MICHELIN ENERGY MXV4 PLUS TIRES Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA CAMRY WITH MICHELIN ENERGY MXV4 TIRES, DOT#HN49, SIZE 215/60/R16. DURING INSPECTION AN AUTHORIZED TECHNICIAN STATED THAT ALL 4 TIRES HAD DRY ROT. A MECHANIC FROM THE MICHELIN TIRE DEALERSHIP CONFIRMED THE PREVIOUS TECHNICIANS DIAGNOSES. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 17000. UPDATED 01/05/10 *BF UPDATED 01/06/10.*JB

WHILE AT A DESTINATION ABOUT 30 MILES FROM HOME, MY LEFT-FRONT TIRE VALVE FAILED JUST AS I WAS ABOUT TO ENTER THE PARKED CAR TO HEAD HOME. THE AIR WHOOSHED LOUDLY OUT OF THE TIRE AS I WATCHED IT DEFLATE BEFORE MY EYES. I CALLED AAA FOR ASSISTANCE IN CHANGING THE TIRE AND TOOK THE FLAT TIRE TO MY DEALER THE FOLLOWING DAY FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE TIRE VALVE. THE VALVE WAS INSTALLED AS PART OF A NEW-TIRE INSTALLATION ON 04/24/2007 BY MY FORD DEALER. *TR

THREE OF THE ORIGINAL MICHELIN ENERGY MXV4 TIRES ON MY 2007 MAZDA 6 HAVE FAILED TO MAINTAIN PROPER AIR PRESSURE. TWO OF THE TIRES HAD DEFECTIVE VALVE STEMS AND THE THIRD TIRE LOST AIR PRESSURE WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ALTOGETHER. THESE THREE TIRE INCIDENTS ALL OCCURRED BETWEEN 5/29/09 AND 7/23/09.

TIRE SEPARATION WHILE STOPPING AT TRAFFIC LIGHT, CAUSING LOUD HISSING SOUND. *TR

SUDDEN SIDE WALL FAILURE OF THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE OF MY 2006 HONDA ACCORD. THE MICHELIN TIRE WAS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON THE CAR. DURING LOW SPEED DRIVING A HOLE ABOUT 4 INCHES BY 3 INCHES BLEW OUT OF THE TIRE. IT LOOKS AS IF THE BELTS ARE TOTALLY DETACHED FROM THE OUTSIDE RUBBER OF THE TIRE. ON LOOKING ON THE INTERNET I FOUND SCORES OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT SIMILAR FAILURES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA ACCORD. THE VEHICLE HAS MICHELIN ENERGY MXV 4 PLUS TIRES. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE DRIVER HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SHE NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRED HAD BLOWN OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DAMAGED. THE DRIVER WAITED FOR TRIPLE A TO ARRIVE AND THEY REPLACED THE TIRE WITH A DONUT. THE CONTACT DROVE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THEY STATED THAT THE OUTER SIDE WALL WAS BLOWN AND THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 9,665 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,265. UPDATED 12/12/08 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED MICHELIN REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES AT A 10% COST TO THEM. UPDATED 12/15/08. *JB

A RIP APPEARED IN THE SIDEWALL OF MY FRONT TIRE OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL DAYS. THE TIRE APPEARS TO BE SEPARATING. I NOTICED IT AFTER HEARING A CLICKING SOUND WHILE DRIVING SLOWLY IN A PARKING LOT. THIS WAS NOT PROCEEDED BY ANY IMPACT TO THE TIRE. THE RIP IS GETTING LARGER. ONLINE RESEARCH INTO THIS TIRE SHOWS THAT NUMEROUS OTHERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR TIRE FAILURE INCIDENTS, OFTEN RESULTING IN COSTLY REPAIRS AND MEDICAL BILLS. I BELIEVE THAT THIS TIRE MODEL IS DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR

I OWN A 2007 LINCOLN MKZ WITH MICHELIN ENERGY MXV4 TIRES DOT NUMBER B90A NNHX 0207 WHICH ARE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON THE VEHICLE. DURING NORMAL OPERATION IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS I HAVE EXPERIENCED VALVE STEM FAILURES ON 3 OF THE 4 ORIGINAL TIRES LEADING TO A SEVERE AIR LEAK AND IN TWO INSTANCES DAMAGE TO THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. IN EACH CASE THE DAMAGE WAS REPAIRED BY REPLACING THE TIRE AND/OR VALVE STEM AT A LINCOLN DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER, FORD MOTOR COMPANY, AND MICHELIN REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. *TR

I OWN A 2006 LEXUS RX400H. ABOUT A YEAR AGO, I WAS TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE HWY AT 60 MPH WHEN ONE OF MY TIRES "BLEW". I DID NOTICE THAT I HAD RUN OVER ANY ROAD DEBRIS BUT THE TIRE HAD A TWO INCH SLICE IN THE SIDEWALL. THE TIRE WAS IN GOOD CONDITION, ORIGINAL LEXUS EQUIPMENT, A MICHELIN 235/55R18 . TODAY, MY DAUGHTER WHO OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID (BASICALLY THE SAME CAR AS MY LEXUS 400H) HAD A SIMILAR INCIDENT WITH HER BABY IN THE CAR. SHE HIT A CURB WITH THE CAR HARDLY MOVING. THE TIRE "BLEW", AND LIKE MINE, WENT FLAT IMMEDIATELY. SHE HAD A SIMILAR TWO INCH GASH IN THE SIDEWALL. THE TIRE WAS ORIGINAL TOYOTA EQUIPPED. I'VE BEEN DRIVING A LONG TIME. I'VE NEVER SEEN SIDEWALL BLOWOUTS LIKE THIS (MINOR PROVOCATION) SINCE RADIAL TIRES WERE INTRODUCED. PLEASE CHECK OUT THESE TOYOTA PROVIDED TIRES. *TR

MY MICHELIN ENERGY PLUS LX4 TIRES HAVE BEEN LOSING AIR PRESSURE AT AN EXTREME RATE. WE MUST PUT AIR IN THEM AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. TOOK THE CAR (2005 CHRYSLER PACIFICA) TO THE ONLY LOCAL MICHELIN DEALER. WHEN WE EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM, WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING AT THE TIRE, TECHNICIAN SAID HE ALREADY KNEW THE PROBLEM- THAT IT IS VERY COMMON. MICHELIN TIRES REACT WITH ALUMINUM RIMS (WHICH MY PACIFICA HAS) AND CAUSE OXIDATION. HE SAID IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE- THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. TO FIX THE PROBLEM, THEM PUT A NEW SEALANT BETWEEN THE TIRES AND THE RIMS- COST OF APPROX. $80. HE COULD NOT TELL ME IF AND/OR WHEN THIS WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN. THE LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP SEEMS TO NEVER HAVE HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. MY PACIFICA WAS TAKEN INTO THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND INSPECTION 1 1/2 WEEKS AFTER THE TIRES WERE "RE-SEALED" BY THE MICHELIN DEALER. AT THAT TIME, THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS CHECKED AND SET TO CORRECT PRESSURE (NOT SURE IF THEY WERE LOW AT THE TIME) AS STATED ON MY RECEIPT. 1 WEEK LATER, ALL TIRES ARE DOWN AT LEAST 8 PSI- 2 ARE DOWN 12 PSI. *TR