YOKOHAMA AVID TIRES Complaints

HERE WE GO AGAIN. FRONT BRAKE PROBLEMS AT 18,000 MILES ON A 2008 GRAND CARAVAN. THEN THE RECALL, NOW THE REAR BRAKES AT 35K. AFTER DISCUSSION WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER HE STATED THE REAR BRAKES COULD WEAR OUT AT 8K MILES(R U KIDDING ME) SOME SERVICE MANAGER. BACK BRAKES SHOULD LAST AT LEAST 40-50K WHEN NOT TOWING. THE REAR BRAKE CALIBERS AND PADS HAVE THE SAME DEFECTS AS THE FRONT. I CHANGED THE REAR PADS AND 1 GLIDE WAS MISSING AND THAT PAD WAS WORN ALOT MORE THAN THE OTHER 3. THANKS DODGE, GREAT VEHICLE. ALSO WHO WAS THE GENIUS THAT CAME UP WITH THE 225 65 16 TIRE SIZE, NICE JOB. *TR

THE TIRES THAT CAME WITH MY 08 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY ARE FAILING AND HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED WITH ONLY 27,000 MILES ON THEM. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY 3 WEEK OLD 2011 TOYOYA PRIUS WITH 1700 MILES ON THE ODOMETER ON THE FREEWAY DRIVING MY DAUGHTER BACK TO SCHOOL MY REAR PASSENGER SIDE YOKOHAMA AVID TIRE EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT. AFTER SUCCESSFULLY MANEUVERING THE CAR OFF OF THE FREEWAY AND TO A SAFE LOCATION I INSTALLED THE SPARE DONUT AND THEN INSPECTED THE TIRE. THE INSIDE SIDEWALL BURST OPEN AND NO ROAD HAZARD WAS PRESENT. I FILED A CLAIM WITH YOKOHAMA TIRES AND THEY HAD ME HAVE THE TIRE INSPECTED BY DISCOUNT TIRE IN SCOTTSDALE, AZ. THEIR INSPECTION SUGGESTED A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT SINCE THEY COULD NOT LOCATE ANY PUNCTURES OR OTHER TYPE OF ROAD HAZARD. AT THE TIME OF THE BLOWOUT I WAS 75 MILES FROM FLAGSTAFF, AZ, MY FINAL DESTINATION ON A SUNDAY LATE AFTERNOON AND COULD NOT LOCATE AN OPEN TIRE DEALER OR TOYOTA DEALER THAT WAS OPEN SO I CONTINUED ON THE DONUT AT 50 MPH TO FLAGSTAFF AND LOCATED AN OPEN SEARS THAT HAD THE RIGHT SIZE REPLACEMENT TIRE BY ANOTHER MANUFACTURER. I HAD SEARS INSPECT THE BLOWN OUT TIRE AND THE REST OF THE TIRES AND THEY CONCLUDED THAT THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE BASED ON THEIR OBSERVATIONS. I REQUESTED THAT YOKOHAMA PROFESSIONALLY INSPECT THE TIRE LOCAL TO ME SO THAT I CAN CARRY IT IN AS OPPOSED TO SHIPPING IT TO THEM. PLEASE LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS AND IF THERE IS ANYTHING ELSE THAT I SHOULD DO TO DOCUMENT THIS ISSUE. **PLEASE NOT THAT THIS OCCURRED ON A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS*** THERE WAS NO PRIUS MODEL LISTED UNDER 2011 TOYOTA MODELS....PLEASE CORRECT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN (NA) EQUIPPED WITH YOKAHAMA, AVID TOURING TIRES, SIZE 215/65/R15. WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE TIRE SUDDENLY BLEW OUT. AFTER STOPPING AND INSPECTING THE TIRE, HE NOTICED THAT IT WAS THE SIDEWALL THAT HAD BLOWN. THE TIRE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 25,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

BOUGHT 4 YOKOHAMA TIRES HAD 3 BLOW OUTS. HAD 31950 WHEN TIRES WERE PUT ON. DROVE 1500 MILES HAD FIRST BLOWOUT. REPLACED TIRE PAY OUT POCKET. HAD 2ND BLOW OUT IN DEC 2010 CAR HAD 51000 HAS 3RD BLOW OUT JAN 24 2011 CALLED YOKOHAMA TOLD THEM THEY SAID MY TIRES WERE ON RECALL SO WOULDN'T REPLACED. *TR

THE TIRE VALVE STEM MADE OF A SINGLE PIECE OF ALUMINUM CORRODES AT THE BASE OF THE THREADS AT THE END OF THE PLASTIC CAP. THIS LEADS TO THE SUDDEN RELEASE OF AIR AND CAN HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING ORWHEN HANDLING THE TIRE VALVE, E.G. WHEN ADDING AIR TO THE TIRE. THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED TO ME TWICE, ONCE WHILE I WAS DRIVING, AND ONCE SOON AFTER ADDING AIR TO THE TIRE. THE TIRE WAS DAMAGED IN THE FIRST INCIDENT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE SECOND TIME I FOUND THE VALVE PIECE HANGING INSIDE THE CAP A WEEK AFTER I HAD ADDED AIR TO THE TIRES. UPON CONTINUED INSPECTION OF THESE VALVE STEMS I HAVE FOUND ANOTHER ONE THAT IS CRACKED. I AM AN ENGINEER AND UP TILL RECENTLY WAS IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY. THE DESIGN OF THE VALVE AND MATERIAL SELECTION OR MANUFACTURING IS FLAWED. THIS VEHICLE IS USED BY MY WIFE TO CARRY MY KIDS AND THEIR FRIENDS. I WILL NOT REPLACE THIS FLAWED DESIGN WITH ANOTHER EQUALLY FLAWED REPLACEMENT AND HAVE GONE TO USING NON-TPMS VALVES THAT UTILIZE A FLEXIBLE RUBBER STEM AND THREADED BRASS END. I AM WILLING TO GO BACK TO A TPMS VALVE IF THE DESIGN IS CORRECTED. THE BEST THING WOULD BE TO HAVE CHRYSLER RECALL AND REPAIR THE VEHICLE BUT IT SEEMS THEY ARE EITHER WAITING FOR A SOLUTION TO FALL FORM THE SKY OR FOR NHTSA TO FORCE THIS ON THEM. I HAVE AN OLD PART THAT IS AVAILABLE. *TR

WARNING FOR TIRE SIGNAL CAME ON DASH INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH TIRE PRESSURE (AGAIN). I WENT TO A LOCAL TIRE DEALER FOR AIR AND PRESSURE CHECK ONLY TO BE ADVISED THAT ALL 4 OF MY YOKOHAMA TIRES HAT ONE INCH PLUS OF DRY ROT. THESE TIRES ARE ABOUT ONE YEAR OLD, HAVE APPROX. 35,000 MILES ON THEM AND MY VEHICLE HAS AN OUTSTANDING SERVICE RECORD. COPIES OF RECEIPTS SHOW THAT EVERY 40,000 MILES I PURCHASED NEW TIRES. ALL WORK AND ALL PART PURCHASES HAVE BEEN DONE 100% AT HONDA DEALER-JACK MATIA IN ELYRIA, OHIO. THE ONLY SERVICE PERFORMED OUT OF THE DEALER IS TWICE A YEAR DETAIL SERVICE DONE AT A REPUTABLE DETAIL SHOP IN WESTLAKE, OHIO. UPON MY CONTACTING THE DEALER AND VISITING THEM, THEY COULD NOT EXPLAIN HOW THIS COULD BE MISSED AND NEVER WITNESSED "DRY ROT". THE RETURN/CREDIT PROCESS WITH THE DEALER AND TIRE RACK (HONDA'S DISTRIBUTOR) WAS AN INSULT ON TOP OF HAVING TO PURCHASE BRAND NEW TIRES AND MY CHOICE, A DIFFERENT BRAND. I EXPRESSED MY DISAPPOINTMENT AND ANGER TO THE GENERAL MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS INSULTED. RESEARCH ON MY END INDICATES THAT THERE IS IN FACT DOCUMENTATION ABOUT THE TIRES AND DRY ROT AND THE I BELIEVE THE DEALER IS JUST AS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE TIRES SINCE THEY SOLD THEM AND INSTALLED THEM FOR ME AND SHOULD HAVE SEEN WHAT IS ONE INCH AND HALF ON ALL OF THE TIRES. PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE. NO HARM CAME TO ME OR ANYONE ELSE. HOWEVER, I FEEL I AM DUE COMPENSATION/REFUND FOR THIS PURCHASE AND THIS MATTER SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED TO INSURE THAT NO HARM COMES TO ANYONE ELSE THAT MIGHT HAVE YOKOHAMA TIRES. *TR

LOW TIRE PRESSURE COMES ON CONSTANTLY, FIRST THEY FOUND A WIRE ON THE RIGHT BACK TIER, I HAD A NEW TIER PUT ON, THEN SENSOR CAME BACK ON THEY FOUND THAT THE SENSOR WAS LEAKING FROM THE NEW TIRE HAD THAT FIX, WENT BACK 4 DAYS LATER THEY FOUND THE SENSOR LEAKING AGAIN. HAD THAT REPAIR. I HAVE PICTURES ON MY CELL PHONE WHEN SENSOR LIGHT TURNS ON. DATES 10-15-10, 10-18-10, 10-23-10,10-27-10, 10-28-10, 10-29-10, 11-05-10. I BOUGHT THE CAR IN OCTOBER 2009 PROBLEM STARTED IN APRIL 2010. THE MANAGER AT THE SHOP SAID THE SENSOR WILL PROBABLY NEED AIR AGAIN, HE DID NOT GIVE ME MUCH HOPE! *TR

WE PURCHASED A 2010 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN IN JULY OF THIS YEAR. IT HAS BEEN A DRY SUMMER HERE IN NORTHEASTERN PA AND WE HAVE NOT DRIVEN MUCH UNDER WET CONDITIONS. APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS AGO MY WIFE AND I WERE GOING OUT TO DINNER AND THE ROADS WERE WET FROM A SMALL AMOUNT OF RAIN. EVERYTIME WE STARTED FROM A STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC LIGHT THE TIRES WOULD SPIN BEFORE THEY WOULD GAIN TRACTION ON THE PAVEMENT. I WAS SHOCKED THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING, AND MY WIFE STATED IT HAPPENED TO HER ALL THE TIME. THIS IS NOT A FAULT OF OURS AS THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED PREVIOUSLY WITH ANY TIRES WE HAVE HAD ON ANY OF OUR PAST VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE ADDITIONAL HORSE POWER AS THE ENGINE IS THE SAME AS THE ENGINE IN THE CARAVAN THAT WE TRADED FOR THIS CARAVAN. WHEN WE CONTACTED CHRYSLER CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM THEIR RESPONSE WAS IT IS NOT OUR PROBLEM, IT IS THE TIRE MANUFACTURER'S PROBLEM. BUT CHRYSLER IS THE ONE WHO SELECTED THIS BRAND OF TIRES TO BE PLACED ON THIS NEW VEHICLE. ALSO, WHEN LOOKING UP INFORMATION ON YOKOHAMA TIRES ON THE INTERNET, I CAME ACROSS A WEB SITE THAT CONTAINED 8 PAGES OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT YOKOHAMA TIRES. I CONTACTED THE SELLING DEALER WOTOR WORLD OF WILKES BARRE, PA. AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR US WITH THE TIRE DEALER WHEN HE WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP. IT HAS BEEN MORE THAN TWO WEEKS AND STILL NO WORD OF AN APPOINTMENT. AND THE TIRE DEALER IS LESS THAN 5 MILES FROM THE AUTO DEALER. THE TIRES ARE YOKOHAMA MODEL AVID S33 THE VEHICLE VIN IS [XXX] AND MY CHRYSLER COMPLAINT # IS 19735130. WHILE WORKING ON THIS COMPLAINT THE SELLING DEALER FINALLY RETURNED OUR CALL THAT WE PLACED TODAY AND NOW THEY ARE TRYING TO ABSOLVE THEMSELVES FOR ANY RESPONSIBILITY TO BE OF ASSISTANCE IN HANDLING THIS PROBLEM. AT THIS POINT WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. WE ARE SENIOR CITIZENS AND ARE AFRAID TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE UNDER WET ROAD CONDITIONS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

ON JUNE 18, 2010 I HAD AN ACCIDENT THAT I BELIEVE WAS CAUSED BY A TIRE FAILURE. NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED IN THIS ACCIDENT AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY. ON JUNE 18, 2010 AT APPROXIMATELY 6:00PM I WAS DRIVING ON THE PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE. MY VEHICLE WAS HEADED WEST SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE DONEGAL EXIT AND THE NEW STANTON EXIT OF THE TURNPIKE. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE WHAT I CONSIDER IDEAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. I WAS IN THE RIGHT LANE OF THE TWO LANE ROADWAY AND AS I WAS APPROACHING A MODERATE CURVE IN THE ROADWAY MY VEHICLE PULLED SEVERELY TO THE LEFT, I ATTEMPTED TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE BY USING THE STEERING WHEEL AND MODERATE PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES. NO AMOUNT OF CONTROL I TRIED TO EXERT WAS OF ANY VALUE AND WITHIN SECONDS MY VEHICLE HAD STRUCK THE JERSEY BARRIER ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND SPUN INTO A POSITION AGAINST THE RIGHT JERSEY BARRIER FACING TRAFFIC. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD HERE THAT I HAD OWNED AND DRIVEN THIS VEHICLE FOR OVER 10 YEARS AND APPROACHING 75,000 MILES, I WAS COMPLETELY ACCUSTOMED TO MAINTAINING CONTROL OF THIS VEHICLE EVEN WHILE DRIVING UNDER THE WORST OF CONDITIONS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT MY VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH FOUR P215/60R15 93T YOKAHAMA AVID TOUR S S319 BW SERIAL NO. M6ORPLHR1410 TIRES. THESE TIRES WERE PURCHASED AND MOUNTED ON JUNE 15, 2010 AND HAD APPROXIMATELY 150 MILES ON THEM. THE IMMEDIATE AND SEVERE LOSS OF THE CONTROL I EXPERIENCED IS THE BASIS FOR MY OPINION THAT ONE OF THESE TIRES FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY TO CAUSE THIS ACCIDENT. MY AUTO INSURANCE COMPANY HAS RESEARCHED THE MATTER AND FOUND THAT THERE WERE NO MANUFACTURER RECALLS, INVESTIGATIONS, OR TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS RELATING TO THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED. I URGED THEM TO MAKE A PHYSICAL INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE IF THE TIRES OR ANY OTHER DEFECT OF THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE CAUSED THE LOSS OF CONTROL, BUT THEY WERE UNWILLING TO DO SO. UPDATED IVOQ 09/22/10 *TR UPDATED 10/2811