MICHELIN MXM4 TIRES Complaints

The contact owns a 2017 Volkswagen Passat equipped with Michelin Tires, Tire Line: T1XX, Tire Size: 235/45/R18, DOT Number: B9ELT1XX. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in a parking lot, the contact became aware that the rear passenger’s side tire had three cracks approximately 3 inches in length on the side wall near the rim. The vehicle was taken to a tire dealer for inspection, and the tire dealer informed the contact that there was no issue with the integrity of the tire. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle failure mileage was 123,393. The tire failure mileage was 30,000.

I HAD INSTALLED 4 NEW TIRES [P225/45R-17 MICHELIN PRIMACY MXM4 ZP TPC SPEC, RUN FLAT] IN NOVEMBER 2017 ON MY 2011 BMW 328I. ONE YEAR LATER I STARTED TO GET TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT ON MY REAR RIGHT TIRE. WHEN I WENT TO CHECK THE AIR, I NOTICED BOTH OF MY REAR TIRES WERE BOLD LIKE RACE CAR TIRES. I CALLED TIRE RACK TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE WARRANTY, THEY ASKED ME TO BY NEW ONES AND SEND THE OLD ONES BACK. I AM JUST CONCERN WITH THE CONDITION, IF THE TIRES SHOULD GET THIS BAD BEFORE ANY WARNING. I HAVE INCLUDED THE PICTURES OF THE TIRES THAT I PLAN TO RETURN TO TIRE RACK.

ON THE MORNING OF 12/14/15, WHILE TAKING MY NEW CAR , THAT HAD 3,400 MILES ON IT, TO THE DEALERAHIP FOR IT'S FIRST NEW CAR SERVICE I HAD A BLOW OUT OF THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE ON THE FLORIDA TURNPIKE DOING 70 MPH. WHEN I FINALLY ARRIVED AT THE DEALERSHIP THEY EXAMINED THE BLOW OUT AND COULD SEE NO DAMAGE TO THE TIRE THAT WOULD ACCOUNT FOR THE BLOW OUT. THE SAME WAS TRUE WHEN I GOT TO A MICHELIN DEALER WHO ALSO EXAMINED THE TIRE, HE COULD FIND NO DAMAGE THAT WOULD SUPPORT ANYTHING OTHER THAN A DEFECTIVE TIRE. WHEN THE TIRE BLEW IT BROKE THE REAR WHEEL SUSPENSION COVER. MICHELIN REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE COST OF THE NEW TIRE SINCE THE BLOW OUT CAUSED ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE REAR SUSPENSION. MICHELIN WANT ME TO GO THROUGH THEIR "CLAIM PROCESS" WHICH INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO MY RETURNING THE TIRE. AFTER NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS, EXPLAINING THAT BEING A SENIOR CITIZEN , CARRYING A TIRE TO BE MAILED IS NOT AN OPTION NOR WAS THE COLLECTION OF THE RUBBER THAT WAS LEFT ON THE TURNPIKE AN OPTION FOR ME TO COLLECT AND SEND, IN THE AT]LTERNATIVE I'VE ASKED MICHELIN TO SEND ONE OF THEIR REPRESENTATIVES TO MY HOME TO EXAMINE THE REMAINS OF THE TIRE ONOLY TO0 BE TOLD THAT IS NOT THEIR POLICY I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS NEW CAR FOR FEAR OF THE OTHER 3 TIRES BLOWING OUT. I WANT MICHELIN TO REPLACE THE 3 REMAINING TIRES THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON THE CAR, TO PAY THE COST OF THE REAR WHEEL SUSPENSION WHICH IS $199.94, AND REIMBURSE ME FOR THE $201.43 I PAY TO REPLACE THE TIRE THAT BLEW OUT. SINCE TIRES ARE OUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE, MY FEARS ARE BASED ON MY HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE. I NEED MICHELIN TO STEP UP AND STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. PICTURES OF TIRE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST EMAIL: [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

THESE "RUNFLAT" TIRES HAVE HAD SOME IMPACTS FROM POTHOLES. I HAVE HAD 4 OF THEM FAIL BEGINNING WITH THE CITED UNITS. TYPICALLY, THE SIDEWALL BEGINS TO BULGE AND THEN A CRACK APPEARS SOME TIME LATER ABOUT 4 INCHES LONG EXTENDING WELL INTO THE TIRE ABOUT AN INCH AWAY FROM THE BEAD. THE CORD IS EXPOSED. *TR

MICHELIN PRIMACY MXM4 P235/60R18 TIRES WITH A LITTLE OVER 13000 MILES THAT CAME NEW ON 2013 ACURA RDX. WOULD NOT STOP ON A SLIGHT DOWN HILL ROAD THAT WAS DAMP. STARTING STOPPING AT A SAFE DISTANCE BUT ALL THEY WOULD DO WAS SLIDE AND SKID. STOPPED FINALLY WITH FRONT OF CAR SLIGHTLY IN ONCOMING LANE. JUST AS I GOT STOPPED A DUMP TRUCK WENT ACROSS IN THAT LANE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. NOT THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HAD TRACTION PROBLEMS BUT THE FIRST TIME I ALMOST GOT IN SERIOUS TROUBLE. THESE TIRES ARE NOT SAFE ON WET OR DAMP ROADS. *TR

WE OWN A 2011 INFINITY M37X THAT WE FEEL IS UNSAFE BECAUSE OF A STEERING DEFECT. THE VEHICLE CONTINUALLY VEERS FROM SIDE TO SIDE UNLESS THE ROAD TRAVELLED IS PERFECTLY FLAT WITHOUT ANY IMPERFECTIONS. WE HAVE TO MAKE CONTINUAL COURSE CORRECTIONS AND IT IS VERY EASY TO OVERCOMPENSATE THE STEERING, WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY LEAD TO VEERING OFF THE ROAD ESPECIALLY IF THE ROAD IS A NARROW TRACK/COUNTRY ROAD. WHEN YOU ADD ICE RUTS, OR SNOW, OR LIGHTLY RUTTED ROADWAYS THE VEHICLE IS VERY HARD TO CONTROL MAKING IT UNSAFE. *TR

MICHELIN, "PRIMACY", 235 45R18 -- MXM4 SOFT SIDEWALL GIVES SMOOTH, SOFT RIDE, BUT MAY CONTRIBUTE TO A "MUSHY", "JELLO-LIKE" SWAY IN TURNS TIRE W/ LESS THAN 3000 MILES BLEW-OUT FOR NO APPARENT REASON AT 75 MPH, ON AN INTERSTATE, CLEAR WEATHER, WARM & SUNNY, BUT TIRE HAD BEEN DRIVEN IN HOT ( 95* + & AT INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SPEEDS ) CONDITIONS DURING PREVIOUS WEEK. DRIVER DID NOT SEE OR HEAR, NOR WAS THERE ANY OBJECT IN THE ROAD THAT MIGHT CAUSE PRIOR DAMAGE TO THE TIRE -- IT JUST BLEW-OUT". THE TIRE WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED BY THE TIME THE DRIVER COULD DECREASE SPEED AND MOVE FROM THE FAR LEFT LANE ( OF THREE LANES ) TO THE SHOULDER. OWNER/DRIVER HAD DRIVEN 50,000+ THOUSAND MILES ON A PREVIOUS SET OF MICHELIN "PILOT" TIRES ( SAME SIZE, SAME CAR, SAME DRIVER, SAME VARIETY OF CONDITIONS ) WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS -- AND PLANS TO IMMEDIATELY REPLACE THE THREE REMAINING "PRIMACY" TIRES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LEXUS RX-330 EQUIPPED WITH MICHELIN MXM4 TIRES, SIZE P235/55/R18. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 65 MPH WHEN THE FRONT END STARTED TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A BLOWOUT OF THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE WAS LOSING AIR PRESSURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE LOCAL REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE VALVE STEM WENT BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,700 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 69,200. UPDATED 01/25/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE COMPLAINT WAS ABOUT VALVE STEMS THAT WERE INSTALLED AT AN ESTABLISHMENT ON AT LEAST TWO OCCASIONS. UPDATED 01/27/12