YOKOHAMA ALL SEASON RADIAL TIRES Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS YOKOHAMA TIRES, SIZE 205/55R16. WHILE DRIVING AT AN APPROXIMATE SPEED OF 55 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE OFF OF THE ROAD AND CHANGE THE TIRE WITH A SPARE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER; HOWEVER; THE CONTACT CONFIRMED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES WERE ROTTEN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 110,355.

ON NOVEMBER 22, 2009 I PURCHASED 4 NEW YOKOHAMA TIRES FROM NTB, MENTOR OHIO WHO INSTALLED THEM ON A 2007 HYANDAI SONATA, REPLACING THE ORIGINAL MICHELIN TIRES. THE TIRES WERE AS530, DOT #CCLM 825 1309 4 31911 SIZE 215/55R17 94V, 31911. THE TIRES WERE RATED FOR MUD AND SNOW FOR 60,000. THE TIRES APPEARED TO PERFORM FINE, UNTIL IT SNOWED. IN SNOW, THE TIRES HAD VIRTUALLY NO TRACTION AT ALL. THIS FRONT WHEEL DRIVE CAR PERFORMED VERY WILL FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS ON ITS ORIGINAL MICHELIN TIRES. WITH THE NEW TIRES, THE CAR LITERALLY GOT STUCK REPEATEDLY IN SNOW IN FEBRUARY, 2010. FINALLY, ON FEBRUARY 27, 2010, MY 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE CAR. SHE WAS STOPPED AT A BUSY INTERSECTION, WAITING TO TURN LEFT INTO A SHOPPING MAILL ACROSS TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC COMING TOWARD HER IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. ALL HAD GREEN LIGHTS IN BOTH DIRECTIONS. WHEN SHE HAD TIME TO TURN WITH A BREAK IN THE TRAFFIC, THE TIRES SPUN IN THE SNOW, DELAYING THE TURN. SHE WAS HIT BY AN ONCOMING CAR BECAUSE OF THIS DELAY. BOTH CARS WERE TOTAL LOSSES, BUT NOBODY WAS INJURED. THESE TIRES SHOULD BE RECALLED OR AT LEAST LOSE THE MUD AND SNOW DESIGNATION. I HAVE DRIVEN FRONT DRIVE CARS FOR 30 YEARS AND NEVER GOT STUCK IN SNOW. THESE TIRES ARE SERIOUSLY DEFECTIVE. PLEASE TAKE THEM OFF THE MARKET.

ON 9/24/08 I WENT TO TOWN FAIR TIRE AND HAD FOUR TIRES REPLACED AT A COST OR $539.12. I WAS TOLD YOKOHAMA TIRES WERE THE BEST AND HAD THE BEST MILEAGE UP TO 80,000 MILES. AT THAT TIME I HAD THE FOUR TIRES REPLACED WITH THE MILEAGE ON MY CAR AT 74,000 MILES. ON 6/3/09 I BROUGHT MY CAR WHICH NOW HAD 81,000 MLS. ON IT WITH A BUBBLE ON MY TIRE AND HAD TO REPLACE IT AT A CA COST OF $134.51. FIVE MONTHS LATER ON 11/02/09 I WENT BACK TO TOWN FAIR TIRE WITH 83,000 MILES ON MY CAR AND ANOTHER BUBBLE ON MY TIRE. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR FORTY TWO YEARS AND NEVER HAD A BUBBLE ON A TIRE AND IN A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AND LESS THAN 10,000 MILES I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE TWO OF THESE TIRES BECAUSE OF BUBBLES. TOWN FAIR TIRE SAYS ITS MY DRIVING, I SAY THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE TIRES AND I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN MY CAR. I CAN NOT AFFORD TO REPLACE THEM AGAIN. I AM ON DISABILITY AND DO NOT DRIVE TO OFTEN BUT I LIKE TO FEEL SAFE WHEN I DO. I WOULD LIKE THESE TIRES INVESTIGATED. $800.00 FOR TIRES A YEAR IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND I DON'T KNOW IF I WILL HAVE TO SPEND MORE.. THE TIRES ARE YOKOHAMA AVID TRZ ID CC208213308-4208-4408 I WOULD APPRECIATE AN ANSWER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. *TR

I OWN A 2008 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY TOURING VAN WHICH WAS PURCHASED IN SEPT OF 2008. I HAVE 10,000 MILES ON THE VAN, AND HAD PUT ON 1300 MILES DURING THIS TRIP. WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH THE ROLLING HILLS OF WYOMING, I STOPPED AT A SCENIC OVERLOOK. THE 6 PASSENGERS GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE DEFLATED IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. AFTER INSPECTING THE TIRE, WE NOTICED THE CAP WAS NOT ON THE VALVE STEM. IN FACT THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE STEM WERE GONE. THE REPAIRMAN CONFIRMED OUR SUSPICION AND REPLACED THE VALVE STEM. WE ARE IN POSSESSION OF THE DEFECTIVE VALVE STEM. HAD WE BEEN MOVING AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL ACCIDENT. WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THE REMAINING VALVE STEMS MAY ALSO HAVE A DEFECT. *TR

ON 6/2/09, I REMOVED MY OLD WHEEL FROM MY 1998 MERCEDES BENZ C230 PRIOR TO TRADING IT FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE. I POSTED THE CUSTOM WHEELS AND TIRES (YOKOHAMA YK520) THAT I PURCHASED FROM DISCOUNT TIRES. I MET WITH A GENTLEMAN WHO WAS INTERESTED IN PURCHASING THE TIRES, BUT CAREFULLY INSPECTED THEM AND FOUND HAIRLINE CRACKS ON THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE WALL OF ALL 4 TIRES. THIS WAS ENOUGH FOR HIM TO CHANGE HIS MIND AND NOT MAKE THE PURCHASE. I THEN BECAME SUSPICIOUS AND AFRAID THAT MY FAMILY LIFE COULD HAVE BEEN AT RISK AND MANY OTHER FAMILIES OUT ON ROADS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY AND ELSEWHERE. ON 6/3/09, I CONTACTED DISCOUNT TIRES AND BROUGHT THE COMPLETE WHEEL AND TIRES FOR AN INSPECTION AND POSSIBLY REPLACEMENT. DISCOUNT TIRES STATED THAT THE TIRES ARE A SAFETY HAZARD, BUT WOULD ONLY PRORATE THE TIRES AND GIVE ME A PARTIAL CREDIT TOWARD THE PURCHASE OF TIRES. DISCOUNT THEN GAVE A NUMBER TO CONTACT YOKOHOMA TIRES CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFICE DIRECTLY TO DISCUSS THIS SERIOUS MATTER. I LATER CONTACTED YOKOHOMA CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFICE AND DISCUSSED THE MATTER IN DETAIL WHICH THEY LATER REFUSED TO REPLACE MY TIRES OF GIVE FULL CREDIT REFUND. I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT THIS MATTER WILL IMMEDIATELY BE FORWARD TO MY ATTORNEY FOR REVIEW IF THIS MATTER CANNOT BE RESOLVED AT THIS LEVEL. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS PARTICULAR YOKOHOMA TIRE (YK520) 225/40R/18 HAS A MANUFACTURER MATERIAL OR DESIGN DEFECT THAT CAN BE CATASTROPHIC TO MILLIONS OF FAMILIES OUT ON THE ROADS AS I WRITE THIS TODAY. I AM ALSO CONCERNED THAT THE MILLIONS OF TIRE SHOPS SUCH AS DISCOUNT TIRES IN MY CASE FAIL TO COMPLETE A FULL THOROUGH INSPECTION OF TIRES AND WHEELS UPON REPAIR OR SAFETY CHECKS. SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THESE TIRES, I WENT BACK TO DISCOUNT TIRES FOR REGULAR ROTATIONS AND BALANCES AND THEY DIDN'T NOTICE THIS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HAZARD. NOW THIS ISSUE COMES DOWN TO WHO IS AT FAULT, THE TIRE MANUFACTURER OR THE TIRE RETAILER. THE LEGAL COURSE MAY HAVE TO DETERMINE THIS CASE. *TR

BOUGHT BRAND NEW YOKOHAMA TIRES FOR MY SATURN VUE - HAD THEM APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS WHEN ONE OF THEM BLEW OUT FORCING MY VEHICLE INTO A CURB WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THIS DID MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END - THE FRONT DRIVERS TIRE BLEW OUT AND THE REAR TIRE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE HAD A HUGE BUBBLE IN IT. *TR

TIRE VALVE STEM FAILED. VALVE STEM HAD BEEN REPLACED 14 MONTHS AGO. VALVE STEM HAD THREE LARGE CRACKS NEAR THE BASE OF THE STEM. THE RESULTANT LEAK OCCURRED WITH NO WARNING OR PRIOR LOSS OF AIR, AND THE TIRE LOST ALL PRESSURE AFTER 20 MINUTES OF DRIVING AND RESULTED IN PERMANENT DAMAGE TO THE TIRE SIDEWALL WHICH REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE TIRE. *TR

VALVE STEM FAILURE RESULTING IN TIRE FAILURE AND ULTIMATELY, THE NEED TO REPLACE ALL TIRES. *TR

2006 TOYOTA MATRIX. TIRES WEAR OUT EVERY 16,000 MILES. THE PROBLEM IS IN THE REAR AXLE. TOYOTA HAS CONSISTENTLY TOLD ME THERE IS NO PROBLEM. TODAY I AM ON A DISCUSSION BOARD AND FIND IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE MATRIX/VIBE. THE SOLUTION IS AN AFTERMARKET REAR WHEEL SHIM KIT COSTING $50 PLUS LABOR. WHY IS TOYOTA ALLOWED TO CONTINUE DENYING THE PROBLEM EXISTS AND NOT RECALL AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MITSUBISHI GALANT. THE MANUFACTURER OF THE TIRES ARE YOKOHAMA, MODEL NAME RADIAL ALL SEASON TUBELESS, AND THE TIRE SIZE IS P/215/60/R16. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE THE TIRES CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE ABNORMALLY. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE FOR $600.00. THE TECHNICIAN DID NOT STATE WHY THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE. THE TIRES HAVE NOT BEEN REPLACED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 8,000. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN.