MICHELIN TIRES Complaints

MY MOTHER N LAW HAS HAD TO REPLACE (6) SIX MICHELIN 225/60R/17 98T (LXR?) TIRES IN THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS AT GREAT COST EVEN THOUGH SHE HAS PURCHASED A ROAD HAZARD ADDITIONAL WARRANTY. THE ORIGINAL TIRES WERE NOT EVEN OUT OF WARRANTY. 1 TIRE IS UNDERSTANDABLE, 2 IS QUESTIONABLE AND 6 IS A PROBLEM. SHE BOUGHT FULL SET OF MICHELIN 225/60R/17 98T ENERGY LX4 WHITE WALLS ON OCT.06,2009. 1 HAD FLAT ON JAN 12,2010. DIFFERENT TIRE FROM 10/06/2009 PURCHASE HAD "COTTER KEY OR PIN" IT WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $69.84 ON JAN 30, 2009 SHE PURCHASED 2 MICHELIN 225/60R/17 98T LXR (LXR IS WHAT THE RECEIPT DISPLAYS UNDER "DESCRIPTION") AT A COST OF $280.16. SHE DIDN'T HAVE FURTHER BACK RECEIPTS IN HAND BUT DOES HAVE THEM> FOR WHY 2 TIRES SHOULD BE REPLACED INSTEAD OF NEEDING FULL SET. SHE HAS HER TIRES ROTATED AND BALANCED ON SCHEDULE EVERY 6 TO 8 THOUSAND MILES LIKE RECOMMENDED. SHE ALSO STATED AS AN AFTER THOUGHT THAT SHE HAS TO PUT AIR IN THEM EVERY WEEK TO MAINTAIN HER SUGGESTED PSI FOR OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE AS SUGGESTED BY MANUFACTURER. THE "COTTER KEY OR PIN' TIRE SHE HAS PHOTOS OF THIS TIRE, DOCUMENTING THE TIRE FAILURE. I STARTED THIS WITH AN EMAIL TO MICHELIN WHICH THEY PROMPTLY RESPONDED TOO. I HAVE SINCE(AM TODAY) SENT THEM ANOTHER EMAIL, GIVING THEM MORE INFO ON THE DEALERS WHERE SHE BOUGHT THE TIRES ETC... THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATIONS AND KEEPING US SAFE. *TR

ON THE 28TH OF MAY I WAS TRAVELING 60 MPH (THE SPEED LIMIT) AND MY BACK PASSENGER TIRE BLEW OUT AND I LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR. I STOPPED WHEN THE BACK PASSENGER CORNER RAMMED INTO A CEMENT RAILING. THE BACK BUMPER, SIDE PANELING, WHEEL TIRE AND TRUNK HOOD WERE ALL DAMAGED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE TIRE TO BLOWOUT. *TR

MY CAR IS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER WITH ALUMINUM WHEELS. OVERALL THE CAR IS IN GREAT CONDITION. WHEN WASHING THE CAR THERE IS SOME CHROME PEELING FROM THE WHEEL AT THE HUB EXTENDING OUT TO THE LUG NUTS. I REMOVED THE WHEEL AFTER SOME EFFORT DUE TO THE CORROSION OF THE ALUMINUM. I CLEANED HE CORROSION FROM THE ALUMINUM AT THE HUB AND FOUND INTERNAL PITTING BETWEEN 1/8" AND 1/4" DEEP WHEN PROBING. I AM A ARCHITECT WITH A ENGINEERING BACKGROUND AND IN MY OPINION THE LOSS OF ALUMINUM STRUCTURE IS SIGNIFICANT AND THE WHEEL NO LONGER SAFE. THE OTHER WHEELS HAVE SOME CHROME PEELING AS WELL AND WILL ALSO NEED TO BE REPLACED ALTHOUGH I HAVE NOT LOOKED AT THE DEPTH OF THE PITTING OR REMOVED THE WHEELS. AS FORD HAS THE EXPLORER HAS HAD ISSUES WITH WHEEL FAILURE IN THE PAST AND THIS IS A ISSUE THAT WAS NOT OBSERVABLE WHEN I CHANGED THE BRAKES ABOUT A YEAR AGO TO VERY SIGNIFICANT NOW IT MAY BE WORTH LOOKING INTO. I HAVE A PHOTO OF THE ALUMINUM IF YOU LIKE AND WILL RETAIN THE RIM WHEN I GET A NEW ONE. THE OTHER THREE WHEELS HAVE NOT BEEN REMOVED IF YOU WISH TO SEE THESE IN THE NEAR FUTURE UNDISTURBED PRIOR TO REPLACEMENT. THE THREADED PORTION OF THE AXLE IS CORRODED WITH NO THREADS VISIBLE AND 10% OF THE DIAMETER LOST. THE CENTER OF THE WHEEL BEHIND THE PLASTIC CAP WAS 20% FILLED WITH CORROSION RESIDUE WHEN I REMOVED IT. THE OTHER SIDE HAS NOT BEEN OPENED UP YET. I HAVE HAD OTHER CARS OVER THE YEARS INCLUDING FORDS AND NEVER HAVE SEEN AN ISSUE LIKE THIS. *TR

VALVE STEM FAIL: 12/9/08 4 NEW MICHELIN WEATHERWISE II 80,000 MILE TIRES PURCHASED FROM SEARS BAYBROOK FOR 2007 TOYOTA COROLLA. 5/31/10 BLOWOUT ON RF TIRE AT 70MPH WITH 20,000 MILES ON TIRES AND 8/32 TREAD LEFT. NO DAMAGE TO STEEL RIM, FULL WHEEL COVER REMAINED IN PLACE. 6/3/10 BLOWOUT TIRE/RIM TAKEN TO SEARS BAYBROOK. SEARS REPRESENTATIVES NOT INTERESTED IN CAUSE OR RESOLUTION OF PROBLEM. 6/4/10 TIRE/RIM TAKEN TO LOCAL DISCOUNT TIRE, PERSONNEL IMMEDIATELY FOUND CAUSE OF BLOWOUT (RAPID PRESSURE LOSS FROM STEM FAILURE, CRACKS AT BASE). RECOMMENDED CHECK OTHER STEMS. 2 OTHERS REMAINING ON CAR WERE ALSO INSTALLED BY SEARS BAYBROOK DECEMBER 2008. 6/5/10 AFTER PRESENTING PROOF OF CAUSE AND ARGUING WITH SEARS BAYBROOK, THEY AGREED TO REPLACE TIRE WITH MINIMAL CHARGE. 6/5/10 I TOOK REPLACEMENT TIRE TO INSTALL ON MY DAUGHTERS COROLLA AT SCHOOL IN COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS. ASKED SEARS COLLEGE STATION TO CHECK OTHER TWO SEARS INSTALLED STEMS FOR DEGRADATION CITING RECALL INFORMATION GIVEN BY DISCOUNT TIRE. SEARS PERSONNEL SAID MY INFORMATION WAS INCORRECT ON STEM RECALL AND REFUSED TO INSPECT MY SEARS INSTALLED STEMS. I EXPLAINED HISTORY TO NO AVAIL. SO I LEFT MY VAN IN COLLEGE STATION FOR MY DAUGHTER TO USE AND RETURNED WITH THE COROLLA TO CONFRONT SEARS BAYBROOK PERSONNEL ABOUT THE STEMS. 6/10/10 TOOK THE COROLLA TO SEARS BAYBROOK TO EXCHANGE A TIRE FOR CORRECT TREAD AND INSPECT THE TWO 12/08 INSTALLED SEARS STEMS. FOUND ONE CRACKED AND READY TO FAIL. PRIOR TO STEM REPLACEMENT, I ASKED THAT THE STEMS BE SAVED FOR ME AFTER REMOVAL. THE STEMS WERE SUBSEQUENTLY LOST DESPITE THE SALESMAN AND I COMBING THRU THE GARBAGE CANS. I SAW A SEARS PRINTOUT OF THE STEM RECALL/FAILURE INFORMATION WITH PICTURES OF A STEM IDENTICAL IN DESIGN AND CRACKING TO THE ONE ON THE BLOW OUT TIRE AS WELL AS JUST REMOVED FROM THE COROLLA. THIS PROVED THAT SEARS KNEW ABOUT THE STEM PROBLEM BUT FAILED TO CONTACT ME OR HELP WHEN I ASKED. 6/12/10 RESEARCHED VALVE STEMS, LEARNED OF CHINA RECALL. *TR

2005 CHEVY EQUINOX, PURCHASED NEW FROM DEALER IN SUMMER 2005. FRONT BRAKE ROTORS HAVE BEEN VIBRATING EXCESSIVELY SINCE ABOUT 15K MILES. ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED (WHICH IS WAY TOO EARLY). IGNITION CYLINDER (WHERE THE KEY GOES IN AND TURNS...) HAD TO BE REPLACED IN THE FIRST 5K MILES (TOOK A WEEK - DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REPAIR AND HAD TO GET PARTS FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE). FRONT TIRES SHOW EXCESSIVE WEAR ON OUTER EDGE, EVEN AFTER MAINTENANCE. TWO TIRES REPLACED ~30K MILES DUE TO TREAD BEING WORN. EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT ON THE INTERSTATE (AT HIGHWAY SPEED) OF ANOTHER TIRE AT AROUND 40K MILES. THEN REPLACED TWO OTHER TIRES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET S-10 EQUIPPED WITH THE MICHELIN X RADIAL TIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES CRACKED ONE YEAR AFTER PURCHASE HOWEVER, THE TIRES WERE STILL THREADED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 127,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD F150. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH MICHELIN TIRES, AND THE TIRE SIZE WAS P235/75/15(NA). WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE EXPLODED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH CAUTION. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH THE SPARE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE SPARE WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW TIRE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. THE DOT NUMBER AND VIN WERE UNAVAILABLE.

AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC. HONDA AUTOMOBILE CUSTOMER SERVICE 1919 TORRANCE BLVD. MAIL STOP 500-2N-7A TORRANCE, CA 90501-2746 RE: 2007 HONDA ODYSSEY TOURING DEAR HONDA, JUNE 2, 2010 I HAD A SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT WITH MILLER HONDA, 4477 VESTAL PARKWAY E, VESTAL, NY; FOR 9:00 AM. THE RECALL WORK FOR MY SOFT BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VIBRATION OCCURRING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 65 MPH AND ABOVE, WAS TO BE DONE. FIVE HOURS LATER, APPROXIMATELY 2:05 PM I STOPPED BACK WITH THE LOANER CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TO SEE HOW MUCH LONGER THE CAR WOULD BE TIED UP AND FOUND THAT WORK ON THE CAR HAD NEVER EVEN BEEN STARTED. I WAS TOLD A MECHANIC HAD CALLED IN AND THAT A PROBLEM WITH A NEW CAR REQUIRED SOME PRIORITY WORK SO MY CAR WAS NOT WORKED ON. HAVING WORKED AROUND AUTOMOBILE SHOPS FROM A TEENAGER ONWARD I AM NOT EXACTLY A NOVICE. BRAKE WORK IS NOT A JOKE AND THERE ARE SERIOUS STATE LAWS INVOLVED FOR A DRIVER TO KNOWINGLY DRIVE A CAR WITH FAULTY BRAKES. UNFORTUNATELY MILLER HONDA FAILS TO REALIZE THAT BRAKES ARE A PRIORITY AND NOTHING TO FOOLED AROUND WITH. MILLER HONDA SPENDS A FORTUNE ON ADVERTISING ATTEMPTING TO ENTICE THE PUBLIC TO COME TO THEIR DEALERSHIP AND PURCHASE CARS FROM THEM. THEN THEY TURN AROUND AND TREAT PREVIOUS CUSTOMERS AND HONDA OWNERS AS DISPOSABLE ITEMS. WHAT EXACTLY THE THINKING IS BEHIND THEIR BUSINESS PLAN TOTALLY ESCAPES ME. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT I AM FREE TO HAVE MY HONDA REPAIRED BY ANY HONDA DEALER? SHOULD THIS INFORMATION BE ACCURATE, I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT THERE IS ONE IN THE AREA THAT IS ACTUALLY INTERESTED IN CUSTOMER SERVICE AND JUST MIGHT HAVE A DESIRE TO SELL ANOTHER HONDA SOMEDAY. MILLER HONDA OF BINGHAMTON NEW YORK JUST DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ONE. *TR

I HAVE HAD TWO MICHELIN PILOT HXMXM4 SIZE 225R17 93V TIRES FAIL ON MY 2009 ACURA TSX, THESE WERE THE ORIGINAL TIRES. BOTH TIRES HAD BREAKS IN THE SIDEWALLS WITH A "W" PATTERN. I FOUND THESE DEFECTS ON ONE TIRE WHICH ONLY HAD 1700 MILES ON IT, THE SECOND TIRE FAILED WITH 7400 MILES ON IT. *TR

I WAS DRIVING AT 70 MPH ON INTERSTATE WHEN BLOWOUT OCCURRED ON MICHELIN PILOT SPORT PS2 TIRE WITH ONLY 11,000 MILES ON TIRES. THE LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEW. THE TIRES HAD BEEN WELL MAINTAINED BY ROTATING AND BALANCING EVERY 3,500 MILES AND TIRE INFLATION PROPERLY MAINTAINED. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR AND DRY. I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT 2.5 HOURS WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. I WAS ABLE TO STEER THE CAR TO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND CALL FOR ASSISTANCE TO CHANGE TIRE TO SPARE. UPON EXAMINATION, THE INSIDE EDGE OF THE TIRE THE STEEL BELT CAME THROUGH THE TIRE AND CAUSED BLOWOUT. THE OUTSIDE EDGE OF TIRE DID NOT SHOW THE WEAR THAT THE INSIDE EDGE SHOWED AND HAD NOT BEEN READILY NOTICEABLE UPON VISUAL INSPECTION EARLIER IN THE DAY. THE TIRES HAD JUST BEEN ROTATED, BALANCED AND ALIGNED 1 MONTH PRIOR AND THERE WAS A NOTATION TO MONITOR THE TREAD BAR AS THE FRONT TIRES WERE WEARING FASTER THAN THE BACK TIRES (THE CAR IS ALL WHEEL DRIVE). I HAD BEEN DOING A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE TIRES EACH TIME I GOT IN THE CAR AND HAD NOT NOTICED THAT THE INSIDE EDGE OF THE LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS WEARING UNEVENLY FROM THE OUTSIDE EDGE. THE AAA EMPLOYEE WHO REMOVED THE TIRE STATED THAT HE BELIEVED THAT AIR LEAKED OUT THROUGH THE STEEL AND CAUSED THE BLOWOUT. THE CAR HAS TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM HOWEVER NEVER SHOWED TIRE PRESSURE LOSS UNTIL THE BLOWOUT OCCURRED. *TR