MICHELIN TIRES Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE WERE MICHELIN CONVERSION TIRES INSTEAD OF THE ORIGINAL TIRES. THE TIRE SIZE WAS W255/55/R18 105, BUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN W255/55/R18 109. ON AUGUST 16, 2007, THE TIRES WERE LOW, CRACKING, AND BULGING EVEN THOUGH A LOT OF TREAD STILL REMAINED. THE POWERTRAIN AND DOT NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 25,110.

MY CAR, A 2006 MERCEDES E350 HAS HAD FOUR (4) FLAT TIRES IN ABOUT ONE YEAR'S TIME. I HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH AT LEAST THREE OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE WITH THEIR MERCEDES'. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS DUE TO THE LOW PROFILE TIRES ON THE CAR. THEY SUPPOSEDLY PROVIDE BETTER HANDLING BUT ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLAT TIRES WHEN HITTING MINOR POTHOLES ETC. FOUR FLAT TIRES IN ABOUT A YEAR IS UNACCEPTABLE FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT. THIS CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE WITH THESE TIRES IN PLACE. THE DEALER DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THIS ISSUE. *TR

ONE MICHELIN ENERGY S8 MXVA P225/50 R17 TIRE WAS LOSING AIR ON MY 2006 LINCOLN ZEPHYR. THE WAS VISIBLE SIDE WALL SEPARATION ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE AND ALSO, 180 DEGREES ON THE OUTSIDE. DEALER/MICHELIN CLAIMED IS WAS RESULT OF HITTING A POT HOLE. THERE WAS NO OTHER DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. DEFECT WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. HAD 20,000 MILES AT TIME OF COMPLAINT. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT OTHER INDIVIDUALS HAD SAME ISSUES WITH MICHELIN TIRES.... *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HONDA ODYSSEY WITH MICHELIN ENERGY LX4 SIZE P235/65R16. HE NOTICED THAT THE LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS FLAT. THE REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT ALL THE TIRES WERE WORN ON THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 41,480.

ON 8/13/07, I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 70 MILES PER HOUR ON NC HWY 52 NORTHBOUND (A 4 LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY) WHEN I HAD A SUDDEN MASSIVE BLOW OUT OF A MICHELIN TIRE ON THE LEFT REAR OF MY VEHICLE, A 1995 BMW 325 IS. THERE WAS NO WARNING. THE TIRE WAS NOT LOW ON AIR PRESSURE AND DID NOT HAVE ANY PUNCTURE AS VERIFIED BY THE TIRE DEALERSHIP OWNER. THE TIRE IS A MICHELIN ENERGY PLUS MXV4, SIZE 205/60R15. IT HAS THE FOLLOWING LETTERING ON IT: DOT APTM W17X 2306. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE 2306 INDICATES THE WEEK OF MANUFACTURE. THE TIRE HAD 12,000 MILES ON IT. THERE WAS A COMPLETE SEPARATION OF THE OUTSIDE SIDE WALL FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE. WITH SOME STRUGGLE, I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO VEHICLE BESIDE OF ME AS I HAD TO UTILIZE BOTH OF THE LANES IN MY DIRECTION TO REGAIN CONTROL. ON THE SAME DAY, I SHOWED THE TIRE TO THE OWNER OF C&C TIRE IN ASHEBORO, NC (336-629-6634) WHERE THE FOUR NEW MICHILEN TIRES WERE PURCHASED AND INSTALLED ON 4/14/07. NO DAMAGE OCCURRED TO MY VEHICLE AND NO PERSONAL INJURY WAS INCURRED. I AM AWAITING A CALL FROM THE MICHELIN REPRESENTATIVE TO DISCUSS REPLACEMENT OF THE TIRE. I WISH TO REPORT THIS INCIDENT ONLY SO THAT IT CAN BE INVESTIGATED WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM THAT IS WIDE SPREAD. *JB

AS I WAS TRAVELING SOUTH ON I270 AROUND COLUMBUS, OHIO AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE EXPLODED. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY MANEUVER THE RV TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE TIRE HAD A LITTLE OVER 5,000 MILES ON IT. THE TIRE INVOLVED IS A MICHELIN X 225/70R 19.5 XRV. WHEN THE TIRE EXPLODED, IT TOOK OUT A SHIELD PROTECTING THE PROPANE TANK. I THINK THE SHIELD ALSO TOOK OUT TWO WIRES CONNECTED TO THE PROPANE TAKE SINCE THE WIRES WERE RIPPED FROM WHERE THEY BELONGED. A LITTLE MORE FORCE AND THE PROPANE TANK COULD HAVE BEEN HIT AND WHO KNOWS WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. THE WHEEL AS WELL AS THE WHEEL COVER WERE DESTROYED AS WELL. I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET THAT THIS IS NOT THE FIRST INCIDENT INVOLVING MICHELIN RV TIRES. THIS IS THE REASON FOR WRITING THIS COMPLAINT. ALSO, I HAVE THREE OTHER MICHELIN TIRES ON THE RV WHICH I PURCHASED AT THE SAME TIME AS THE ONE THAT EXPLODED AND QUITE FRANKLY, I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT WITH THOSE TIRES ON THERE. *TR

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, TAKING A RAMP FROM ONE ROAD TO ANOTHER, NOTICED A SOUND COMING FROM RIGHT REAR TIRE. WHILE TRYING TO REACH AN EXIT, FELT THE CAR PULLING TO THE RIGHT, AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF ON SHOULDER. WHEN THE CAR CAME TO A REST, THE TIRE WAS SITTING ON THE ROAD BEHIND THE CAR, STILL IN AN INTACT CIRCLE. THE TIRE WAS INSPECTED BY AN AUTHORIZED TIRE DEALER WHO COULD FIND NO ROAD HAZARD METHOD OF TIRE FAILURE, AND THE MANUFACTURER DECIDED THAT ALTHOUGH THEY NORMALLY DO NOT COVER THIS TYPE OF DAMAGE UNDER WARRANTY, THEY PAID 35% OF THE REPLACEMENT COST OF A NEW TIRE. THE DAMAGE LOOKS LIKE A SIDEWALL FAILURE. *JB

TIRE TREAD PEALED OFF MY TIRE CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGES TO MY SIDE STEP, THE METAL AROUND MY TIRE WHEEL GOT BENT UP INTO MY DOOR AND TORE OFF ALL MY WHEEL WELL PLASTIC. ALMOST CAUSED MY FRONT BUMPER TO COME OFF IT IS NOW TORN ON THAT SIDE AND A PLASTIC PIECE UNDER THE BUMPER IS BARELY HANGING IN THERE. I STILL HAVE THE TIRE AS IT DIDN'T DEFLATE. MY STEERING WHEEL CLICKS AND MAKES MY CAR SKIP WHEN I MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN. AS IF THE TIRES ARE NOT TURNING CORRECTLY. THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE VEHICLE HAS MICHELIN PAX TIRES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES HAVE EXCESSIVE OUTER WEAR. PIECES OF THE OUTER WALL BEGAN SEPARATING FROM THE TIRES AT 15,000 MILES. THE DEALER ONLY CHANGED ONE OF THE TIRES, BUT ALL FOUR WERE EXPERIENCING THE FAILURE. HONDA ADVISED HIM TO SPEAK WITH MICHELIN, BUT MICHELIN ADVISED HIM TO SPEAK WITH HONDA. MEANWHILE, THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE CONTACT WANTED TO CHANGE THE RIMS AND PLACE REGULAR TIRES ON THE VEHICLE, BUT HONDA ADVISED HIM THAT DOING SO WOULD VOID THE VEHICLE'S WARRANTY. THE DEALER ALSO ADVISED HIM TO BRING HIS VEHICLE IN EVERY 7,500 MILES TO HAVE THE TIRES ROTATED AT HIS EXPENSE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 23,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000. UPDATED 02/01/08. *LJ

I DRIVE A 2005 JAGUAR XJR THAT HAS DEFECTIVE TIRES, PILOT SPORT EXTRA LOAD. MICHELIN ISSUED A RECALL IN FEBRUARY 2006 AT WHICH TIME THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. SUBSEQUENTLY, MICHELIN NOTIFIED THE NHTSA THAT IT WAS RECALLING THESE TIRES FOR A DIFFERENT PROBLEM. THE TIRES ARE SUBJECT O A NOTICEABLE BLISTER ON THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. MY CAR CURRENTLY HAS 3 TIRES THAT EXHIBITED THIS VERY PROBLEM. I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR FOR FEAR THE TIRES WOULD POP. ON JULY 18 MY GREATEST FEAR WAS REALIZED AND THE TIRE DID POP WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE WASHINGTON, DC BELTWAY. I ARRIVED HOME SAFELY AND CONTACTED MICHELIN CUSTOMER SUPPORT TO EXPLAIN THAT I SAW THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS WEBSITE REGARDING THE TIRES ON MY JAGUAR. THE INDIVIDUAL DIRECTED ME TO NATIONAL TIRE AND BATTERY (NTB) TO HAVE THE TIRES REPLACED. WHEN THE MANAGER AT NBT CONTACTED MICHELIN FOR AUTHORIZATION, HE INITIALLY DENIED MY CLAIM. WHILE I WAS AT NBT THE 2ND OF 3 AFFLICTED TIRES WHEN FLAT. MICHELIN SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR COST ASSOCIATED WITH REPLACING THESE DEFECTIVE TIRES. I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR 40% OF THE COST, WHICH I DEEM VERY UNFAIR. I HOPE SOMEONE WILL LOOK INTO THIS VERY SERIOUS MICHELIN PILOT SPORT EXTRA LOAD TIRE ISSUE. THEY ARE PUTTING MANY OF US IN HARM'S WAY. THERE WAS ANOTHER RECALL BY MICHELIN FOR THE PILOT SPORT EXTRA LOAD TIRES. *JB