MICHELIN MX TIRES Complaints

VEHICLE HAS DEMONSTRATED ABNORMAL FRONT END VIBRATION SINCE 3/99 AT WHICH TIME THE DEALER INDICATED THAT " MUD" WAS IN THE TIRES CAUSING THE VIBRATION. THE VIBRATION HAS CONTINUED THROUGHOUT MY OWNERSHIP OF THIS VEHICLE. THE VAN HAS BEEN REALIGNED TWICE SINCE MY OWNERSHIP ( ONCE WITH THE ORIGINAL 4 FACTORY EQUIPPED TIRE AND ONCE WITH THE REPLACEMENT MICHELIN TIRES). THE FRONT BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPALCED AT 11,000 MILES DUE TO SEVERE WEAR WHICH WARRANTED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ROTORS AND THE BRAKE LININGS AS THE VEHCLE WAS SAID TO BE " UNSAFE" BY THE SERVICE MANAGER. THE VIBRATION HAS CONTINUED WITH ABNORMAL TIRE WEAR AND " CUPPING" ON BOTH THE 4 FACTORY EQUIPPED FIRESTONE TIRES AND NOW WITH THE 4 REPALCEMENT MICHELIN TIRES. I HAVE CALLED AMERICAN HONDA ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO REPORT THE PROBLEM AND ALSO TO ASK FOR ASSISTANCE IN REMEDYING THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE TECHNITIANS INDICATE THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO LOCATE THE REASON FOR THE ABNORMAL TIRE WEAR AND VIBRATION, BUT DO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY ALSO EXPERIENCE THE VIBRATION, AS WELL AS SEE THE TIRES ARE WEARING ABNORMALLY. THE ORIGINAL FACTORY EQUIPPED TIRE HAD APPROXIMATELY 13,000-18,000 MILES ON THEM. THE MICHELIN REPLACEMENT TIRES HAVE APPROXIMATELY 2,000-3,000 MILES ON THEM. THE VEHICLE HAD HONDA RECOMMENDED SNOW TIRES FOR THE MONTHS OF JANUARY, FEBRUARY, AND MARCH 1999, AFTER WHICH THE ORIGINAL TIES WERE PALCED BACK ON THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT DELLA HONDA HAS SAID THAT "HONDA IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND FEELS IT IS THE BRAND OF TIRE WHICH IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE VEHICLE". UPON TALKING TO LINDA AT AMERICAN HONDA SHE ALSO AGREED THAT IF CHANGING THE BRAND OF TIRES WOULD SOLVE THE VIBRATION, SHE WAS AUTHORIZING DELLA DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE THE ORIGINAL FIRESTONES WITH THE MICHELIN TIRES. THIS WAS DONE AND FOR APPROXIMATELY THE FIRST 1,000 MILE THERE APPEARED TO BE VERY LITTLE VIBRATION OF THE FRONT END, AFTER WHICH THE VIBRATION HAS BEGUN AGAIN WITH NO REMEDY FROM THE CAR MANUFACTURER.

TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE TRAVELING ON FREEWAY. NO ROAD HAZARDS OBSERVED. WHEN TIRE BLEW OUT IT CUT INTO THE WHEEL WELL LINING AND THEN CUT INTO THE SIDE WALL OF THE FUEL TANK,RUPTURING THE TANK AND CAUSING A FUEL SPILL ONTO THE HOT TIRE AND WHEEL. *AK( DOT NUMBER: M3TA TIRE SIZE: 195/65R15 )

DURING EXIT OF HIGHWAY LEFT FRONT TIRE SIDEWALL BLEW OUT RESULTING IN HITING ROPE GUARDRAIL CAUSING $5800 DAMAGE TO CAR. ONLY 30K MILES ON TIRES.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 195/60RL4 )

POSSIBLE SUSPENSION PROBLEM THAT MUST CREATE EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE TIRES AND CAUSES THE CAR TO WOBBLE AT LOW SPEEDS. TIRES NEED TO BE REPLACED AT ONE-HALF OR LESS OF THEIR USEFUL LIFE. DEALER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT MICHELIN KNEW HOW TO TREAT THE SYMPTOM, PUT A NEW SET OF TIRES ON THE CAR, BUT NOT NECESSARILY HOW TO CURE THE PROBLEM. ANYONE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND WHAT IS BEING DONE TO FIX IT? SOUNDS LIKE NHTSA ITEM NUMBER: SB052078 TO ME. IS THE COMPLETE BULLETIN AVAILABLE ANYWHERE? DEALER REFERRED ME TO HAVE WHEELS ALIGNED AT GOODYEAR WHO SENT ME TO MICHELIN BECAUSE OF A BELT SEPARATION.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/65R16 )

VEHICLE STEEL COILS ARE SEPARATING FROM THE RUBBER ON TIRE. TIRES HAVE A 50,000 WARRATY WHICH ONLY LASTED UP TO 20,000 MILES OF WEAR. MANUFACTURER NOFITIED AND REFUSED TO HONOR WARRANTY DUE TO OZONE CRACKING. *AK