On May 2, 2026, I received a letter by mail from Kumho Tires regarding a set of tires that I purchased, in December 2023; DOT # 2222 and 2223, size, 225/60 R16 98T. In their letter they state that tires with DOT #'s ranging from 0421-0523 were recalled. They go on to state the following: tires ranging with DOT #'s 0421-0523 were "non compliant" and "it is possible that an affected tire could fail in a manner that may lead to a loss of control that could increase the risk of a crash without warning". They then concluded by stating I was entitled to a full refund given that I responded to their letter in 180 days, which I did. However, despite various attempts to contact Kumho tires, I have been unsuccessful in obtaining a refund from them or Tire Choice, which is the company I received the tires from, directly.
NHTSA complaint #11758087 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
COMPLETE TIRE SEPARATION FROM STEEL BELTS OF TIRE CONSTRUCTION WHILE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. TIRE HAD HIGH AMOUNT OF TREAD LIFE REMAINING BEFOREHAND AND THIS HAPPENED WITH ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING. VERY DANGEROUS TO OCCUPANTS AND CAUSED PHYSICAL AND AESTHETIC DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE COST OF THE REPAIR WILL BE AT THIS TIME.
NHTSA complaint #11210156 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK LESABRE EQUIPPED WITH COPPER MASTERCRAFT MC440 TIRES, SIZE: 225/60/R16 (NA). UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE EXPERIENCED A BUBBLE ON THE SIDEWALL. THE TIRE WAS SENT BACK TO THE MANUFACTURER WHO INDICATED THAT THE BUBBLE WAS CAUSED BY AN IMPACT. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING ON THE TIRE THAT WOULD CONFIRM THE BUBBLE WAS CAUSED BY AN IMPACT. THE DOT NUMBER AND VIN WERE NOT PROVIDED. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000 AND THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.
NHTSA complaint #10980923 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TWO KUMHO TIRES WERE INSTALLED IN AUGUST 2015 AT 178,000 MILES. IN AUGUST OF 2016 AT 190,000 MILES VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE. RETURNED TO TIRE DEALER AND WAS TOLD ONE OF THE TIRE WAS SEPARATING AND NEEDED REPLACED. TIRES HAVE 12,000 MILES ON THEM. NO REASON TO BELIEVE THE OTHER ONE WILL NOT DO THE SAME THING. MADE IN CHINA.
NHTSA complaint #10903415 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ON AUGUST 30,2015 I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE TREADING ON MY TIRE CAME COMPLETELY OFF WHILE I WAS GOING 70 MILES PER HOUR IN THE MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SOMEHOW I MANAGED TO KEEP CALM AND NOT PANIC AND I MANAGED TO PULL THE CAR OVER TO THE EMERGENCY PULL OFF WITHOUT SPINNING OUT OR CRASHING OR MAKING CONTACT WITH THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC I HAD JUST PURCHASED MY VEHICLE ON 8/28/2015 AND THE VEHICLE INSPECTION WAS DATED FOR 8/28/2015 AS WELL. WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME THAT THE TIRE WAS A BAD TIRE I CONTACTED THE STATE POLICE AND AFTER AN INVESTIGATION THEY TOLD ME THAT MULTIPLE PEOPLE HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR BRAND TIRE AND THEY STATED THAT AN RECALL WOULD NEED TO BE ISSUED. I'M WRITING THIS BECAUSE THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE COST ME MY LIFE IF I HAD NOT REMAINED CLAM OR KEPT CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE I WOULD LIKE THIS ISSUE AND TIRE TO BE INVESTIGATED/RECALLED BECAUSE I AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE WHILE DRIVING I HAVE FLASHBACKS OF THIS INCIDENT AND HAVE PROBLEMS SWITCHING LANES CROSSINGS INTERSECTIONS AND THINGS THAT WAS NORMAL FOR ME PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT THE TREADING FROM THE TIRE WENT UNDER MY CAR WHILE DRIVING SO MY CAR WAS TOTALED OUT DUE TO THIS INCIDENT. AMERICAN GENERAL TIRE SIZE 21570R15 DOT NUMBER A3M344H4399
NHTSA complaint #10786203 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BRIDGESTONE INSIGNIA SE200/P215/70R/15 ORIGINALLY BOUGHT 4 OF THESE AT FIRESTONE HAVE HAD 2 REPLACED AND YESTERDAY 2 MORE AND FIRESTONE SAID THEY DON'T MAKE INSIGNIAS ANYMORE.....?? WONDER WHY BECAUSE THEY ARE DEFECTIVE!!!!!! HAD 7/32 TREAD LEFT ON THEM AND WORST WAS 6/32 AND HAD 30,000 MILES ON THEM AND ROTATED EVERY OTHER OIL CHANGE AS SCHEDULED!WARRANTY MADE ME PAY 165.00 FOR 2 NEW AFFINITY TOURING TIRES......NO DEAL THAT'S FOR SURE!!!!MECHANIC FOUND A BULGE IN TIRE SIDEWALL. NOW HAVE TO GO BACK TOMORROW AS ALL 4 TIRES ARE SHAKING UNCONTROLLABLY EVEN THE NEW ONES!! BELTS WERE SEPARATED TOO ON INSIGNIAS SHAME ON B'STONE FOR ALL THE TREAD LEFT TO HAVE MANUF. SUCH A POOR TIRE!!!!!!! 2005 BUICK LESABRE DOT#WBM3E201711 . 183,000 MILES ON CAR NOW BUT ALL HIGHWAY MILEAGE.
NHTSA complaint #10663193 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2001 BUICK LESABRE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE TIRES . *TGW ACCORDING TO THE INVOICE, THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND ALTERNATOR DRIVE BELT WERE REPLACED. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE SEPARATED AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 04/08/15*JB UPDATED 04/19/16*LJ THE CONSUMER ONLY PROVIDED THE MANUFACTURER OF THE TIRE, TBC CORP. HOWEVER, DID NOT PROVIDE THE TIRE LINE/BRAND OF TIRE. UPDATED 05/04/16.
NHTSA complaint #10638954 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK LESABRE EQUIPPED WITH MICHELIN HARMONY TIRES, TIRE SIZE P225/60R/16. THE CONTACT STATED THE SIDEWALLS ON THE DRIVERS REAR AND FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WERE BREAKING AWAY FROM THE TIRE. DURING A STATE INSPECTION, THE INSPECTOR CONFIRMED THAT THE TIRES WERE SEPARATING. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 108,331. UPDATED 09/07/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE TREAD ON THE TIRE IS 7/32", BUT WHEN IT WAS FIRST PURCHASED, THE TREAD WAS 9/32". UPDATED 09/09/11
NHTSA complaint #10419532 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 BUICK LESABRE. THE VEHICLE HAS FOUR COOPER FUTURA 2000 RADIAL LTE TIRES, SIZE P2-05/70R14 (NA). IN DECEMBER OF 2008, THE VEHICLE DROVE ROUGHLY AS IF AN ALIGNMENT WERE NEEDED. THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE AND, AS A RESULT, TWO BOLTS DETACHED FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT REPLACED THREE OF THE FAILURE TIRES AND NOW HAVE ONE MORE TO REPLACE. HE FEELS THAT THE BUMPS IN THE TIRES ARE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 96,000. UPDATED 06/08/09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED AN ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED, BUT YET THEY CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE A SHAKE/WOBBLE IN THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 06/18/09
NHTSA complaint #10268776 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I HAVE MATRIX MULTI-MILE TIRES ON MY CAR THE NUMBERS ON THE TIRE ARE 95S P205/70R15MTS. MY CAR HAD BEEN SITTING FOR APPROX. 8 HOURS AND THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE EXPLODED MAKING A BIT HOLE IN MY RIGHT FRONT FENDER. THE DAMAGES WERE ALMOST 800.00 AND I FEEL THAT THE OTHER ONES MAY DO THE SAME. THE TIRES WERE ALREADY ON THE CAR WHEN I HAD BOUGHT IT AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF TREAD ON THEM. THERE IS NO EXPLANATION OF THIS OCCURRENCE AND I FEEL THAT THE TIRE COMPANY SHOULD PAY FOR THE DAMAGES TO MY CAR AND ALSO REPLACE MY TIRES.
NHTSA complaint #10243388 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 BUICK LESABRE. THE VEHICLE HAS TBC MULTI-MILE MATRIX TIRES, SIZE P225/60R16. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE HAD EXPLODED, WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE FRONT FENDER. THE TIRE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE BELT MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY DIFFERENCES BEFOREHAND. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 109,880.
NHTSA complaint #10243413 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TRAVELING FROM BUFFALO, N.Y. TO GREENSBORO, GA. ON ROUTE 77, JUST PAST BECKLEY, W. VA., I NOTICED A VIBRATION IN THE CAR AND THOUGHT IT WAS A PATCH OF ROUGH ROAD AND IMMEDIATELY, THERE WAS A LOAD BANG AND AS I LOOKED IN MY REAR VIEW MIRROR, I NOTICED BLACK STRIPS FLYING BEHIND ME. THE CAR BECAME SLUGGISH AND WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED UNTO THE SHOULDER AND STOPPED. I CHECKED THE RIGHT REAR TIRE AND SAW ALL THE THREAD WAS GONE AND ONLY THE BELT REMAINED AND THE TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED. I CALLED FOR A TOW COMPANY AND THE DRIVER SHOWED ME THAT ALL THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS AND THE REAR BUMPER AND TIRE WELL WERE DESTROYED. I WAS TOWED TO A GM DEALER IN BECKLEY AND THEY SPLICED THE WIRES FOR A TEMPORARY FIX AND REPLACED THE TIRES SO I COULD GET HOME. ONCE HOME, I HAD MY GM DEALER ORDER THE PARTS NEEDED TO FIX THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. I ALSO HAS A COLLISION REPAIR SHOP FIX THE DAMAGE TO THE EXTERIOR OF THE CAR.
NHTSA complaint #10242114 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY DOING 75, MY CAR MADE A LOUD POP SOUND AND WHEN I LOOKED IN MY REARVIEW MIRROR, THERE WAS A TRAIL OF SMOKE. ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR SPUN OUT OF CONTROL AND RAN OFF THE HIGHWAY. THE BACK TIRE HAD CAUGHT FIRE AND SPUN ME OUT OF CONTROL THERE WERE 170,000 ON MY 1987 BUICK LESABRE. I ALSO HIT A CAR AND SOME TREES.
NHTSA complaint #10233465 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING ON I-485S APPROX 45 MILES DRIVERS SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THERE WAS TIRES TREAD ONLY RIPPED IN A CIRCLE AROUND WHITEWALL AREA OF A KUMHO TOURING 795 SIZE 205-75R-14 TIRE WAS SERVICED BY DEALER WHO I PURCHASED TIRES WITH A WARRANTY HAVE NOT HAD THE TIRES FOR A YEAR THEY GAVE ME FREE TIRE AND ROTATION FOR 3500 MI OR MORE AS LONG AS A HAD THE SET THEY WERE NEW WHEN I PURCHASED THEM.
NHTSA complaint #10229488 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BUICK LESABRE. THE VEHICLE HAS BRIDGESTONE INSIGNIA SL, SIZE P/205/75/R15 TIRES. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A STRANGE SOUND COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. HE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A LOCAL AUTO SHOP. A PROFESSIONAL TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT THE TREAD FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRE HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. AS A RESULT, THE TREAD FROM THE TIRE BECAME TRAPPED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, WHICH DAMAGED THE ENGINE AND FUEL PUMP SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $1,900. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES OF THE FAILED TIRE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000. UPDATED 05/29/08.
NHTSA complaint #10227713 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY '03 BUICK LESABRE HAD A STABILITY PROBLEM. WHILE IN LAS VEGAS NEVADA, I TOOK IT TO PAT CLARK BUICK AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT TWO OF MY TIRES WERE SEPARATED. THE REMAINING TWO HAD BUBBLES PROTRUDING FROM THE TREAD. THE TIRES HAD 49,993 MILES ON THEM AND THESE TIRES WERE ON THE TIRES WHEN THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW IN '03.
NHTSA complaint #10225179 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY SPOUSE WAS DRIVING HER 1999 BUICK LESABRE EAST ON INTERSTATE I-10 FROM SLIDELL, LA TO GULFPORT, MS WHEN THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE LOST IT'S TREAD. THIS CAUSED HER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHICH VEERED LEFT INTO THE CENTRAL MEDIAN; MADE TWO 360 DEGREE SPINS ON THE GRASS; AND MOVED OFF THE MEDIAN AND BACK ACROSS TWO LANES OF THE HIGHWAY TO STOP ON THE RIGHT SIDE BANK OF THE ROAD. ALTHOUGH THE TIRE WAS PARTIALLY INFLATED, THE ENTIRE TREAD WAS GONE. THE DAMAGE TO THE AUTO INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING; TORN REAR BUMPER, METAL DAMAGE TO INNER WHEEL WELL; WHEEL WELL LINING TORN OUT; WELL ARCH STEEL TRIM PIECE RIPPED OFF; AND PAINT REMOVED FROM REAR FENDER AND READ DOOR PANELS. MY SPOUSE RECEIVED DAMAGE TO SHOULDER AND BACK MUSCLES.
NHTSA complaint #10189701 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE JUST PURCHASED TIRES FOR THE 2002 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT COMPLAINED THAT THE TIRE DEALER, ROMANO TIRES, WHERE SHE PURCHASED THE TIRES DID NOT HAVE THE PROPER FORM FOR HER TO REGISTER THE TIRES, AND STATED THAT THEY WERE EXEMPT.
NHTSA complaint #10186758 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.