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Thomas of Lehigh Acres FL (07/21/08)
I bought a new left over 2005 Dodge Magnum RT on 11/27/06. It came with Michelin 4X4 Diamaris 275/40ZR20 102W. These tires only have 16,000 miles on them now. Tuesday July 8, 2008 about half way to Tampa on I 75 (72 miles) the left rear tire blew out for no reason. I didnt run over anything to cause the tire to fail. Traffic was very heavy, I had the cruise control set at 72mph. Im very lucky that I wasnt hurt or wreck my new car. Ive never owned Michelin Tires in my life and Ive been driving for 50 years and never had anything like this happen before. Im 66 years old and this incident scared the hell out of me. Ive always heard that Michelin Tires were the best so I was very happy when I saw that my new Dodge was equipped with the best tire that money could buy.
To replace this blown out tire I had to pay $391.13. Im to old to jack-up a car and change a tire. So I had to pay a man $25.00 to put his life in Danger to change the left rear tire with traffic on I 75 whizzing by two feet from his back. Im sure the tire was defective. I saved the tire if you want it. This is the second tire in two Months that Ive had to replace. Today while they put the new tire on my car, they checked The original two tires left on the car and found cracks in the side walls of both tires. Now Im afraid to drive the car anywhere because Im not ready to die yet.
I think [they] should send a Michelin Representative to my house to look at the tires. This cant be good for [their] reputation as a tire maker. I could Blog on the Internet about My problems, but I want [them] to have the chance to keep a customer happy. This would include paying for the two tires that blew out and the two original tires that have Cracks in the sidewalls plus the $25.00 that I paid to have the spare tire put on the car. Also might consider paying me for my time and trouble and scaring me half to death. So far they are going to give me 50% off to replace the two tires that didn't blow out.
The two tires that blew out and I replaced at $391.13 a piece, hasn't been settled yet. I have to take the one blown out tire that I saved back to the tire shop and have them look at it and then they have to call Michelin and tell them what they think happened to the tire. I bought the replacement tires at Tire kingdom. So far they have been on my side. I called Michelin and they seem like there are willing to help, but I won't know until next week.
No damage to my car, just to my wallet.
Lillian of Huntsville AL (07/20/08)
We were traveling home for a trip to the Chattanooga Aquarium on July 19th 2008. I was in my 2000 Acura with my daughter and 7 year old granddaughter. I had new tires out on my car at 45,197 miles and felt save since the tires only had 14503 miles on them. I have always been a faith full buyer of Michelin tires. The ride is exceptional and I thought they were safe. The tires I purchased from Sam's in Huntsville are Michelin MXV4 PLUS Radial XSE P205/60 R16 91H MXV4+ I was told this is an excellent tire.
Just as we came off exit 152 to go west on Highway 72 I felt a strong pull, thank God we were not going fast because the front passenger tire blew out. After numerous hours waiting for help from AAA on a dark wooded area of the road the wrecker service came and changed the tire. This was a stressful ordeal for all of us and could have been so much worse if it had happened a few minutes later at a higher speed.
The wrecker driver said the whole sides of the tire just came apart. I checked the date code of all 4 tires due to seeing the special on TV about dealers selling old dated tires. The tire that blew out is wk 25 of 2006 as is one other. The 2 rear tires are wk 45 0f 2006. To my knowledge this is not deemed as old but it could have cost the lives of my family if we had been driving the higher speed limit allowed on this highway. I feel Michelin needs to take a look at their tires and maybe do a recall.
Emotional stress only
Jim of Concord NH (07/17/08)
i have a 2002 volvo s60. this is the first car i have ever owned, as i have always owned trucks. when the time came to replace tires at 52,000 miles i was astonished. my trucks always got atleast 90,000-110,000 miles out of a set of shoes. the dealer recommended the michelin mxv4. i agreed, hey was this michelin man, always thought a reputable tire.
3 months after my purchase a blow out occured on front. i figured maybe i hit something on highway but could see n visible damage. dealer relaced tire at 150.00.
i just had another blow out on the rear. after 41,000 miles. when asked, they told me the mxv4 was discontinued and replaced with another upgraded version. im no tire pro, just a carpenter. but i do work on all my vehicles always have. i ve driven well over a million miles in my life and until owning michelins i ve never experienced a blow out. let alone 2. i cant prove that they a sub standard quality tires, but i know one thing. i will never purchase a michelin again.
Suzanne of Reisterstown MD (07/15/08)
I have been singing the praises of Michelin Hyroedge tires ever since I had them put on my PT Cruiser. That is, until last week when the front passenger side tire shredded apart on the interstate during morning rush hour. This was nerve wracking to say the least, but taking it back to Tire Kingdom, where I purchased it and 3 others 18 months before was befuddling. I was told that no, this is not a warrenty issue, and that it was not caused by any nail or other foreign object, but was caused by a damaged valve stem.
No one seemed to be able to tell me how the valve stem became damaged, since I did not have any mishap that would do such a thing, unless someone sneaked into my quiet rural driveway and banged it with a hammer without making any telltale marks on the hubcap.
I am not a young woman, so changing a tire on the interstate was not much fun. Neither was shelling out the full price for another tire, though Tire Kingdom was good enough to sell it for the same price I paid last year, and waive the installation fee. I cannot afford to replace these lemons, so I must hope and pray that a similar incident does not reoccur, possibly with deadly results. I hope someone starts a class-action suit, or at least forces Michelin to recall these shoddy things.
Joy of Raleigh NC (07/06/08)
I bought one brand new Michelin tire Jan 23, 2007 from Murray's Tires. I paid $115.00 for the one tire. I put less than 500 miles on the tire, being that I work at home and the car is 21 years old and it's not suitable for taking on the road, and stayed parked in my driveway at least 4 days out of the week.
On June 25, 2008 I notice a vibration in the car at low speed. I took the car to a garage and was told that the Michelin tire had separated. I asked if the tire could be repaired, being that the tire was almost new and the traction was not wore. I was told that the tire was defective, and could not be repaired. I took the tire back to where I purchased it. The salesman agreed that the tire was shot but they were unwilling to exchange the tire or give me a refund.
They owned up to no responsibly and was unwilling to honor the Michelin's warranty. They attempted to sell me another tire at full price. I refused to buy another tire from them because I was not satisfy with their how they did business and their lack of decency.
I took my car to another tire dealership and purchased another Michelin tire for $113.00. If I had known that these tires were so problematic I would have avoided them.
Gale of Union NJ (06/25/08)
I lease a Honda Accord 2008, I have only 15,000 miles on the car. today I discovered a bubble on the sidewall near the rim. absolutely no rim damage at all. Honda tells me I must have hit a pothole, (find me a road without one!) the tire dealer tells me Honda puts the narrow tires on their Accords and that is the problem...or the belt inside the tire is off center.... End result I am out $250.00 to replace a tire barely a year old.
$250.00 and 3 hours of work time.
Ryan of Colorado Springs CO (06/15/08)
I purchased a Mazda 6 new and it came from the factory with Michelin Tires. The problem started immediately with a severe rough ride when the tires were cool thus causing steering problems. I rarely drive this vehicle (7,000 miles per year)and was shocked to find sidewall bulges and tire seperation on the right rear tire (mileage under 20,000).
A few weeks later, I noticed the left front tire had the SAME problem. Since day one, all 4 tires wouldn't hold their tire pressure (even with no leaks) which couldn't be figured out by professionals. I returned my car to the dealership where they told me to get my car into a Michelin tire center.
The first tire center told me that the damage had been caused by LOW speed impact and a gash in the tires and would have to buy new tires ($190.00 per tire). This was definitely not caused by an impact or a gash so I took the car to another Michelin center. This time they told me that is was caused by a HIGH speed impact and that there was no gash and would have to buy new tires ($199.42 per tire).
Finding their stories not matching up, I took it to another Michelin center. They told me that it was caused by hitting a curb! The employee did mention that is was strange that the tires had bulges on either side. This was done after a thorough inspection. He then recommeded a different brand of tire which was put on the car. At all 3 tire centers, they refused to honor the warranty on the tires.
I will end up paying almost $1,000 for 4 new tires. The Michelins only lasted 20,000 miles! Besides an entire day lost, I had to break open the piggy bank.
Bryce of Granada Hills CA (06/07/08)
I stopped buying Michelin tires years ago. I was very impressed with the great feel and road wear I got with the Michelin tires that came with my new Honda Accord. Naturally, for that reason, when I needed to replace the tires, I went to my local tire dealership and asked for the exact same Michelin tires that came with the car. Problem was, the same model replacement tires ran rough, and were tread-bare in less than 25,000 miles. My neighborhood mechanic pulled the tires off the car and showed me why.
Even though the model numbers and the outside cosmetic appearance of the tire was exactly the same as the original tire, he showed me that the interior belt construction was very different. He pointed out that I now had Michelin tires with the same model numbers that were manufactured in three different countries - Korea, Canada, USA. After that, I realized that when it comes to buying Michelin tires, it's a crap shoot. I don't know if it's different now, but I'm no longer a Michelin customer.
William of Tempe AZ (05/13/08)
On April 25, 2008 I was traveling North on I-17 in Arizona, just outside Anthem. Unexpectedly, The Michelin Symmetry tire on the passenger rear of my 2000 Grand Voyager exploded causing (estimates are $1800.00 - $3800.00) worth of body damage to my vehicle. The tire had good tread life (only 30k miles) and there were no punctures, no previous repairs and no heat marks as verified by Discount Tire's personel, where I had purchased the tires. Discount Tires ageed that the tire failed prematurely and agreed to file a claim on my behalf with Michelin. Michelin subsequently sent me a letter and asked me to obtain two body shop estimates and to fill out a claim form that they supplied, detailing the event. I sent the info that they had requested via FedEx on Friday, May 9, 2008 (economy three day delivery). I received a denial letter on Monday, May 12, 2008. As evidenced by the dates, my packet never made it into Michelin's hands before they denied my claim. The basis of thier denial was that they said that the tire had evidence that it was run flat or low for a long period of time. I whole heartedly dispute thier findings and question thier integrity. I may not check my tires every week, but I do make it a practice to maintain and visually inspect my tires routinely (as I have children that drive in the van). I feel that Michelin has a canned response to complaints such as mine, because they know that it is difficult and costly to challenge thier findings. I believe that this is evidenced by the fact that I received a denial letter before they received the information that they requested from me to complete thier investigation. I spent the better part of the day getting the two estimates that Michelin requested, not to mention the cost of fuel and the FedEx package that I sent to them. It appears that Michelin's bean counters have formulated a plan of action when dealing with product liability claims, knowing full well that they have the consumer over the barrel most of the time. They bank on the fact that the consumer has no recourse, except to hire expensive experts and/or lawyers to prove that thier product is defective, which will far exceed the cost of the claim, thus resulting in no claim. Unfortuneatly, unless you are severly injured or someone loses their life does it become cost effective for the consumer to undergo the expense of proving that Michelin's tire is defective. Michelin can't possibly perform an unbiased and objective analysis, I suspected that going in, but they confirmed my concerns. How can a little ol consumer like me possibly hold my own against a large corp like Michelin, I can't and they rely on it. My only recourse is TO NEVER BUY ANOTHER MICHELIN TIRE AGAIN! Oh by the way, I have Michelin's on three of my cars and that is three less cars for Michelin The commerical of the baby sitting in the middle of the Michelin tire is BS and misleading!!! I have never had a blowout with another brand of tire!!!!
Jim of Tarzana CA (05/01/08)
I have had three side wall blow outs in the last two months to brand new Michelin Synchronome 1111H tires. Each occurence happened within a few days of buying the tires. In each case I hit the side of a curb without scrapeing it hard but distroyed the tires. I drive a suv and have had the same kind of car for many years without this ever happening before.In fact, I have been driving for over 45 years without this happening.
Cheryl of Cibolo TX (04/21/08)
We have a set of defective MICHELIN CROSS TERRAIN Tires (P245-70R16 106H) on our 2006 Kia Sorento. Not only do they ride awful but have strange and uneven wear on them. They look dangerous. There's no damage to the vehicle YET, but after reading all your reports, I wonder why you guys aren't reporting these bad tires to the NHTSA? They can affect a recall and can force Michelin to solve their manufacturing problems.
I'm reporting our problems to them. Here's their website, National Highway Traffice Safety Administration click on tires: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/index.cfm or report it here: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/index.cfm#tires Good luck! Hope these tires haven't killed anyone yet.
Michael of Fredericksburg VA (04/13/08)
Regarding the Michelin Symmetry tire in size 205/65R15 of which I purchased a complete set of four in Autumn 2007, after approximately 15,000 miles, the driver front tire deflated and prudentially was replaced with the doughnut tire on the 2002 Hyundai Elantra GLS. The Michelin tire then exploded at 23 pounds of pressure in a Wal-mart service center during routine tests. Tread wear was normal and remained well above 50%. Wal-mart was kind enough to replace the tire at no cost despite my lack of documentation at the time, that I had purchased the four tires there. Upon closer inspection, the inside of the tire near the rim, along the entire circumference of the outside of the tire, appeared pock-marked with bubbles.
Four hours of lost time.
William of Arlington Heights IL (03/24/08)
Friday, March 14th, on I-80, about 30 miles East of Des oines, IA, the right rear inner dual Michelin tire on my motorhome exploded. I was able to safely steer to the roadside. Tire pressure was not a factor as I had checked pressures before driving that day. A similar blowout on the left inner dual occured about one year ago. These tires are LT 235-85/R16 XPS Rib load range E, with dot codes in mid 1999, but with very little tread wear.
The tire seriously damaged the outer skin of the motor home, destroyed the outer part of the exhaust pipes, and severed the propane lines in the wheel well. Repair estimates are running into the $1200 region, including tire replacement.
Marcin of Boynton Beach FL (03/23/08)
I had a blow out on my brand new ridge line pickup truck. 4000 miles on the tires and it was faulty. I only hope to get reimbursed for rental and my deductible.
$9000 damage was done to the truck due to loss of control of the vehicle.
Johnson of Pittston PA (01/27/08)
On December 17, 2007 at approx. 17:30 hrs I was traveling North on I-81 approx 1/2 mile S of exit 90. The right front tire blew out on my Ford Explorer. No injuries. As my Ford Explorer has accutrac which helped me to maintain control of my vehicle and safely coast my way to a stop on the burm of the highway. However, tread seperated causing substantial damage to my vehicle. I have photos of tire. DOT # of tire is B37PDH8X2504. Anyone with failures of Michelin tires should contact the US Dept of Transportation and lodge a complaint. As I have contacted them and requested an investigation into these tires and was told they have not received any complaints on Michelin tires. After seeing this website, I find that hard to believe! After all of this, I no longer felt safe driving with Michelin tires and replaced all four with another type.
Tifanie of Loveland CO (11/04/07)
I purchased my 2005 Dodge Ram in Dec 05...Truck had 175 miles on it at time of purchase. I noticed the other day that my front tires are almost completely bald! I only have 22,000 miles on my truck. I would like to have my tires replaced and the back ones looked at as well by a professional.
I have not contacted the dealership about this issue. Since my truck is a purchase and not a lease I don't see them helping in any way...only suggesting that I contact you, the manufacturer of the the tire. I did not realize there were so many problems with the Michelin tire until I logged onto your website. My sister had them on her Explorer and never had a problem...was very happy.
Vincent Pate of Washington Twp. NJ (09/14/07)
I have a Chrysler Pacifica with Michelin Pilot sport tires 235/55/R19 showing excessive premature wear similar to the Michelin Pilot sport tire being recalled 255/35/zr20
This may result in tire failure and accident or at the very least premature tire replacement causing financial hardship.
Steve of Carmel IN (08/29/07)
I have had three SUV's that I installed Michelin Cross Terrain tires on, two of them replacing XWS & LTX/MS tires that i drive for 60,000 miles per set.
The first two CT's were mounted 15 & 16 inch wheels with no incidents, leaks or blowouts.
The third vehicle has 265-75-R17 tires and I had my first blowout with a MIchelin. I have used Michelin tires since 1971 on many makes of cars without a blowout. I am very concerned that just as with the Firestone/Explorer problems, that there may be a problem with specific sizes of the same series of tires. Does anyone agree?
I will visit my dealer tomorrow to have them examine the failed tire and see what they and Michelin will do for me.
NO damage except having to wait for AAA which was on the spot within 15 minutes.
Things happen and such is life!
Mark of Beverly MA (08/20/07)
I do not have a horror story to tell about the new MXV4 Engergy Plus tires yet, however, I feel that these tires are unsafe compared to any michelin tire that I have owned previously. The tires set up a vibration in the passenger cabin that gets stressful, and it feels at times as though the belts are moving around with less than 1,000 miles on these tires. In short, I feel that these tires are dangerous because at times, the bounce and vibration from the tires makes me feel that I am not firmly in control of the car. I am trying to get the tires replaced by the Mercedes dealership where I bought the car. If they refuse to repalce these tires with a more suitable tire, then I will eat the cost of these horrible tires and buy new japanese tires from NTB.
Brian of Crestline CA (07/29/07)
Today My Mother and My Stepfather were driving to Laughlin up the 15. Weather was good, road conditions good. My Mom was driving and made an attempt to pass a slow moving Semi Truck. She checked Her speed at approx. 65m.p.h. When She lost control of Her Land Rover due to a premature blowout on Michelin Tires they just purchased this Year at Costco. The Rover swerved out of control and smashed into the side of the Semi becoming trapped and dragged underneath the Trailer being crushed by the Semi Trucks Duals. It took two hours to get My stepfather extricated out of the rover and due to the loss of blood to His arms Doctors were just able to save the Right arm. My Mother, 75yrs old. Suffered contusions and abrasions to Her Face and arms and as of tonite they are still removing the glass from Her body. She has severe bruising from where the windshield smashed into her Chest. I have been scouring the web and have found NUMEROUS complaints and Product Recalls about Michelin Tires. This very well could have been a double fatality.
Dennis of Glenshaw PA (05/16/07)
I purchased four Michlin Harmony tires for my Honda Accord. The tires promised long tread life and excellent performance on wet roads. The promise of long tread life seems to be accurate, that is if you live long enough to wear out the tires! I have had three high-speed blow-outs with these tires. The latest of the three happened yesterday, and left me on the PA Turnpike changing a tire amidst the roar of tractor trailers only a few feet away. It was not pleasant. In this case the sidewall of the tire blew out leaving a gaping hole. It didn't make a loud noise or send the car into a spin, but it did require great care to get off the road safely.
All three tires blew at fairly high speeds. I have gotten little satisfaction from the dealer. They simply replace the tires at my pro-rated expense. Judging from the comments on this board, I will expect much help from Michelin.
I lost one half day of work and the replacement of the damaged tires has cost me around $200. Fortunately I am an experienced highway driver and have been able to stay calm and avoid any further damage to my vehicle or myself.
Rabiah of Hoffman Estates IL (05/01/07)
Bought top of the line Michelin Pilot Sport tires from tirerack.com. At only 15K-20K there was such bad wear on them that the threads were showing. I contacted Michelin and they just offered me a nominal discount off a new tire. Now at barely 25K of use, there is sidewall damage and wear. These tires are a joke and if you look at tirerack.com, they have such poor reviews and only 3 out of 10 people would buy them again.
Hit a pothole the other day and I believe the poor quality of the tire caused my rim to bend. It was not that bad of a pothole but these tires failed to perform properly.
Raj of Glen Rock NJ (04/03/07)
On November 15, 2006, I purchased 4 205/55HR 16 Michelin Pilot Exalto tires in the amount of $464.44 from Tire Rack. On March 23, 2007, I incurred 2 flat tires and purchased 2 replacement tires from Tire Rack in the amount of $271.08. Per my Road Hazard insurance program through Tire Rack I will be reimbursed in the amount of $199.48. Per conversations held with two different tire service centers, it has come to my understanding that these tires had manufacturing defects and if it werent for these defects the tires would have been able to withstand the damage (as these tires were less than 5 months old). I have been a very valued and loyal customer of Michelin for years and always will be. I am currently an undergraduate student at Harvard University and have very limited income. I kindly request that Michelin Tires reimburse me my out of pocket expenses in the amount of $131.60. If this matter is not resolved with reimbursement of my out of pocket expenses I will have no further option but to seek legal action in small claims court and contact the appropriate authorities regarding the business practices of Michelin.
Herb of Norwalk CT (10/29/06)
Two years ago I bought my Dartmouth college junior a Subaru Outback Wagon. The Dealer installed a new set of Michelin XSE mud and snows to seal the deal. My daughter at first reported that these tires did not work all that well in the snow and also told me that the tires felt greasy when wet. Her previous car,a GM A body wagon with a set of Yokohamas LS4's , served her well in the snows of New Hampshire. More recently, the Subaru Wagon Michelins have developed blisters in the side walls (this with the tires having about 20,000 miles on them)
The other day the front right tire blister just blew open with the inner carcass material showing thru the failure zone. The tire dealer has examined the tire and said it simply failed. There was no evidence of underinflation or road hazard damage. These are supposed to be premium tires and are sold for considerably more than comparable tires made by other tire companies. I've had other negative experiences with the Michelins on my wife's Dodge Caravan and now I'm quite sure I will never buy this brand of tire again. With proper care the first set of Yokohamas on her GM wagon lasted 90,000 miles The Michelins at 20,000 miles are not to be trusted and are now in the tire dealers dumpster - what a waste.
Lucky for us no one was hurt and the car not damaged when the tire let go - it could have been different. As the Michelin XSE's are no longer made ( gee I wonder why? ) I had to buy a complete new set of tires as it is well known that the differentials in the 4 wheel drive Subaru's can be troublesome if a different make/model of tire is fitted to the car. So I basically spent $500.00 and wasted half a day plus the towing charges and bought a set of tires long before I was supposed to - the Michelin warranty being useless in this case.
Patrick of Pasadena CA (08/31/06)
I bought 4 Michelin Pilot tires and had them mounted at discount tire center in Long Beach, CA.,on August 13, 2003. I just noticed a deep crack running across the treads of one of these tires. about a year ago a defect that looked exactly the same appeared on another of these four tires bought at DTC. Initially we thought it unusual but we paid for new tires. This is the second time and we would like Michelin to replace the remaining two from this original 2003 purchase.
Rita of Ritzville WA (07/20/06)
I recently purchased a 2006 Dodge Charger-Daytona Pkg. My vehicle came equipped with the Michelin Pilot Sport, 235/55r/18 tire. With less than 10,000 miles, the sidewall of my tire blew out while my husband was driving 70 miles an hour on a freeway. The vehicle began to shutter and he immediatly lost tire pressure. The tire looks like someone took a knife and cut around it. The inside of the tire shows blistering. Michelin has offered $80.00 towards a new $240.00 tire. After reading recalls for the sister tire (20 inch) and after reading several of the comments on this page, I have decided that I do NOT want Michelin tires on my car. Unfortunately, I am now out $900.00 for tires I shouldn't have to replace for another 35,000 miles. :o(
Joe of Carrollton TX (04/20/06)
Three of the four OEM Pilot Sports Radial X tires on my Porsche have developed cracks in the sidewalls in less than 15,000 miles.
One blow out, fortunately at low speed. Dealer says I ran over something. Of course, I know it went driving in town on smooth pavement at 35 MPH. Gee, I guess something invisible jumped up and made a hole in the sidewall. Second replacement at an aftermarket dealer. Last one just happened. I took it to the tire store manager who called Michelin and would not let them give him the run around. He told them if was definitely a defective tire. They are going to pro-rate this one. It is alarming to think these are high speed rated tires. I wonder how many bad accidents could possibly have been avoided.
Stacy of Louisville KY (04/05/06)
While on a short trip with my family, I had a tire go flat. I went to a Michelin location in Pigeon Forge, TN to have it repaired. The service team told me it would be 20 minutes. 45 minutes later I came back and they had still not pulled my car back. I explained the situation to the man at the desk. He told me too bad and I would just have to wait my turn, it didn't matter what the service man told me. He then proceeded to yell at me in a room full of people, about waiting until it was my turn. I was horrified.
He then went and got my keys and told me I could just go somewhere else. I started to cry (I never cry), I had never been so humilated in my life. I asked for the corporate number, he said he was the owner. He then handed me a business card and scribbled his name on the back with the words owner underlined.
I explained to him that he needed to repair my car, I am on vacation with my kids by myself and need to get the tire repaired, I have already waited this long and it is unfair for him to just tell me to go somewhere else. There are 2 reasons I was treated in this demeaning way, 1 - I am a woman, 2 - the car was a very cheap car (if he had only know it was a rental and that I am a DVP for a large company who has and will discontinue their contract with your company),
In my opinion service is the #1 reason I choose to do business with a company. Based on the fact that Michelin allows someone like this to continue to do business under their name infuriates me. The old saying goes that a dissatisfied customer tells 10 people about there bad experiences. I have already called the BBB of Tennessee and will also be contacting the tourism board. I will never do business with this company again and intend to make sure everyone I know makes the same decision. People like this gentleman should not be allowed to work with the public, much less own a business that deals with them daily.
Marsha of Pittsburgh PA (01/07/06)
I just looked into the recent Michelin recall on heavy sports load tires. I have Pilot P215/50 r17 93V tires on my Mazda. I noticed blistering on one of the tires and the other mysteriously has low air pressure. I have already replaced two of these tires with another brand with limited miles on my car. I would not recommend these tires to anyone.
Jamie of Murphy OR (12/22/05)
I bought a used 1999 Dodge Quad Cab 2 wheel drive pickup truck.I felt very safe when I saw that the truck came with a set of MICHELIN LTX A/S tires. I took my new truck over to a tire shop because I felt a bubble in the sidewall. I was told that when tires are on the rack sometimes it causes an indentation. I am a horse trainer and pull a gooseneck horse trailer.The weight of my trailer is around 5800 lbs empty.
I proceeded to pull my precious horses with these tires for two months all around Oregon. I thought I was safe. On June 25, 2005 on Interstate 5 in southern Oregon I found out differently. "Thank God" I did not have my trailer hitched on that day which is rare for me!
My friend and I were returning from a Quarter Horse show which I had planned to show in but decided to just go and watch instead. Around 4:30 PM pacific time I felt a thumping in one of my tires. I asked my friend if she felt it oto? We agreed that I should pull over as we thought we were having a flat. Right about that moment I felt a horriable vibration then an explosion! Then as I was still driving on I-5 at 65 mph the pickup's rear end jumped up almost putting us into a nosedive and jerked violently to the right into a sideways skid as I held onto her the best I could.
I proceeded to fishtail at least 3 times all across both lanes of the Interstate miracously hitting no other vehicles.After I finally gained control of the truck I coasted towards the shoulder and did not touch my brakes until I was around 20 mph. After I got stopped my friend and I thought the gas tank had exploded so we unbuckled our seat belts to quickly exit the truck! As I grabbed my cell phone to call my husband my friend was walking around the truck to see what had happened.
I heard her say that I needed to see this. I said "I know we have to change a tire". She says "No Jamie your truck is totalled".
The whole left side of my pickup bed was ripped in every direction, there was a huge hole in the fender well,and the tire pieces almost took out my gas tank. After I contacted my insurance agent I found that they could have the truck fixed. I had over $3500.00 in damages.My MICHELIN tire had a tread seperation. No blowout.
My friend and I had whiplash and I got a nice fractured collar bone and rotator cuff injury. I have been told that had I touched the brakes we would have been killed because when the truck took a nosedive it would have rolled violently down the freeway. I don't know why I just rode it out without braking but am very greatful I did.
After I had the truck repaired it never drove right or pulled my trailer right. I contacted Michelin to only be told that since I was not the original owner they couldn't help me. Our local Michelin dealer would replace the damaged tire with a new one and I declined because the remaining tires had tiny cracks and sidewall bubbles.I also was told by the Michelin dealer that my remaining tires had 80% tread and I have nothing to worry about. Basically I'm a silly woman -- go away!
Since I couldn't total my truck,had no real serious injuries to report, and was not the original purchaser of the tires then legally I had nothing. I fought every angle for two more months and all I got was reimbursed for one tire from my insurance after I had to go and fork out $650.00 for a set of four new Toyo tires from our local Les Schwab tire store.
Karen of Lancaster CA (12/11/05)
In August of 2005 we purchased a 2003 Hyundai Elantra for our 17 year old daughter. Needless to say, at 17, she is a new and fairly inexperienced driver. The car had 18,000 miles on it, so did the tires which were original to the car. That should have been no problem.
Yesterday 12-9-05, our daughter was driving a friend home in the late afternoon. They heard a noise and pulled over. Her tire was flat. On closer inspection, it looked as if someone had taken a knife and slit the sidewall 360 degrees about an inch out from the rim. They changed the tire, and my daughter went on with her day. Last night at 1 am she was on her way home from the movies, when another tire blew! There was nothing left of this one.
She drove the last block on the rim. After reading the other reports here, I printed them out and took them with me to the dealership where I bought the car. They agreed to reimburse us for the price of new tires. We bought 4 new tires for her car, and 2 new tires for my car, as I also had Michelin tires on the rear of my car. I will never have Michelin tires on another vehicle I own. How different this story could have ended had she been on the freeway, or going a high rate of speed. I feel extremely lucky to still have my daughter with me after this experience.
Pam of Foster City, CA (11/19/05)
In the last 2 years I have had 3 tires bubble on my Michelins. My car is a 10-year Volvo 850 GLT and I have not had any problems like this until I put these tires on my car. Each tire cost $150.00 and I thought I was getting a quality product, but I guess not.
Does it take someone to get killed before a recall can begin? After reading all of the same kind of complaints on these tires, why is something not being done.
Ernest of Pinson AL (11/22/05):
On November 4, 2005, I had just traveled through a construction area on I-40 in Knoxville, TN, in my 40 foot motorhome when the right-front Michelin 11R22.5 XZE tire blew out. My speed was approximately 65 mph and fortunately I was able to control the vehicle until I got it safely stopped. If the blow out had occured just a moment sooner while I was still in the very narrow, congested, three-and-four abreast construction lanes, I'm sure it would have caused a terrible accident that may have ended someone's life.
After returning back home, I carried the tire to the dealer I originally purchased it from and they measured the remaining tire tread. The tire was in good wear condition and still had 17/32 of the original 22/32 tread still remaining. Yet the Michelin representative refused to authorize any adjustment for replacing the tire. This is the second Michelin tire that has blown out on my motorhome that Michelin has refused to stand behind.
Their excuse is that the blowouts were caused by low air pressure. I vehemently contradict their claim since I am very safety conscious and check my tires before each day's travel. Also it would be extremely difficult to steer and control such a large vehicle for the extended period of time it would take to cause a blowout.
Since Michelin refused to be the least bit cooperative, I reclaimed the tire so that I can display it at motorhome shows and rallies with a warning sign to others that they, too, will be taking a serious risk if they ever drive a motorhome that has Michelin tires. Perhaps I can help save at least one person from being involved in a serious accident caused by what I consider to be apparent defects in the quality of Michelin tires and their inablility to support the weight of today's larger, heavier motorhomes.
I regret that Michelin forces me to take this type of action and of course I will have my attorney word the warning sign so that it does permit any legal reprecussions on their part. Unfortunately, since the government agencies that are supposed to protect the consumers from such a danger as this are not doing their job, then we must all do our best to warn others about our dangerous experiences with Michelin tires in an effort to save as many lives as possible.
James of Phenix City, AL (6/28/05)
I recently purchased a new Ford F150 and within 14,000 miles the right
rear tire blew out at 70 + mph.
After pulling the truck off the road safely and inspecting the tire, I
discovered the entire sidewall on both sides was completely gone.
I took
the tire to three different Ford dealers. The first two said that I had
to contact Michelin. The third recommended replacing two more tires
because they found cracks and rips in the sidewalls.
I proceeded to get irritated and they replaced them all.
4,000 miles
later I leave work one day to find the right rear tire (same side and
place as the original problem tire) has gone flat in the parking lot. I
could find no punctures, rips, valve stem leaks, etc.
I am trying to contact Michelin but have received no reply. I will no
longer purchase any Michelin brand tires.
Damages: This tire blowout ripped into the shock covers on my brand new
truck and no one will replace them. My wife refuses to ride in this truck
until I change the brand of tires.
Peter of Missoula MT (5/6/04):
In 2000 I bought new premium (65,000 miles warranty) all weather radials for both my Toyota 4x4 pick up and Chevy Silverado 2500 4x4. Within 6 months one of the tires on the toyota unexpectedly blew out from sidewall defect (no other punctures or leaks). Since this a 4x4 I need all the same tires and Costco could not replace the orginal tire but prorated me for 4 new tires of another brand.
This year, the same type of failure occurred on the Chevy Silverado. Tire tread is still excellent with 20,000 highway miles. The Silverdo is an extended cab and our family vehicle. Blowout occurred while driving on the highway with my 4 and 1/2 year-old daughters in the vehicle. Although we all survived without injury, I can no longer trust these Michelin tires, especially on a family vehicle. I have never had this problem with other tire brands and I have personally logged over 1,000,000 miles over the past 15 years through my work as a forestry extension professor.
Michelin all weather radials seem to have a defective sidewall that fails at highway speeds.
Lori of Tomahawk WI (4/13/04):
I have a vehicle that came with 225/45/17 Michelin Tires and at 24,700 miles, my sidewall collapsed on a freeway and luckily I didn't end up in an accident. I was instructed by Michelin to contact an authorized inspection center, take the tire there for inspection and call them from the dealer with the inspection results. The inspection center told Michelin that the tires are defective, the sidewall collapsed and that he recommends that, for safety concerns, all 4 tires should be replaced free of charge.
After a week of him calling Michelin to check on the status of the inspection, Michelin finally decided that they would replace the blow out tire at 1/2 of the cost (cost to me about 100.00) and no replacement for accident prevention of the other 3 tires. Their warranty is for defective tires and this was defective, but it still doesn't cover the tire. Why do auto makers continue to use these tires on their vehicles. I will never buy another vehicle with Michelin tires. I will have the dealer switch them out at no expense to me for any future vehicle purchases.
My tire was shredded the entire diameter of the sidewall and the inspector said that it appeared to have no steel belts in that area at all.
Paul of Pine Mountain Club CA (4/11/04):
We are very concerned about a set of Michelin Cross Terrain tires purchased in Bakersfield, Ca., at 4-Day Tires. We purchased them in December 2003. The Cross Terrain size is P255 60 R17 105S M&S, TPC Spec 1168. Yesterday, coming back from Bakersfield, the left right-tire sidewall blew out with gashes from the tread down to the edge of the rim. The tire had about 5000 miles, inflated to 30-lbs per Mercedes Benz. The car is a 2002 MB ML320.
Doing an internet search, my wife finds other problems with the Michelin tires in the sidewall areas. I have road hazard coverage on all 4 tires and will go to Bakersfield to "hopefully" exchange the tire. I was driving about 45 mph when the tire blew sounding like a jet engine above the car. I pulled immediately off the road which was lightly driven, called AAA and we were on our way in about 3/4 of an hour.
We were very lucky that we were not on the freeway and had just left the freeway driving at 70+ speeds. Now, I do not trust the tires. Again reading the inputs to ConsumerAffairs.com, specifically that of Ravi of San Jose CA (10/26/03) who purchased a set of 4 Michelin, one of the 4 tires literally split in two which is what happened to this tire. How do I get confidence back with these tires?
Deborah of San Leandro CA (3/17/04):
In 1996 I purchased four new tires from Costco for my 1992 Toyota Corolla with 45,000 miles on the vehicle. In 1999 with 62,000 miles on the car (17,000 miles on the tires) my left rear tire blew out on the freeway. When I took it to Costco for replacement they deemed the cause to be "belt separation" and gave me pro-rated value toward a new tire. At the time, I was informed that under-inflation may have been a factor. So from that time on I have had my tire pressure checked about monthly.
In 2000, another tire blew, this time the left front tire. Once again it was due to "belt separation" and I was given the pro-rated value toward a new tire. Today (March, 2004) I was once again traveling on the freeway at a high rate of speed when my front right tire blew. As a result of tire rotation, the tire that blew was actually the replacement tire from the 2000 incident. The tire had only about 12,000 miles on it. In this instance there was no evidence of belt separation, but the sidewall was compromised.
Fortunately, in each instance I was able to control the car and get it to the side of the road, thanks in two instances to conscientious drivers around me, and no additional damage occurred.
Michael of Foster City CA (3/9/04):
I have a 2002 Toyota Avalon xls with Michelin XSE 205/60R16 91h tires on it. After 19.7k miles, one of the tire developed a bubble on the sidewall about 2 inches in diamater. I called Michelin and they referred me to Belmont Tire (San Mateo, CA) to examine it. However, the person who handles claim, Fred, told me by the time I get a response from Michelin it would be a couple of weeks and the prorate that Michelin would give me would be much less than if I just purchase a new tire from COSTCO. Fred also said Michelin just referred people to him and he will give the same advice. The point is Michelin is not willing to resolve the problem and hopes the issue will fade away.
Christy of Bakersfield CA (1/27/04):
I purchased a new 2002 Volkswagen Jetta in November 2001. Since that time, I have had two tires "blow out" without a puncture. The first one happened about one year following its purchase, and we didn't think much about it and had it replaced. The second one happened just two weeks ago while traveling on a high-speed Los Angeles freeway. I have the tire, and it completely split apart at the seam. My 18-year-old daugher drives the car, and it is very dangerous.
The cost for both tires is over $400.00, and I am afraid for my daughter's future safety. I believe I need to replace all four tires with a different brand.
Robert of Aquebogue NY (1/14/04):
Tire failure due to unknown cause. I was able to control the car and get to the side of the highway. The tires are original equipment on my Honda Accord with less the 13,000 miles and less than a year old. Michelin dealer could find no reason for failure, therefore blamed unknown cause of air loss. Michelin offered half price for replacement. If offer accepted I would have to sign away my rights to recover damages from Michelin. I refused because I believe they should replace tire under their guarantee.
No collateral damage was done but since I have three more tires from the same "batch", I am concerned that the next time it happens I won't be able to control the car.
Kathi of Crestview FL (1/4/04):
I was driving down a local freeway yesterday in my 2-yr-old Acura RSX-S, only 23,000 on it, when one of the back tires blew. Luckily I'm a good driver, because I was in the fast lane and had to get over to the other side of the road to get out of people's way, in moderately heavy traffic. There is a 2-ft-long hole in the tire near the treads. I've NEVER seen a tire with a hole like that in my life and I've never had a fairly new tire blow out.
I didn't drive over anything and I keep the correct pressure in my tires. Now after reading all the complaints on here, I'm not even going to try to get the warranty 'fix' for these tires, I'm just going to buy new ones and keep the old ones just in case they actually DO something to help us all.
Damage Resulting: The cost of 4 brand new tires, mounting, balancing and traveling to get the tires (I live 30 mil away from the nearest tire store). Not to mention having to change my plans because I couldn't drive to where I wanted to be, on a compact spare tire.
Igor of Brooklyn NY (1/3/04):
I have 2002 Acura 3.2 TL that has Michelin tires. I have 20K miles on my car. I never hit any major potholes during 2 years that I own my car. Today I brought my car for inspection to the dealership, they told me that one of the tires needs to be replaces because it has bulge. When I spoke with dealer he mentioned that damage will not be covered by 80K warranty on tire.
Alan of Whitmore Lake MI (12/6/03):
Purchased a new 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan in June, 2002. In February 2003 a sidewall bubble was noted and that tire swapped with our spare. In July 2003 another sidewall bubbled and we purchased a new tire. November 2003 a third sidewall has bubbled. We contacted Michelin after the second incident and were denied any warranty remedy as "all sidewall failures are due to road hazzards".
Noticed the long list of sidewall failures attributed to Michelin tires on this website and wondered if any legal proceedings have been started. I told Michelin by e-mail today that if they did not agree to reimburse me for the 5 tires I will be replacing soon that I will file a report with the Highway Safety Commission.
By this coming Monday we will have spent approximately $600 to replace tires that should not have experienced sidewall failure. No other tires that our familly has driven over the same roads, driveways and parking lots for the past 23 years has had a single sidewall failure. This one van has had three tires fail in a year and a half.
Kari of Baltimore MD (11/25/03):
I purchased a 2001 Volvo s60 with XSE 205/55 R16 Michelin tires as standard. In 2 years I have had 4 flat tires. (More than I've ever had with any car.) The air has been leaking on 2 of the tires and I had a bubble in the front tire until yesterday when the tire blew completely.
I have not pursued Michelin, but I hope these messages do reach them. I will be informing Volvo of these complaints. We may not be very powerful as individual consumers, but maybe Michelin will respond if they were to lose the business of the various car manufacturers that put their product and the lives of their customers at risk with this faulty product from Michelin!
Patricia of San Antonio TX (11/25/03):
My husband and I had a blowout traveling 70 mph on the highway. No debris ... just a blowout on a set of tires with only 15,000 and top-of-the-line performance premium tires. Michelin says "too bad". We purchased "road hazard" so the company did replace our tire.
When the tire blew, it ripped through our wheel well and damaged the underside and tailpipe of our Cadillac. Even though the Michelin tire simply ripped apart and damaged our vehicle, Michelin's approach to this is simply, "not our problem". This company clearly does not feel any responsibility for the damage that thier product inflicts. I feel ill everytime I see that fat Man on Michelin advertisements and hear that stupid phrase of the importance of "what's riding on their tires" ... what a joke.
Kay of Philadelphia writes (5/7/03):
I was driving on the interstate in Philadelphia at a high rate of speed. I felt the right front tire blow. Having taken professional driving lessons, I was able to avoid an incident during the high speed rush-hour traffic. I changed the tire and looked at what appears to be a total defect in the tire as it blew in an unusual place. I also took a look at the left front tire, and there is a noticable bulge in the exact same place.
I called and e-mailed the customer service center, but as I did not have a receipt, they would do nothing. They denied that there was a potential defect in either or both tires. I own a small company, and I have advised my other staff that we will take the Michelin's off of all their cars immediately.
Ravi of San Jose CA (10/26/03):
I purchased from Sears a set of 4 michelin weatherwise steel belted radials with a 65K mile warranty on 2/13/01. Two years and 20 K mile later one of the 4 tires literally split in two (one gash of 3" and one of 7") on the sidewalls. Sears auto center's manager Kenny Nguyen flatly refused to cover the tire under warranty despite my having taken all the necessary precautions (frequent rotations, air upto 32 psi).
The store tech took a screw driver pushed it through near one of the gashes and proclaimed that a puncture caused the tire to split in two! I tried speaking to the Sears district manager Jeff Marsh, got a polite response and an agreement to escalate to Michelin's local rep. However I suspect the local rep will have the same diagnosis (puncture caused michelins to split in two!).
I believe this was a manufacturing defect which jeopardises the safety of drivers like me and might be grounds for a class action lawsuit if other customers report similar cases. The Sears store manager forwarded me to his district manager and to Michelin's rep Tim Saunders who claimed he has no jurisdiction and forwarded me to Michelin's Consumer relations center who opened a file with my complaint but referred me back to Sears to get a 2nd opinion from another sears auto center.
The 65K mile warranty from Michelin is a joke if it is left to individual dealers like Sears auto centers to summarily deny customers warranty service under false pretexts of "puncture must have caused creation of 7" gashes in tire" My car with two infants and my wife spun off the road.
Claudia of Highland NY (8/18/03):
I had new Honda Accord for about one month. Exited highway, stopped at light and another driver said my tire was low then looked again and said it was flat. There was a sidewall blowout. Honda dealer said nothing about there being a problem with the tires but I see this is a common problem and will contact Michelin. Damage resulting: $243 to replace tire.
Maxwell of Walters OK (5/9/03):
I am a 100% combat service disabled veteran of Korean War, age 72. I bought a new 2001 Hyundai XG-300 sedan in Feb 2001 and before it was a year old I had 8 flats and 2 blow-outs on the high-grade Michelin tires. (I replaced blowouts with differant brands). Due to my disabilities this is a life-threatening item especially at night out in the boondocks or on a dark highway.
My local tire dealer said they quit doing business with Michelin 2 years ago due to their sorry service and almost non-existent warranty. This dealer said the tires probably were made with a cheap grade of rubber. I wrote to Michelin, e-mailed them many times for warranty for my safety, these tires listed for $150.00 each. But they would do nothing so I bought a set of premium Firestone touring tires and have gone almost a year with no flats over the same roads I traveled prior. When I advised Michelin that I had bought a new set of Firestones the idiot that works claims for Michelin said to take the old Michelins by Sears for an adjustment after I had already told him the tires were disposed of by Firestone. Stupid people with poor warranty. The Michelin fat man in their advertising might get killed riding on a set of Michelin tires.
Mary of Galena IL (7/21/03):
Michelin tires were original oquipment on our Chrysler Cirrus (2000). It now has 29,000 miles on it. The sidewalls on all 4 tires have small slits in the rubber and they are of concern to me I have not seen this happen on tires. There is still plenty of tred with only 29,000 miles. This does not say much for Michelin tires!
Is this a safe situation or do all 4 tires need to be replaced? My last car, a Ford went 75,000 without a flat or anything. I just replaced the tires because winter was approaching that year.
Ross of Fitchburg MA (6/26/03):
In the last 4 months. I have had to replace 2 front tires due to sidewall bubbles. Michelin MXV4 plus Radial xse 195 65R 15 91H tubeless M+S. First a front left tire then a front right tire today. The tires are in excellent condition 20,000 miles. John of City Tire in Leominster, Mass told me that the problem is our New England pot holes. I've owned cars with tires for 40 years and have never had a sidewall bubbling problem. Is my life in danger from such a problem? Each tire cost me $145.00 to replace. Am I looking at a recall?
Nancy of Buellton CA (6/2/03):
I was traveling at 80 miles per hour (speed limit was 75 mph) 20 miles east of Indio, California when my right front tire exploded. The tires are only 3 months old. I didn't hit any road debris.
No economic damage, I purchased the tires from Costco in Santa Maria, CA. We were headed to Arizona and stopped at the Costco in Phoenix. They replaced the tire for free. I would say the incident scared the hell out of me and now I don't trust the remaining Michelin tires on my Ford F-150.
Larry of Covington WA (5/12/03):
I just bought a new Lexus in Feb. 2003, a GX470. On May 10th 2003 with less than 5000 miles on the Michelan P265/65 R17 inch tires the right front tire blew out on the freeway -- the side wall just blew away. I was going 70 miles an hour. Luckily I was going straight and was able to bring the car under control. I now wonder how good the other tires are! Are there no good tire manufactures?
Jerry of Little Rock AR writes (4/4/03):
My 2001 Dodge Ram came equiped with Michelin LTX A/S P245/75R16 tires. The vehicle has 22000 miles and the tire tread separated. The tire was sent to the Michelin dealer and after 6 weeks they tell me I can have a $35 credit towards a new tire, theirs of course. Several attempts to talk to the local Dist. have failed, they keep puting me off. With all the blow-outs I'm really afraid of these tires.
Tom of Denver (10/14/02):
Low speed (luckily) Michelin (l. front) blow out, 95 Dodge G, Caravan w/sport pckg. I have retained possession of the tire and am eager to share it with plaintiffs attorneys in other cases.
Aside from the incovenience, no consequences other than sacred cow status for a company I had formerly trusted. We owe Michelin a big pain in the butt because to ignore this problem with their tires would be a disservice to their former greatness. We badly need a reliable tire company. Thank god I don't have a "case" but i sure do have a blown out Michelin (and two more of the four showside wall deterioration unacceptable in a three year old premium tire. After reading the similar accounts on your site, I will not be letting Michelin have the tire back, but I am willing to share it as evidence with plaintiffs' attorneys.
Elizabeth of San Antonio TX (8/23/02):
While traveling on 8/2/02, we suffered a blowout on our right front tire. The tire virtually disintegrated with the rubber pieces hitting the windshield and right side window with such force that the rear view mirrow was completely ruined and hanging off the car by a wire. The tire started smoking and we were afraid that the car would catch on fire. There is only two side walls left of the tire.
$1500 worth of damage to the car. New front tires (as we were afraid to trust the ones on the car now), and nightmares ar to what could have happened had my husband not been able to control the car. This is the sort of blowout that should/would have flipped the car had my husband not been such a good driver.
Randy of Valrico, FL (12/21/01):
A month ago I had a blowout on my new RV (W/3000 miles on it). When the tire blew out, it caught the inside framework of my RV and caused about $500.00 damage. I've talked to customer service about this and they agree to replace the tire if I was to take this offer and forget this happened. Now if I challenge this and ask to see if this a factory defect and Michelin deems it might have been punctured on the side wall, the offer is rescinded.
This is unfair. Why should they have the take it or leave it attitude? I feel that any decision I make, I'll end up with the short end of the stick.
Michael of Indianapolis writes (6/21/01):
I have had three (3) tires all go bad all at the same time within 1 1/2 years of purchase. One of the tires blew up while driving. Michelin P195/55 R15 XGT.
Sarah of Farmingdale, NY, writes (6/18/01):
On 4/10/01, I had a new Michelin tire (215 60/16 R rated) placed on the front passenger side of my Acura 3.5 RL by Hillside Acura in Bayshore, NY. The tire was fully warrantied by Michelin. On 4/17/01 while traveling on the service road of a major highway, the tire blew out and forced me to lose control of the the vehicle and hit a sidewalk. I thank God I did not lose my life.
As you are aware, a front tire blow-out may cause a serious accident. With the tire being less than 1 week old and having less than 100 miles, I took the car to an authorized Michelin representative, WTC in Oakdale, NY for replacement. However, instead of getting 100% credit toward a new Michelin tire, WTC informed me that Michelin insisted I pay $43.29 for the new tire.
I spoke with Lynn from the Michelin Customer Service Division who was very unpleasant and stated, "If you are not satisfied with the 75% discount, we will retract our offer since it is unlikely you will remain a Michelin customer." Her response simply made matters worse. I then wrote the President of Michelin tires, Jim Micali, who has ignored my letters. NOTE: I have received the certified receipt indicating his office has obtained the letter. However, I have not received any response.
Glenn of Littleton MA (5/24/01):
I bought a pair of Michelin Symmetry tires 2 weeks ago and while driving on the highway I noticed a thumping sound coming from the front end. I found one of the tires poorly inflated and tryed to inflate it only to find air escaping. I decided to change the tire. Upon removing the tire I found a huge bulge in the inside of the tire with the rim bead grossly mishapen. I decided to return to NTB.
Upon showing the personel at NTB the tire I was told it was caused by road hazard and my only option was to buy a new tire. Two week old tire. I submitted and bought a new tire as I was not given any other option. Warranty of the defective tire was never discussed.
Cheol of Buena Park CA writes (5/22/01):
Michelin tire exploded on 4/27/2001 on the 91 freeway on my way to work. It caused some damage to my car, fortunately nobody got hurt. With help of the Freeway patrol service, I could go to work. Then I went to the Michelin Local dealer and claimed. I got a mail described some instructions after a week. Following the instruction, I sent claim report and repair estimates and I shipped the tire.
Time passed and I heard nothing from them. So I called them, then I could hear that my claim was denied. I wonder they examine the tire or not. The word they said was warranty something. As far as I concerned, tire should not be exploded. Everybody who saw the exploded tire said this case should be sued. I'm angry of the Michelin's attitude. I really wonder what they get from examination of the tire I shipped. I'm 100% sure the tire had some problem. Before explosion, tire looks very good condition. Nobody doubt about the replacement of the tire. The point is that the tire should not be exploded. It could take people's life to death and cause big accident.
Wendy of Hawaii writes (5/9/01):
On 12 October 2000 while driving my father's 1995 Ford Taurus, the passenger side front tire blew out at approximately 40-45 miles an hour. I was driving on the highway and felt the vehicle pulling strongly to the left. I corrected the vehicle. As I was entering the H-1 from the Airport viaduct, I decided to exit as soon as possible. Before that was possible, I heard what sounded like a bubble in a tire, sort of a "blup, blup" sound. I knew that I needed to get to an exit, but before that was possible, the tire blew violently causing me to lose control momentarily. I then immediately pulled to the side of the highway and contacted my father. He in turn called AAA and met me at the car.
The damage that was caused to the car was fairly extensive, amounting to a repair cost of between $1450.00 and $1650.00. Deductable for the vehicle is $1500.00, therefore the insurance company will not cover the damages. I immediately took the vehicle in and had all tires replaced as the condition of the blown tire indicated to me that they might all be unsafe.
I took the tire back to the company where it was purchased, Discount Tire. The owner and General Manager, Clarence H. Costa examined the tire and indicated that there had obviously been a defect in the tire and had me complete paperwork for him to send it to Michelin here in Hawaii. He expected that they would cover the damages and provide reimbursement for the tires that were defective. He then contacted me to indicate that the Michelin Office in Waipahu had closed and I would have to contact them in the mainland. When I contacted them, they told me that I would have to send the tire to Greenville along with a claim form that they would send to me.
When I received the claim form, I filled it out and sent the tire and claim form to them separately. These items were sent on 30 Jan 2001. On 6 February 2001 a letter was sent by Janet Stevens indicating that I had impacted something on the roadway which caused the blowout. Immediately following receipt of this letter, we recieved back in the mail, the claim form which had never been recieved by Michelin prior to making a decision on the cause of the blowout and subsequent damage. I contacted Michelin and asked how they could make a determination without even having the information of what had occurred, and they brushed me off.
We did send the claim form to them again on 13 February and have heard nothing since that time. We have taken the tire to a few other places and they have told us that they have never seen a tire in that condition and they did not see any signs of the tire having impacting an object.
Michelin is a highly regarded company whose tires served me well for twenty years. It is difficult for me to understand why they will not accept reponsibility for this incident and the damage to the vehicle.
Robert of Staten Island NY writes (3/27/01):
I purchased a 2001 Audi TT from DCH Audi on January 31st, 2001. On March 18th, my tire blew out as I was driving. This was not caused by a pothole. The very next day, I called Jeff Sawick, the Manager of DCH Audi to see what I would have to do and also to make an appointment to have my tire replaced. He proceeded to tell me that Audi does not warranty the tires and that the tires were not in stock. He told me to call the 1-800 telephone number of Michelin to locate a tire. I called this number and I put my claim in.
The spokesperson told me that these tires are discontinued and that there is very limited stock across the USA, but that they were able to obtain one from their emergency stock. She then gave me a phone number of a Michelin dealership in my area, Guys Tires. She told me to call this store and give them my reference number to speed the delivery of this tire, which I then proceeded to do. The worker at Guys Tires told me that the tire would not take longer than 3-4 days to come by UPS since they have located the tire in Indiana. It is now Monday and I still do not have this tire.
I called Michelin back and they told me to deal with my Audi dealership instead of Guys Tires because now Guys Tires does not show up as a Michelin dealer and that they do not understand why I didn't just go to my Audi dealer in the first place. They gave me the number to that store! Michelin does not know whether or not I will be reimbursed for this tire when I finally do get it until they have aa authorized tire dealer inspect it. This tire does not even have 1000 miles on it. I could understand if I hit a pothole or ran over a nail or glass, but this is not the case.
Juan of Navasoto TX writes (2/21/00)
I own a 1997 Plymouth Grand Voyager. For about 8 mos. there has been a vibration in the steering wheel which tire rotation seems to help somewhat. For the last two mos. it hasn't helped so I took it to the Dealership and was told my right front tire had a slipped belt and the tire needed to be replaced.
I went to a tire company and was told they saw no problem with the tire. I went back to the dealership and was told they rechecked it and that was what was needed. I went back to the tire company and they said they checked with another Dodge dealership and was told they had a lot of the same complaints but with 16" Michelin tires. Mine are 15". That dealership stated he had several complaints himself with the 15" at his dealership. He has been in contact with Chrysler and Michelin and neither are owning up to what may be causing this vibration. His suggestion was to get all four tires replaced and soon before it messes up my front end. The tires are 3 yrs old and have 34,000 miles on them. I really don't feel I should go to the expense of four new tires if the ones I have are defective.
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