MICHELIN TIRES Complaints

I WISH TO LODGE A COMPLAINT AGAINST MICHELIN TIRE COMPANY. ABOUT 4,000 MILES AGO I INSTALLED TWO MICHELIN 20560V16 FRONT TIRES ON MY CAR. YESTERDAY, WHILE PARKED, THE SIDEWALL OF THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE (DOT-M37R-JLFX-1106) SIMPLY BURST LEAVING A 2-3 IN. GAP. I HAD TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT TIRES IN ORDER NOT TO HAVE A TREAD IMBALANCE. AFTER A LONG AND TEDIOUS TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH MICHELIN CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEY MAINTAINED, WITHOUT CHECKING THE STATE OF THE TIRE, THAT THIS IS NOT A MANUFACTURING OR OTHER DEFECT, AND THUS WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY THE STANDARD MANUFACTURER WARRANTY. THEY ADDED THAT IT WAS DUE TO MISUSE, SINCE THE TIRE WAS INSTALLED ON A CAR!!! AS IF THEIR MANUFACTURING RESPONSIBILITY EXTENDS ONLY TO BRAND NEW TIRES WHILE STILL IN THE SHOP, PRIOR TO INSTALLATION ON A CAR. THEY THEN OFFERED "AS A GOOD WILL" (AS THEY CLAIM) ONLY 30% REDUCTION ON TIRE REPLACEMENT ONLY (NO REIMBURSEMENT OF LABOR ASSOCIATED WITH TIRE REPLACEMENT), WHICH I HAVE REFUSED, GIVEN THE NEAR-NEW STATE OF THE TIRE. OTHER THAN INDICATING THAT THERE MAY BE A SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THESE MICHELIN TIRES, DO I HAVE A RECOURSE AGAINST SUCH A FLAGRANT FAILURE TO HONOR A CLEAR DEFECT RESPONSIBILITY? *TR

SIDE WALL HAS A SLIT AND A BULGE IN THE SIDE WALL. THIS WAS CAUGHT BEFORE A FAILURE. THEY TRIED TO TELL ME THAT IT WAS FROM A ROAD HAZARD AND NOT A DEFECT. I DON'T BELIEVE A WORD OF IT. *TR

WHILE PULLING OUT OF LOCAL WAL-MART PARKING LOT IN REVERSE AN EXPLOSION THAT ROCKED MY EXPLORER CROSS UTILITY VEHICLE CREATED SOME PANIC FOR MY WIFE AND MYSELF. UPON CHECKING THE VEHICLE I NOTICED THAT THE FRONT LEFT TIRE HAD EXPLODED FROM ONE SIDE OF THE RIM TO THE OTHER RENDERING THE TIRE TO BE COMPLETELY RUIN. THE RIM WAS INTACT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE VEHICLE HAS MICHELIN ENERGY MXV4 PLUS, SIZE P/195/60R15 (NA) TIRES. THE CONTACT TOOK HIS VEHICLE TO A SERVICE STATION FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE BECAUSE THE TREAD AND SEAM COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE TO THE POINT WHERE THE CANVAS WAS VISIBLE. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED PRIOR TO OPERATING THE VEHICLE AND THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS NORMAL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 38,000. UPDATED 03-18-08 *BF

I BOUGHT A NEW 2006 KIA OPTIMA EX IN APR 2006. SEPT 2006 THE KEY FOBS QUIT WORKING AND THE PASS SIDE BACK SEAT DOES NOT SECURE ITSELF IN PLACE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT AND STAY/TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP AND FIXED. JULY 2007, THE KEY FOB AGAIN QUIT WORKING/TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND I WAS TOLD A TSB WAS OUT ON THIS PROBLEM AND THEY WOULD REPLACE THE RECEIVER WHICH WAS DONE. NOV 2007 AFTER THE TSB SUPPOSEDLY WAS TAKEN CARE OF, AGAIN THE KEY FOB QUITS WORKING/DEALERSHIP HAS AGAIN REPROGRAMMED TO WORK AGAIN AND CURRENTLY THEY CONTINUE TO WORK. THIS CAR HANDLES EXTREMELY POORLY AND IN MY OPINION IS A SAFETY RISK. IT SEEMS TO HAVE A PRETTY LOOSE SUSPENSION AND A LOT OF SWAYING WHEN DRIVING. THE CAR PULLS HARD TO THE LEFT CAUSING ONE TO HAVE TO HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHT TO KEEP IT FROM TAKING NEARLY A 45 DEGREE LEFT TURN WHILE DRIVING. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE CAR PULLS BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT/USUALLY LEFT. WHEN DRIVING OVER A SMOOTH DIP IN THE ROAD, IT FEELS THE FRONT TIRES ACTUALLY LEAVE THE GROUND SLIGHTLY CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO VIBRATE RIGHT/LEFT QUICKLY. THIS VEHICLE ALSO HANDLES EXTREMELY POORLY ON ICY ROADS. THIS IS WITHOUT ANY QUESTION THE WORST HANDLING VEHICLE I HAVE EVER DRIVEN...CONCERNS ME AS I DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY ABOUT 35 MILES TO WORK ONE WAY DAILY, AND DRIVE IN WINDY AS WELL AS SNOW AND ICY CONDITIONS FAIRLY FREQUENTLY. AT ABOUT 15,000 MILES, THE LATCH ON THE GAS DOOR DOESN'T WANT TO STAY CLOSED AFTER YOU FUEL UP AND THE ELECTRONICS THAT OPERATE THE SIDE VIEW MIRRORS INTERMITTENTLY DO NOT WORK. FEB 2008, MY CAR REACHED 30,000 MILES AND WHEN WASHING IT LAST WEEK, I NOTED AN AREA OF PAINT PEELING OFF ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR TRIM (BLACK), AS WELL AS THE CHROME PAINT STARTING TO BUBBLE. I TOOK PICTURES OF BOTH OF THESE AREAS. SINCE DRIVING THIS CAR OFF THE SHOWROOM FLOOR, IT HAS BEEN GARAGED AT BOTH WORK AND HOME. LAST WEEK (FEB 2008), DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT QUIT RETRACTING. *TR

MY TIRE MICHELIN PILOT HX MXM4 BLEW WHILE DRIVING. THERE WAS NO REASON FOR IT TO BLOW LIKE IT DID. IT SEEMS THAT THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE. *TR

2005 HONDA ODYSSEY TOURING VAN HAVE THE PAX RUNFLAT TIRES. REPLACED 9 TIRES IN THE FIRST 30,000 MILES. ONE TIRE WAS PUT ON AND IN 2,000 MILES AND IT FAILED (BUBBLE IN SIDE WALL). MICHELIN WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING FOR ME REGARDING WARRANTY. AFTER TALKING WITH THE LOCAL HONDA DEALER, THEY TOLD ME IT IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR THIS TIRE TO ONLY GET 30,000 MILES ON THEM BEFORE THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE CALLED MICHELIN AND THEY SAID THIS MILEAGE IS THE NORM. AT $250.00 PER TIRE, SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. *TR

PURCHASED A 2006 HONDA ODYSSEY WITH THE MICHELIN PAX TIRE SYSTEM. WE HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS TO DATE, BUT THE COST TO REPLACE TIRES ARE (3) TIMES THE COST OF REGULAR TIRES. 90% OF PEOPLE ARE CHANGING OUT WHEELS AND TIRES WITH REGULAR TIRES THAT COST MUCH LESS TO REPLACE. HONDA NEVER TOLD US THAT THE TIRE REPLACEMENT AND LABOR WOULD BE TWICE THAT FOR THE TIRES AND (5) TIMES THAT FOR THE LABOR TO REPLACE TIRES. WOULD LIKE TIRES REPLACED FOR THE COST OF NORMAL TIRES. *TR

MICHELIN ENERGY MXV4 PLUS TIRES WITH RADIAL XSE SIZE P205/65R15 OEM TIRES ON HONDA ACCORD EX V6. VEHICLE IS KEPT TO DATE ON MAINTENANCE, REGULARLY ROTATED, BALANCED, AIR CHECKED. CAR IS HANDLED CONSERVATIVELY AND TIRE HAS LOW MILES. DRIVER HAS CLEAN DRIVING RECORD. 1) THESE TIRES HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF A CONSTANT, HARROWING HYDROPLANING ON ANY WET OR ICED SURFACES OVER THE LAST 4 YEARS. 2) TWO TIRES HAD SIDE WALLS BLOWN ON NEGLIGIBLE SHALLOW POT-HOLES ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, IN 2005, AND IN AUG.2006. 3) LATEST SURPRISE: NOW AT 23,000 MILES, 2 FRONT TIRES THREADS ARE COMPLETELY WORN, AND BACK TIRES ALSO WORN ENOUGH TO WARRANT REPLACEMENT. AT 23,000 MILES! THESE TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE SAFETY HAZARDS AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY. HE OBSERVED THAT THE TREAD ON ALL FOUR TIRES WAS WORN. THE CONTACT OWNS RUN FLAT MICHELIN ENERGY LX PAX TIRES. THE TIRE SIZE IS 235-710R-460A. THE TIRE PRESSURE IS 33 ON THE FRONT AND 35 ON THE REAR. THE TREAD ON THE FRONT, REAR PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE TIRES TREAD ARE WORN. THE TREADS ARE WEARING ON THE TIRES FASTER THAN NORMAL. A LOCAL TIRE DEALER STATED THAT ONLY HONDA CAN DIAGNOSE THE TIRE FAILURE DUE TO THE SPECIAL METRIC RIMS. THE DEALER AND TIRE MANUFACTURER HAVE ADVISED HIM TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO PURCHASE TIRES. THE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE ARE REQUIRED TO BE REPLACED TWO TO THREE TIMES A YEAR COMPARED TO CONVENTIONAL TIRES. HONDA GAVE A QUOTE OF $2,000 TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES. HE WAS NOT ADVISED AT THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED OF THE ADDITIONAL COST TO CHANGE THE TIRES OR THAT THE TIRES LAST HALF AS LONG AS NORMAL TIRES. THE CONTACT ASKED HONDA TO REPLACE THE CURRENT 710 RIMS WITH CONVENTIONAL 17 INCH RIMS; HOWEVER, HE HASN'T RECEIVED A RESPONSE. THE CONTACT FILED COMPLAINT/CASE NUMBER, N012008-01-0201951 WITH THE MANUFACTURERS CUSTOMER CARE CENTER. HE ALSO SPOKE WITH THE TIRE MANUFACTURER AND AN ATTORNEY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 6,000.