MICHELIN TIRES Complaints

TIRE VIBRATION IN STEERING AT SPEEDS USUALLY GREATER THAN 40 MPH AND MOST PREVELANT WHEN COMING OUT OF A TURN. TIRES EVALUATED BY TIRE STORE, SPEED BALANCED AND ROTATED. FOUND THE SIDEWALL DEFECTIVE. MICHELIN X-RADIAL DT P205/70R15. WHEN DEFECTIVE TIRE WAS MOVED TO REAR PROBLEM DID NOT OCCUR, MOVED BACK TO THE FRONT PROBLEM CAME BACK.*AK

I HAD LEFT MY CAR FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES. WHEN I RETURNED THE TIRE WAS FLAT, AND I NOTICED A SLIT IN THE SIDEWALL. LATER I FILLED THE TIRE WITH AIR. THE VISIBLE SLIT DID NOT LEAK AIR, BUT ANOTHER SMALLER CRACK DID. THERE WAS NO OTHER DAMAGE TO THE TIRE. *JB

MY MICHELIN PILOT SPORT MS TIRE 235/45Z/R17 DEVELOPED A BUBBLE ON THE INSIDE WALL OF THE TIRE AND LEAKED AIR. THE TIRE WAS USED UNDER A NORMAL COMUTING ROUTINE AND NEVER PLACED UNDER ANY UNUSUAL STRESS OR ROAD CONDITIONS. IT COULD NOT BE REPAIRED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE RECALL OF 255/35ZR20 97Y EXTRA LOAD. I BELIEVE THE 235/45Z/R17 SPORT MS IS ALSO DEFECTIVE AS IT HAS THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS. THE OLD TIRE WAS LEFT AT THE TIRE DEALER AND WAS DISPOSED. A LETTER FROM THE DEALER CONFIRMING THIS CONDITION IS POSSIBLE. *NM

I BOUGHT A NEW 2004 HONDA ACCORD. I WAS DRIVING IT TODAY WHEN A SOFTBALL SIZE BUBBLE APPEARED ON THE SIDEWALL. A MAJOR HONDA DEALER SAID THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THE LOCAL MICHELIN DEALER SAID IT WAS NOT A DEFECTIVE TIRE. HOW CAN A SOFTBALL SIZE BALLOON JUST APPEAR ALL OF THE SUDDEN ON THE SIDEWALL. IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT 70 MPH IT MIGHT HAVE KILLED ME AND MY DAUGHTER. I WANT MICHELIN TO REPLACE THIS TIRE AND THE OTHER THREE FREE OF CHARGE AND ALSO INSPECT THE THICKNESS OF SIDEWALLS USED ON 2004 HONDA ACCORD EX MODELS. THE TIRE HAD 20,000 MILES ON IT. SPEED RATING ON THE TIRE IS 91V SIZE 260/16. I HAVE DIGITAL PICTURES TAKEN BY THE HONDA DEALER (HUGH WHITE HONDA, COLUMBUS, OH. *JB

INCIDENT 1: MARCH 2005 TRAVELING ON I95 IN MY 2001 NATIONAL TRADEWINDS RV, I EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT OF THE INSIDE RIGHT LEFT TIRE THAT BLEW OUT THE SIDE PANEL OF THE MOTOR COACH. THE TIRE WAS CHANGED. WE CONTINUED HOME. INCIDENT 2: MAY 2005 PURCHASED A NEW SPARE. I NOTICED A BUBBLE ON THE INSIDE LEFT REAR TIRE SIDEWALL. WHILE TRAVELING ON I95 TO THE TIRE SHOP THIS TIRE BLEW OUT. REPLACED TIRE. INCIDENT 3: DECEMBER 2005 WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH DELAWARE, RIGHT REAR INNER TIRE BLEW OUT THE SIDEWALL. ALL THESE TIRES WERE MICHELIN XRV 225/22.5 WITH RECOMMENDED 100PSI. AT A GOODYEAR STORE IN DELAWARE, WE REPLACED ALL 4 REAR TIRES AND THE SPARE WITH GOODYEAR 265/22.5 TIRES. THE REASON FOR THE TIRE SIZE CHANGE WAS THAT NATIONAL TRADEWINDS HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD A TIRE RECALL ON THE FRONT TIRES. THE FRONT TIRES WERE REPLACED WITH TOYO'S 265/22.5. THIS SIZE CHANGE WAS ALSO RECOMMENDED BY THE MANAGER OF THE GOODYEAR STORE. TAKE NOTE THAT THE TIRE INSTALLER NOTICED A BUBBLE ON THE INSIDE TIRE WALL OF THE LEFT OUTER TIRE. HE SAID IT WOULD HAVE FAILED AT ANY MOMENT! AFTER READING THE HISTORIES OF THESE FAILURES, SOMETHING MUST BE DONE BEFORE SOME IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED BECAUSE OF THESE TIRE FAILURES!! *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED SHE NOTICED THERE WAS A BUBBLE THE SIZE OF AN ORANGE ALONG THE SIDEWALL OF THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. SHE REMOVED THE TIRE AND REPLACED IT WITH THE SPARE TIRE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHE DISCOVERED THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE HAD A BUBBLE THE SIZE OF AN EGG IN THE SIDEWALL AS WELL. SHE CONTACTED THE DEALER, WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE DEALER SUGGESTED THIS WAS MOST LIKELY DUE TO A ROAD HAZARD. SHE CONTACTED A TIRE DEALER, WHO ALSO STATED THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A ROAD HAZARD. BOTH TIRES WERE REPLACED. *AK UPDATED 3/9/2006 - *NM

CONSUMER REQUESTING INFORMATION OF FAILURE IN MCHELIN RADIAL XSE TIRES. THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE AND VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL, SIDEWALL FAILED AND REAR AXLE BROKE. *TS THE CONSUMER STATED IF THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE OR IF THERE WAS A CRASH AS A RESULT OF THE TIRE FAILURE. *JB

DT: CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT 35 MPH THE TIRE CAME OFF THE RIM. HE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VEER INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC, AND COLLIDING WITH FOUR OTHER VEHICLES. THERE WAS NO WARNING PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED TO DETERMINE WHAT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED THE PROBLEM. INJURIES WERE REPORTED. *AK

CONSUMER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON DODGE STRATUS 1999. *TS (11/17/05) THE A/C STOPPED ON THE VEHICLE AND THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WAS DAMAGED AT PURCHASE. *SC

WHILE WASHING MY WIFE'S VEHICLE I SAW THAT THERE IS A CRACK IN THE SIDE WALL OF THE RIGHT REAR TIRE. A MICHELIN ENERGY XL4 97T P225/60R16 M+S TIRE. THERE IS LESS THAN 30,000 MILES ON THE TIRES. *JB