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Toyota Prius - Tires

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Janet of Sarasota FL (11/24/04):
After less than two years and 16,000 miles my front tires are falling apart on my 2002 Toyota Prius and back tires practically threadbare. Neither the car dealer nor the Bridgestone dealer is willing to give any compensation for tire replacement. I have photos of the tires and had my husband not looked at them recently I could have had a major accident on I-75 from a blowout. The manufacturer and Toyota both knew about this problem and they now use different tires on the 2004 Prius.

Toyota Prius • General Complaints • Acceleration • Availability • Battery • Fuel Gauge • Headlight • Insurance Costs • Service Delays • Tires • Transmission • Traction --- • Happy Hybrid Owners --- Test Drive • Three Lead Feet Meet Little Fuel Sipper --- News • Toyota to Roll Out Plug-In Electric Car in 2011 • Toyota Announces Recall to Fix Runaway Acceleration • Toyota Ready to Expand Safety Recall Beyond Floor Mats • U.S. Prius Sales Drop 45 Percent • Prius Tops Consumer Reports Best New-Car Value List • Toyota Parks Plans For New Prius Plant • Prius Vandalism On the Rise in California • Toyota Plans Prius Plant in Mississippi • Solar Panels to Power Prius Air Conditioning • Unexpected Problems Confront Prius Owners • NHTSA to Hear 'Silent Killer' Complaints • Reports of Prius Price Gouging Rise with Gas Prices • Prius, Porsche Models Top Most-Satisfied Lists • Should You Buy a Second-Hand Prius? • Winter Weather Warning for Prius Drivers • Prius Again Tops Owner Satisfaction Survey • Prius Helps Toyota Knock Off Ford for #2 Spot • Toyota Recalls Floor Mats, NHTSA Warns Prius Owners • Feds Probe Prius Runaway Acceleration • Prius Owners Report More Unintended Acceleration Incidents • Runaway Acceleration Plagues Prians • Toyota Delays Third-Generation Prius • Sales Top 1 Million but Some Owners Find Prius Doesn't Age Well • Prius Owners Losing Ground in Traction Battle • Prius Traction Control Complaints on the Rise • Prius Stalls in Snow; Owners Steamed • Prius Shuts Down in the Snow, Reader Complains • Prius Supplies Increase as Sales Slow • Prius Discounts Popping Up in Showrooms • EPA Finds Prius #1 in Gas Mileage • Prius Owners Question Mileage Claims • Prius Tops Consumer Satisfaction Survey • Hybrids Don't Always Deliver the Expected Fuel Economy

It is costing me over $400 to replace the tires and have car aligned so the savings in the gasoline was moot. They should have had a recall on them before someone is maimed or killed.

Howard of Inver Grove Heights MN (11/12/04):
I have a 2002 Toyota Prius. It came with Bridgestone 175/65-14 Protenza tires. At about 24,000 miles the right front blew out at highway speed. I was able to pull to the side of the road without incident and change the tire. Upon examination I discovered that the sidewall at its junction with the tread had separated with about a 4" tear. The tire was evenly worn. I purchased a repacement tire from Bridgestone but they would give only a $10 discount on a new tire.

Several weeks later I noticed that a tire appeared to be underinflated. Upon examination I discovered that this tire had the same defect as the one stated above but the tear was only abount 1 inch. I replaced this tire also. The Prius went in for scheduled maintenance about a week later and they found yet another tire with the same defect. (I cannot totally fault the manufacture here as this tire did show a wear pattern indicative of underinflation) I have replaced all tires with another brand. I will neither buy new tires nor purchase a new vehicle with Bridgestone/Firestone tires on it.

Andrea of Plano TX (7/8/03):
My complaints are numerous (2001 Toyota Prius):
1. Front end alignment -- cause unknown. Several alignments, still doesn't track well.
2. Gas tank problems -- went from 45.0mg to 29.5 mpg - took several trips to get the problem "solved" -- not sure that it is totally solved. Consumption screen is screwy and so is the gas gauge. Also told car loses gas mileage as they get older -- car was only a year or so old and a Prius doesn't use gas when stopped.
3. Rack and pinion steering -- several trips to service before they agreed there's a problem and fixed it.
4. 3rd set of tires -- 18,000, 36,000 and about 45,000 miles
5. Accelerator assembly quit in rush hour traffic -- fixed, took two trips. There's still a noticeable drop in power, almost daily.

Most problems "fixed" but I don't trust this car nor do I trust Toyota of Richardson Tex to fix my car. The second trip for the accelerator I was told there was nothing wrong with the car, but the "sticky" place disappeared after second trip. They didn't want to admit they were wrong.

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