YOKOHAMA TIRES Complaints

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

I BOUGHT FOUR YOKOHAMA TIRES LT285/75R16/D GEO HTS FROM AMERICAS TIRE STORE IN RIVERSIDE,CA ,,, IN 2006 IT WAS RIM & TIRE PACKAGE. NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES WITH THE TIRES UNTIL THEY PAST 30,000 MILES ( THERE 60,000 MILE TIRES) 8/21/2010 LEFT MY HOUSE TO GO PICK UP MY DAUGHTER IN ORANGE COUNTY ABOUT HALF MILE FROM GETTING ON FREEWAY I FELT A THUMPING IN THE DRIVER SIDE STEERING TIRE, WHEN I NOTICED A SEPARATION OF THE TREAD FROM CORD IN THE FORM OF A BUBBLE.(LUCKY I DID NOT GET ON THE FREEWAY) . DROVE TO AMERICAS TIRE STORE DIRECTLY FROM THERE,, WERE THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED, AND REPLACED THE TIRE VERY NICE CUSTOMER SERVICE.. 9/1/2010 WAS GOING TO LAX TO PICK UP MY OTHER DAUGHTER I WAS ON THE 91 FREEWAY GOING THE SPEED LIMIT WHEN DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE LOST ALL TREAD LOOSING NO AIR PRESSURE THROWING THE TRUCK TO THE SHOULDER OF THE FRWY. LUCKY I HAD CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL MANAGED TO GET OFF THE FRWY IN ONE PIECE BUT THE DAMAGE TO THE BED OF THE TRUCK IS OVER $3,000. NOW YOKOHAMA SAYS THAT SOME HOW THIS IS MY FAULT,, I FAIL TO UNDERSTAND AS A CONSUMER HOW THIS IS MY FAULT WHEN I RELY ON PROFESSIONALS THAT WORK IN THIS FIELD TO LOOK OUT FOR ME AND OTHERS THAT JUST WANT SAFE TIRES TO RUN ON. I HAVE THE OTHER TWO TIRES THAT ARE SHOWING THE SAME CRACKING THAT THE OTHER TWO TIRES THAT FAILED SHOWED AND WILL SOME HOW GET THEM TESTED TO DETERMINE WHETHER THIS IS DEFECT OR NOT. *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

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE FELT A VIBRATION, DROVE THE VEHICLE ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT TIRES WERE FLAT. HE PURCHASED FOUR TIRES TO REPLACE THE ORIGINAL TIRES AND TWO OF THE TIRES HAVE FAILED. THE TIRES ARE YOKOHAMA GEOLANDER H/T SIZE P265/75R16. HE CHANGED THE TIRES TO HIS SPARE AND DROVE HIS VEHICLE HOME. THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE CALLED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000. UPDATED 12/10/10. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED ALL OF THE VALVE STEMS WERE CRACKED. THE VALVE STEMS AND TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VALVE STEMS WERE THE PROBLEM, NOT THE TIRES. UPDATED 12/17/10*JB

I DRIVE THE DODGE JOURNEY FOR 13 MONTHS FROM NEW. THE CAR HAS NOW 32,500 MILES ON IT. I HAD TO REPLACE BRAKES - PADS AND ROTORS THREE TIMES. RECENTLY I FOUND OUT THAT THE REAR TIRES ARE ALSO WORN - THE LOWER PART OF THE INSIDE WALL ON BOTH TIRES IS WORN NOT EVENLY? THE LOCAL DEALER, SUPPORTED BY DODGE OFFICIALS, CLAIMS THIS IS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR FOR THIS CAR, SHIRKING THE MANUFACTURER'S RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

REAR BRAKES WEAR OUT UNUSUALLY FAST, IN THE FIRST 18,000 MILES. SOUND FORD WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE EITHER. THIS IS THE 2ND TIME I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY REAR BRAKES AND ROTORS THAT WERE COMPLETELY RUINED IN 38,000 MILES OF USUAL DRIVING. I HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED UNUSUAL TIRE WEAR. THE INSIDES OF THE TIRES GO BALD WITH IN THE FIRST 35,000 MILES EVEN WITH ROUTINE SERVICING AND ROTATIONS. *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