MICHELIN XJW4 TIRES Complaints

MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A NEW HONDA ODYSSEY VAN IN 2005 WHICH WAS EQUIPPED WITH PAX RUNFLAT TIRES. AT THE TIME, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE TIRES WOULD WEAR LIKE REGULAR NON RUN-FLAT TIRES, AND WOULD BE 10-15% MORE EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE. WE WERE ALSO TOLD THAT ALL HONDA DEALERS WOULD HAVE THE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT TO SERVICE THESE SPECIAL TIRES. NONE OF THESE STATEMANTS HAS PROVEN TO BE TRUE. THE TIRES ARE ALL WORN OUT AT 31K MILES, AND WE WERE QUOTED A PRICE OF $1300 PLUS TAX TO HAVE THEM REPLACED. WORSE YET, OUR NEARTEST DEALER (FLAGSTAFF HONDA) DOES NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT TO SERVICE THEM 2 YEARS AFTER THEIR RELEASE. TO MAKE THINGS WORSE, WE NOW HAVE A FLAT AND GETTIGN IT FIXED WILL REQUIRE US TO DRIVE 50 MPH ON A BUSY INERSTATE (WHERE EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING 80+MPH) WHICH I REFUSE TO DO. BECAUSE OF ALL THESE PROBLEMS, I HAVE ELECTED TO PURCHASE NEW RIMS, TIRES AND PRESSURE SENSORS (PLUS A SPARE TIRE) ALL OF WHICH WILL COST OVER $1000. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A DEFECT AND THE TIRE SYSTEM WAS NOT FAIRLY EXPLAINED, WITH ALL IT'S SHORTCOMINGS OR WE WOULD HAVE NEVER PURCHASED THIS MODEL.

TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH ON HIGHWAY RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE, AND A CRASH. THE CRASH CAUSED MAJOR FRONT BUMPER DAMAGE AND DAMAGED THE WHEEL OF THE BLOWN OUT TIRE TO THE POINT WHERE IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. FURTHERMORE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, WHICH WAS DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALERSHIP AS AN OVER REV CODE, PRESUMABLY AT THE POINT AFTER WHICH THE TIRE BLEW OUT. *NM