TOYO OPEN COUNTRY A/T TIRES Complaints

THE 245-55X19 TOYO OPEN COUNTRY A20 TIRES TOYOTA SPECS ON HIGHLANDER LIMITED MODELS ARE UTTERLY TREACHEROUS ON ICE OR SNOW. EDMUNDS.COM DOCUMENTS A HUGE NUMBER OF WINTER TRACTION COMPLAINTS UNDER USED CARS> TOYOTA> 2008> HIGHLANDER LIMITED> CUSTOMER COMMENTS. IN MY OWN CASE, STARTING UNDER 15 MMPH I SLID UNDER 8 LANES OF INTERSTATE VIADUCT, ANTI-LOCK BRAKES PULSING ALL THE WHILE, BEFORE MY CAR STOPPED. THE TOYOS ARE 1 OF ONLY 2 TIRES FROM ANY MFR IN THE SIZE NOTED, THE OTHER BEING A BRIDGESTONE WITH EQUALLY HORRIFIC ICE/SNOW TRACTION RATINGS AT TIRERACK AND DISCOUNT TIRE. TOYOTA REFUSES ANY ASSISTANCE, SAYING THE TIRES ARE TIRE MANUFACTURER WARRANTED. THE PROBLEM? I WOULD BE GETTING EXACTLY THE SAME TIRE AGAIN, AND THE A20 TIRE IS THE PROBLEM TO BEGIN WITH. I REPLACED THE TOYO'S WITH ANOTHER MAKE AND SIZE AT 15,900 MILES (FOR $900) AND THEY TRANSFORMED MY HIGHLANDER COMPLETELY WINTER TRACTION-WISE. THIS TOYO TIRE NEEDS TO BE BANNED ENTIRELY, YET TOYOTA CONTINUES TO SPEC THEM ON NEW VEHICLES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA RAV4. THE VEHICLE HAS TOYO TIRES, MODEL NUMBER A20, AND LINE SIZE 225/65/R 17. THE CONTACT STATED THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT FOUND THE REAR PASSENGERS TIRE WAS FLAT AND THERE WAS A SCREW PUNCTURING THE TIRE. AFTER CHECKING THE REMAINING TIRES, HE FOUND THAT THE REAR DRIVERS TIRE PRESSURE WAS ABOVE 50 PSI. THE DOT DECAL STATED THAT 32 POUNDS WAS THE RECOMMENDED PSI FOR REAR AND FRONT TIRES. THE CONTACT STATED THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS IN EXCESS OF 50 POUNDS. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TIRES REGISTERING THAT HIGH IN NUMBERS SHOULD BE INSPECTED THOROUGHLY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 200.

2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER PURCHASED USED TOYOTA CERTIFIED 9-3-09 FAILS TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. MOST OCCURRENCES AT LOW SPEED AFTER SLOWING TO 5MPH VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND TO GAS PEDAL - OR WILL NOT ENGAGE INTO GEAR AND MOVE FORWARD. THIS OCCURS OR IS MOST NOTICEABLE AT SLOW SPEEDS WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS PUSHED AFTER HAVING SLOWED DOWN OR IN THE MIDST OF A TURN INTO A PARKING SPOT. WIFE HAS ALSO COMPLAINED ABOUT TRANSMISSION NOT ENGAGING INTO GEAR WHEN CAR IS FIRST STARTED UP ACTS LIKE YOU DIDN'T SHIFT IT INTO GEAR. WE HAVE ALSO NOTED TRANSMISSION DOESN'T ALWAYS SEEM TO DISENGAGE WHEN SLOWING FROM HIGHWAY SPEEDS 55 MPH. FEELS LIKE IT IS DRAGGING CAR TO STOP. THERE IS A NOTICEABLE WHINE BETWEEN 55 - 62 MPH. TALKED TO DEALER MECHANIC AND HE SAID THAT WAS NORMAL EVERYTHING IS CONTROLLED BY COMPUTERS. WE ARE GOING TO TAKE IT BACK IN THIS WEEK AND COMPLAIN ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE. WE HAVE ALSO HAD A ISSUE WITH THE TOYO TIRES. AT 28,345 THEY WERE DOWN TO 5/32 TO 4/32. THEY HAVE MAJOR PROBLEMS IN SNOW AND HEAVY RAIN WITH LOSS OF TRACTION. WHEN ESC KICKS ON IN THE SNOW ON A TURN DO TO SLIDING AT SLOW SPEED IT MAKES MATTERS WORSE BE BETTER OFF WITH IT TURNED OFF. *TR

THE RIGHT REAR TIRE ON A 2010 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER FAILED. IT WENT COMPLETELY FLAT OVERNIGHT. I HAVE NOT FOUND ANY EVIDENCE OF A FOREIGN OBJECT LODGED IN THE TIRE. WHEN I TRIED TO ADD AIR, I COULD HEAR IT HISSING OUT. NOT CLEAR IF IT WAS A PUNCTURE, TIRE CRACK OR SOME OTHER TIRE FAILURE. I HAVE NOT YET TAKEN IT TO A DEALER, BUT PLAN TO DO SO. THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY 2,950 MILES ON IT. THE TIRE WAS A TOYO OPEN COUNTRY A-20. *TR

I ASK BECAUSE TODAY HAD A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE WITH TOYOTA. THEY TOLD ME MY SHREDDING, BALD TIRES ARE SAFE AND NOTHING WRONG WITH THEM. CALLED TOYO WHO MAKES THE TIRES AND THEY OFFERED ME 50 PERCENT DISCOUNT ON NEW TIRES AND TIRE PLACE SAID CAR WOULDN'T PASS INSPECTION.. .ALL THIS WHEN AN HOUR EARLIER TOYOTA DEALERSHIP SAID EVERYTHING IS SAFE AND SENT ME OFF WITH A SAFETY INSPECTION REPORT SAYING ALL IS WELL... FROM WHAT I SEE ONLINE, IT SEEMS LIKE HUNDREDS OF CUSTOMERS DEALING WITH SAME 2008 VEHICLES WITH ONLY 10-18K MILES ON TIRES THAT ARE SHREDDING AND BALD. PERSONALLY I THINK THIS COULD BE ANOTHER TOYOTA EXAMPLE OF TURNING THE OTHER WAY. FROM READING CONSUMERS STORIES AND COMMENTS ONLINE I AM AFRAID THIS COULD RESULT IN MORE INJURIES THAN THE WHOLE BRAKE SITUATION. APPRECIATE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO DRAW SOME ATTENTION TO THIS. THE DEALERSHIP I WENT TO WAS: TOYOTA OF BRAINTREE 781 848 9300 CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER BOB HADGES SERVICE MANAGER BOB SULLIVAN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS TOYO OPEN COUNTRY A20 TIRES, SIZE 245/55/R19, DOT# CXHHDK84607. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS HAVING HER VEHICLE INSPECTED SHE NOTICED THAT ALL 4 TIRES WERE EXPERIENCING ADNORMAL TREAD WEAR. THE TIRES WERE TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIRES WERE EXPERIENCING NORMAL WEAR. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS AND THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 30000. UPDATED 4/28/10 *CN UPDATED 06/11/10.*JB

TOYO A20 OPEN COUNTRY TIRES IN 245/55R19 SIZE WEAR PREMATURELY WITH POTENTIAL LOSS OF TRACTION AND CONTROL. DRIVERS UNAWARE OF THE FACT THESE TIRES WEAR OUT IN LESS THAN 20,000 MILES MAY FAIL TO CHECK THEM FOR WEAR SOON ENOUGH. THESE TIRES ARE THE OEM TIRES USED ON THE 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER SPORT MODEL AND PROBABLY SOME OTHER TOYOTA MODELS AND MODEL YEARS AS WELL. THE 2008 VEHICLE OWNERS WILL BE THE FIRST TO REPORT PROBLEMS. THIS BLOG ON CONSUMER REPORTS DETAILS THE PROBLEMS. HTTP://BLOGS.CONSUMERREPORTS.ORG/CARS/2009/04/TOYOTA-HIGHLANDER-HOW-TO-CHOOSE-THE-BEST-REPLACEMENT-TIRE-.HTML TOYOTA DEALERS ARE OFFERING NO COMPENSATION OR REPLACEMENT ASSISTANCE AND THIS SIZE TIRE IS UNIQUE SO THAT ONLY TWO FIRMS OFFER REPLACEMENTS - TOYO AND BRIDGESTONE. THE BRIDGESTONE OEM TIRES IN THIS SIZE MAY HAVE THE SAME WEAR AND TRACTION PROBLEMS. *CN

I OWN A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER LIMITED. AFTER DRIVING 25K MILES, I NOTICED A VIBRATION IN MY STEERING. I THEN NOTICED MY TIRES TREAD ON ALL 4 TIRES WORN DOWN TO ALMOST 2/32" OF TREAD DEPTH REMAINING. I HAVE ORIGINAL TIRES: OPEN COUNTRY A20 P 245/55R19 103S. I CALLED TOYO TIRE CONSUMER RELATIONS DEPT. AND THEY SAID THERE IS NO MILEAGE WARRANTY ON THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. THEY OFFER 30% DISCOUNT ON NEW SET OF TIRES INSTALLED AT TIRE DEALER CENTER. NEW TIRES, AFTER DISCOUNT WILL COST ABOUT $900, BUT THEY ON THE BACK ORDER AND BECOME AVAILABLE ONLY BY THE END OF DECEMBER 2009. I FORCED TO KEEP DRIVING MY CAR WITH BAD TIRES.THEY DON'T OFFER ANY REPLACEMENT TIRES FOR THIS ODD SIZE, MANUFACTURED ONLY FOR THIS CAR. THESE TIRES CREATE A HAZARD TO ME, MY FAMILY AND PUBLIC SAFETY, ESPECIALLY DRIVING IN THE NORTH-EAST AREAS. I HAVE NEVER HAD A NEW VEHICLE THAT NEED NEW TIRES WHEN IT IS BARELY TWO YEARS OLD. I TRY TO REPLACE THIS TIRES BEFORE I HAVE AN INCIDENT. I HAVE NOTICED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE TIRES ON VARIOUS WEB SITES. ALL TOYOTA HIGHLANDER OWNERS VERY DISAPPOINTED AND LOST. MANY TRY TO CHANGE TIRE SIZE TO MORE COMMON USED, WHICH WILL VOID POWER-TRAIN WARRANTY AND COULD CREATE MORE OF SAFETY PROBLEMS. I HOPE YOU FIND THIS SITUATION VERY DISTURBING AND POTENTIALLY SAFETY HAZARDOUS AND WILL LEAD TO YOUR INVESTIGATION AND CORRECTION. *TR

MY FORD F-350 HAS SEVERE VIBRATION AND STEERING ISSUES. I RECEIVED THE LETTER ABOUT THESE ISSUES APRIL 2009. SHORTLY THERE AFTER WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65MPH THE TRUCK STARTED VIBRATING UNCONTROLLABLE. ABOUT THE TIME I GOT IT SLOWED DOWN I HEARD A LOUD POP IN THE PASSENGERS SIDE FRONT END. THIS WAS ABOUT APRIL 25 2009. ON MAY 14 2009 I WENT TO FORD FOR MY OIL CHANGE. THEY DISCOVERED THE FRONT PASSENGERS UNIVERSAL JOINT IS BROKEN. I WAS NOT IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WHEN THIS LOUD POP OCCURRED. BUT I DID ALMOST LOSE CONTROL PRIOR TO HEARING IT POP, MY SPEED AT THE TIME OF POP WAS ABOUT 35MPH. I KEEP THE TIRE PRESSURE UP, BY CHECKING IT ALMOST EVERY TIME I ADD FUEL. AND THE TIRES ARE CHECKED AT EACH OIL CHANGE, EVERY 3,000 MILES. THE LETTER I RECEIVED FROM FORD, SAYS TO CHECK TIRE PRESSURE. THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS GOOD WHEN I CHECKED IT SHORTLY AFTER HEARING THE UNIVERSAL JOINT POP. THE SIZE OF TIRE IS THE SAME AS THE ONES INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY. I DO NOT HAVE ANY SUSPENSION MODIFICATIONS. AFTER THE FORD DEALER TOLD ME I NEED A NEW UNIVERSAL JOINT, I TOOK THE TRUCK TO ANOTHER ALIGNMENT SHOP. HE HAD A F250 HE WAS WORKING ON THAT HAD ABOUT THE SAME THING HAPPEN. AND TOLD ME THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING ALOT. AFTER WHICH I CALLED FORD, THEY WILL NOT WARRANTY THE ISSUE, ALTHOUGH IT SOUNDED TO ME THAT THE OPERATORS WERE WELL AWARE THESE TRUCKS SHIMMY AND THEN POP THERE UNIVERSAL JOINTS. I AM FEARFUL TO DRIVE THE TRUCK, AS I THINK NEXT TIME I MAY LOSE ALL CONTROL. FORD WILL NOT WARRANTY THE ISSUE BECAUSE THE WARRANTY IS EXPIRED, BUT THE OPERATORS TOLD ME I SHOULD SELL IT, AS THEY HAVE LOTS OF COMPLAINTS LIKE THIS. I WOULD NOT WANT TO HURT SOMEBODY ELSE BY PASSING THIS PROBLEM TRUCK ON, BUT I DO NOT HAVE FINANCES TO SCRAP IT ETHER. PLEASE HELP ME. THANK YOU *TR

THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN BROUGHT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP MANY MANY TIMES SINCE IT WAS FIRST PURCHASED (5 TIMES I BELIEVE FOR STEERING RELATED PROBLEMS AND OTHER TIMES FOR A BRAKE BOOT PROBLEM AND A VARIETY OF OTHER ISSUES). THE OTHER PROBLEM THE VEHICLE HAS HAD IS WHAT FORD IS CALLING A "SHIMMY". THEY ORIGINALLY TOLD US WE NEEDED NEW SHOCKS BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM WHICH WE DISPUTED AND TOOK IT TO A SPECIALIST IN SHOCK REPLACEMENT WHO TOLD US THIS WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. THEN THEY TOLD US IT WAS THE TIRES (WHICH THEY ARE CONTENDING IN THE FORM LETTER THEY SENT US-THAT STATES WE MUST MAINTAIN PROPER PRESSURE TO CONTROL THIS PROBLEM). UNFORTUNATELY, PROPER TIRE PRESSURE SEEMINGLY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS PROBLEM AND WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THE PROBLEM TO WHICH FORD'S ANSWER TO US IS "GET NEW TIRES" (THE TIRES HAVE ONLY 22,000 MILES ON THEM, THEY ARE THE TIRES FORD PUT ON THE VEHICLE WHEN WE BOUGHT IT AND THEY, OF COURSE, ARE NOT A WARRANTY ITEM). ALL IN ALL, THE TRUCK HAS HAD MANY ISSUES, SOME OF WHICH HAVE BEEN FIXED REPEATEDLY ONLY TO APPEAR AGAIN IN THE SAME OR SIMILAR WAY. *TR