LEFT FRONT HAVING A LARGER DIAMETER DUE TO STEEL BELT SEPARATION.

CRACKING IN THE TREAD GROOVE OF A LEMANS P195/65R15. CURRENT TREAD DEPTH MEASURES 8 TO 9/32.

I WAS DRIVING MY 1997 SC SATURN NORTH BOUND FL TURNPIKE WHEN THE ROAD FELT REALLY BUMPY AND SUDDENLY THE ENGINE ELECTRICAL (CABLES/WIRES)COMPONENTS FLEW & SPLASH AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD BLOCKING MY VIEW, "OH MY GOD" I IMMEDIATELY EDGE TO THE LEFT SHOULDER, GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE TO ASSESS THE SITUATION, CONTACTED GEICO ROAD SERVICE. I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THAT ONE OF THE LEMANS TIRE (RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE) TREAD HAD COMPLETELY PEELED & BLOWN OFF. APPARENTLY, AS THE TIRE BEGAN TO FAIL THE STEEL BELTS FROM THE TIRE DESTROYED THE INNER FENDER, THE OUTER FENDER AND RIPPED OUT THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS THAT PROVIDED POWER TO ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT SUCH AS DOOR LOCKS, WINDOWS ETC. IT APPEARS THAT THE PLACEMENT OF THIS WIRING HARNESS OVER THE FRONT WHEEL SHOULD HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE FIREWALL AND NOT OVER A WHEEL AND WITH NO PROTECTION. *TR

ON 10/04/07 I BOUGHT A LEMANS CHAMPION HR BL 195/690R15 88H TIRE FROM FIRESTONE COMPLETE AUTO CARE BUENA PARK. ON 11/1107 I NOTICE THE TIRE WAS FLAT I CHECK THE TIRE FOR ANY HOLE OR TEAR'S I COULD NOT FIND ANY. THE PRESSURE OF THE TIRE BEFORE I REFILLED IT WAS 19 PSI AFTER WARDS IT WAS AT 31.8 PSI. I CHECK THE TIRE PRESSURE 10 DAY LATER ON 11/21/07 IT WAS AT 25 PSI. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE STORE TO BE REPLACED. I TOLD THEM WHAT WAS GOING ON THEY RAN SOME TEST AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG SO THEY DID NOT REPLACE THE TIRE. I BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFECT IN THIS TIRE. *TR

VEHICLE SKID WHILE MAKING TURNS. *PH AFTER 21,000 MILES, TIRES HAVE SHOWN EXCESSIVE WEARING. TIRES WERE REPLACED. *LA

PURCHASED TIRE AT FIRESTONE; TIRE DEVELOPED A BUBBLE ON THE SIDE. FIRESTONE AGREED TO CHANGE THE TIRE, BUT WANTS TO CHARGE ME FOR LABOR AND SHOP SUPPLIES EVEN THOUGH THE TIRE HAS A 40,000 MILE WARRANTY AND I'VE USED IT ONLY FOR 6,000 MILES! FIRESTONE EMPLOYEES CONFIRMED THAT IT'S LIKELY TO EXPLODE SOON AND, THUS IT'S VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THE CAR WITH IT, BUT THEY KEEP INSISTING ON CHARGING ME FOR LABOR.*AK (TIRESIZE: 18570R13)