MICHELIN TIRES Complaints

AT APPROXIMATELY 7:20PM ON WEDNESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 22, 2001, I WAS TRAVELING AT THE SPEED LIMIT, 75MPH, SOUTH ON INTERSTATE 70, NEAR RICHFIELD, UT, WHEN, WITHOUT WARNING, THE LEFT FRONT TIRE DELAMINATED. I MANAGED TO KEEP CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE AND GOT IT TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. THE TIRE'S TREAD WAS COMPLETELY GONE, HAVING DEFORMED, BLACKENED AND TAKEN PAINT OFF THE LEFT FRONT FENDER, DETACHED THE LEFT PORTION OF THE BUMPER FROM THE FENDER, DESTROYING AND CASTING AWAY THE MAJORITY OF THE INNER FENDER SKIRT, BADLY DENTING THE REAR PORTION OF THE WHEEL WELL/FENDER, AND SHREDDING THE MUD GUARD THERE TO THE EXTENT THAT MOST OF IT HAD TO BE CUT OFF LATER. THE TIRE CONTINUED TO HOLD AIR THOUGH SO I WAS ABLE TO CREEP ALONG THE SHOULDER THE APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE TO THE FIRST RICHFIELD EXIT. I PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT OF A LARGE GAS STATION JUST OFF THE INTERSTATE AND GOT THE BY-NOW-DEFLATED-DE-LAMINATED TIRE OFF THE VEHICLE, AND THE "SPARE" TIRE ON IN ITS PLACE. I THEN PROCEEDED INTO RICHFIELD WHERE I FOUND A TIRE DEALER WHO WAS WILLING TO SELL, MOUNT, BALANCE AND INSTALL TWO REPLACEMENT TIRES FOR ME, CHARGING ME A $55 "AFTER HOURS" FEE IN ADDITION TO THE PRICE OF THE TWO TIRES. THE FORD DEALER IN RICHFIELD, THE FOLLOWING MORNING, GAVE ME LITTLE HOPE THAT MICHELIN WOULD ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE INCIDENT, AND THERE WAS NO MICHELIN DEALER IN RICHFIELD THAT I COULD CONTACT. SINCE RETURNING HOME LAST FRIDAY, I HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO GET ESTIMATES FOR REPAIRS, BUT, KNOWING WHAT SIMILAR REPAIRS HAVE COST FRIENDS, MY OWN ESTIMATE IS BETWEEN $300 AND $500 FOR THE ACTUAL REPAIRS TO MY VEHICLE, PLUS THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT TIRES/AFTER HOURS CHARGE ($189.96). I FEEL THAT I WAS EXCEEDINGLY LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN DRIVING STRAIGHT AT THE TIME OF THE DE-LAMINATION; TO HAVE HAD BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL; AND TO HAVE HAD VERY LITTLE TRAFFIC AROUND ME WHICH COULD HAVE PREVENTED ME FROM MAKING A SAFE MANEUVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY.*AK

LEFT REAR OUTSIDE BLEW OUT. SUPPOSDLY CAUSED BY A "SCREW" APPROX 1 1/4 INCH. TORE CABLING APART WITHOUT CUASING A LEAK. POSSSIBLE BUT NOT PROBABLE. A TIRE SO LARGE TO CUASE TO BLOW OUTBY SOMETHING SO SMALL. *AK (DOT NUMBER: B6BJ BVJX TIRESIZE: 735/80/225)

ALUMINUM WHEELS CORRODE AT TIRE BEAD SEAT-TIRES LOOSE AIR- NO REPAIR IS LASTING. SALT MAY BE A FACTOR.*AK (TIRESIZE: 215X70R15)

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED TWO FLAT TIRES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT, THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE TIRES AND RIMS WERE DEFECTIVE (MICHELIN PILOT 225/50R16). NLM

BRAKES OVERHEATING CAUSING WHEELS TO BECOME HOT. WHEELS ARE CONDINSATING ON INSIDE CAUSING RUST ON INSIDE OF WHEEL CAUSING VALVE STEM FAILURE AND TIRES TO BECOME GAULTED TO WHEEL MAKING IT IMPOSABLE TO SAVE TIRE FOR REPARE. (DOT NUMBER: M32K TIRESIZE: LT24575R16)

VEHICLE WAS CONSTANTLY VIBRATING. TOOK IT TO A TIRE CENTER. SERVICE TECHNICIAN FOUND A BUBBLE ON SIDEWALL, AND SAID IT COULD EVENTUALLY BLOWOUT.CONSUMER PURCHASED USED 1997, DODGE, CARAVAN WITH AFTERMARKET TIRES. TIRE MODEL IS A X4 SIZE P215/65R15.*AK

TIRE BLEW-WE SPUN OUT, HIT A SEMI, TOTALED VAN..INSURANCE CO INSPECTOR SAID TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE-TREAD TOTALLY CAME OFF-JUST HAD TIRES SERVICED IN JULY 2001. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND WE HIT SEMI IN FRONT-CUT ENGINE IN HALF . WHEN BOUGHT CAR, DEALER SAID IT HAD BEEN IN NO PREVIOUS ACCIDENTS, BUT WE'RE LATER TOLD WHEN WE FOUND GLASS IN THE BACK, THAT THE REAR BUMPER/PANEL HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPLACED. WONDERING NOW IF AIRBAGS WERE NOT RECHARGED FROM A PREVIOUS ACCIDENT. ACCIDENT OCCURED 6 HRS OUTSIDE SAN ANTONIO (VAN HORN, TX) AND VAN IS NOW IN EL PASO, TX.*AK

THE DEALERS ARE NOT FIXING THE RECALL PROPERLY AND REFUSING YOU WHEN YOU GO BACK. THIS AFFECTS ALL AWD MITSUBISHI 1990'-1999. I AM IN NEED OF A NEW TRANSFER CASE (MITSU$1800) AND SUPPORTING YOKES AND SEALS AS DAMAGE RESULTS FROM LEAKING WHEN NOT PROPERLY FIXED AND CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE REAR WHEEL LOCKUP.*AK (TIRESIZE: 15)

DURING A RECENT TRIP THE MOTORHOME EXPERIENCED THREE BLOWOUTS, THE TIRES HAD 33000 MILES ON IT (MICHELIN SIZE 235/80R/22.5 XTRV TIRES).

THREE MICHELIN XRV TIRES SIZE: 235/80R22.5, DOT: UNKNOWN HAVE EXPERIENCED BLOWOUTS IN SIDEWALLS. TIRES HAD APPROXIMATELY 40,000 MILES ON THEM, AND WERE ON A 1998, FREIGHTLINER ,HOLIDAY RAMBLER ENDEAVOR.FIRST, ON MARCH 11, 2001 WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH, LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEWOUT, CAUSING $1100.00 DAMAGE. SECOND, ON JULY 08, 2001 WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH LEFT (INTERIOR) REAR TIRE BLEWOUT. THIRD, ON AUGUST 12, 2001 WHILETRAVELING 65 MPH, LEFT (INTERIOR) REAR TIRE BLEWOUT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK