TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A KUMHO MOHAVE TIRE R/S 195/65/R15. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND THE STEEL BELT SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT DURING THE INCIDENT THE FRONT QUARTER PANEL AND FRONT BUMPER WAS DAMAGED ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE DOT INFORMATION WAS NOT LISTED ON THE TIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT.
NHTSA complaint #10596731 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L200 EQUIPPED WITH BRIGDGESTONE/FIRESTONE MATRIX TIRES, TIRE SIZE 195/65/R15. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE SIDE WALL ON THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER TIRES EXHIBITED PLY SEPARATION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED THREE MONTHS PRIOR TO THE DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TIRE CENTER WHERE BOTH FRONT TIRES WERE REPLACED WITH NEW TIRES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECTIVE TIRES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10407666 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
IN OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2005 WE PURCHASED REPLACEMENT TIRES FROM PEP BOYS. WE WERE TOLD THE TIRES PURCHASED WERE PROPER AND HAD A 65,000 MILE WARRANTY. FIRST OF JUNE 2006 MY DAUGHTER HAD A FLAT TIRE. SHE WENT TO PEP BOYS. THEY ADVISED HER TWO FRONT TIRES WERE BALD AT 20,000 MILES NOT DUE TO HER OR THE CAR BUT THE TIRES SOLD WERE WRONG AND SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN PUT ON THE CAR SHE HAS. PEP BOYS REFUSED TO REPLACE AT NO COST BECAUSE THEY SAY THEY ARE NOW USED? USED, YES BUT WRONGLY SOLD. WE WERE REPRESENTED AT THE SALE TO BE PROPER NO MENTION THEY WOULD NEVER HOLD UP. BEFORE THIS FLAT TIRE IN APRIL MY DAUGHTER WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT. IT WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. WE GOT THE CAR BACK MIDDLE OF MAY 2006. ONLY A FEW WEEKS BEFORE THE FLAT. IT NEVER OCCURRED TO US THAT SHE HAD WRONG TIRES, I TALKED WITH MY LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER WHO I USED FOR YEARS. HE ADVISED ME THAT THESE TIRES ARE RATED (V) WHICH BY THE STANDARDS IS NOT ALLOWED TO BE PUT ON THIS TYPE OF CAR BECAUSE THEY WILL FAIL AND NEVER HOLD UP THERE HAVE BEEN MANY LAWSUITS FROM ACCIDENTS OVER THIS SAME PROBLEM. MY PROBLEM IS THAT PEP BOYS KNOWING SOLD TIRES THAT WOULD NOT HOLD UP ON MY SATURN, APPARENTLY THERE IS A TIRE STANDARD THAT EVEN DICTATES THIS BUT IT WAS NOT FOLLOWED. I UNDERSTAND NO ONE WARRANTIES V RATED TIRES NOT SURE HOW TRUE. THIS PRACTICE PUTS END USERS AT LIFE SAFETY RISK AS WELL AS OTHERS DRIVING ON THE ROAD. PEP BOYS ATTITUDE IS YOU USED THEM ONLY IN THE CONTENT THEY RECOMMENDED AND PRESENTED THEM AT THE POINT OF SALE AS BEING PROPER FOR MY DAUGHTER??S CAR. NOT THAT THEY WOULD WEAR OUT AT 20,000 MILES AND PUT HERE AND OTHERS AT A LIFE SAFETY RISK. IT APPEARS THEY WANT TO THEN PRORATE TIRES AND CHARGE THE DIFFERENCE TO THE END USER WHO WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS.
NHTSA complaint #10161352 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH SOMETHING WAS NOTICED THROUGH THE REAR VIEW MIRROR COMING OFF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS PULLED OVER AND UPON INSPECTION THE RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD SEPARATED. THE SPARE TIRE WAS PUT ON THE VEHICLE THEN IT WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC NOTICED THE LEFT REAR TIRE WAS ALSO SEPARATING AND THE LEFT REAR TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 05/04/06
NHTSA complaint #10152200 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER TIRES MAKE NOISE AT 33898 MILES. *TS UPDATED 11/7/2005 - THE ORIGINAL TIRES WERE REPLACED AT 15968 MILES. THE CONSUMER HAD THE TIRE ROTATED REGULARLY. AT 30545 MILE THE DEALER CLAIMED THAT THE TIRES HAD BEGUN CUPPING DUE TO LACK OF ROTATION. THE CONSUMER DIDN'T NOTICE ANY CUPPING. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THAT THE MANUFACTURER REIMBURSE HIM FOR THE COST OF THE NEW TIRES SO HE COULD PURCHASED ANOTHER BRAND. THE MANUFACTURER DENIED THE CONSUMER REQUESTED AND INSTALL THE SAME BRAND TIRES AS THE ORIGINAL. *NM UPDATED 11/02/05.
NHTSA complaint #10142134 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DT: THE CONTACT PURCHASED A USED VEHICLE TWO YEARS AGO, AND THE SECOND DAY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE THERE WAS A ROARING NOISE FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER SAID THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT TIRES ,AND THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH TIRES. ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER THE NOISE RETURNED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES FOR NUMEROUS REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK TO THE RIGHT WHICH CAUSED THE CONTACT TO HIT A CURB. THERE WERE NO INJURIES BUT A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE REPAIRS TO THE WHEEL BEARINGS AND JOINTS WHICH HAVE NOT CORRECTED THIS PROBLEM. ALSO THE MOTOR MOUNTS AND AXLES HAVE BEEN REPLACED IN HOPES OF CORRECTING THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALER HAS NEVER BEEN ABLE TO ACCURATELY REPAIR THE VEHICLE. CURRENTLY THERE IS A NEED FOR NEW ROTORS AND MORE TIRES. THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO HAVE A ROARING SOUND LIKE A LOCOMOTIVE AS NOTED BY THE CONTACT. *AK UPDATE 1/11/2006 -
NHTSA complaint #10140308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY SATURN LW300 HAS APPROXIMATELY 42,000 MILES. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED DUE TO CUPPING ON 11/20/03 OR 21,875 MILES. A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS PUT OUT FOR THE SHIM KIT. ON 12/31/04 OR 37,199 I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND QUESTIONED THE WEAR AND TEAR OF MY SECOND SET OF TIRES. I HAD ONLY HAD THIS SET OF TIRES ON FOR 15,000 MILES. THEY OFFERED TO REPLACE THE TIRES AT DEALER PRICE. I REFUSED THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE FACT THAT THE TIRES ON MY "TIRE EATING VEHICLE" ONLY SEEM TO LAST FOR A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. I AM NOW NEEDING TO REPLACE THE TIRES AGAIN AND THIS WILL BE THE THIRD SET IN 42,000 MILES. THAT'S ONLY AN AVERAGE OF 14,000 MILES. MY TIRES ARE NOW DOWN TO THE "UNSAFE" AREA OF THE TIRES AND I MUST REPLACE THEM FOR THE THIRD TIME. AFTER CONTACTING THE SATURN CORPORATION THEY SAID THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED NEW ALIGNMENT SPECIFICATION AND WOULD ONLY PAY FOR ONE SET OF TIRES. IF THE SHIM KIT WAS INSTALLED PROPERLY I WOULD NOT HAVE TO BE REPLACING THE TIRES FOR THE THIRD TIME.
NHTSA complaint #10138053 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EIGHT MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT A 2001 SATURN L300 I STARTED HAVING TIRE PROBLEMS. IT STARTED OUT WITH THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE RUBBING WHEN I TURNED THE WHEEL WHILE BACKING UP. I ONLY HAD 6400 MILES ON THE TIRES. LOUD NOISES WERE COMING FROM THE TIRES AT 12964 MILEAGE. MY SATURN SERVICE DEPT. RESET THE FEA TO NEW SPECS AND INSTALLED A CAMBER CASTER KIT AND 4 NEW TIRES. THIS WAS THE 2ND SET OF TIRES FOR MY 2001 SATURN L300. AT 17224 MILEAGE THE RUBBING ON THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS BACK. THIS TIME THE SERVICE DEPT. RE-SECURED THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL HOUSE. THEN ON NOV 24, 2003 (25277 MILEAGE) THE LOUD NOISE WAS BACK. AT THIS TIME THE TECH FOUND THE TIRES STARTING TO SLIGHTLY CUP. HE RE-INSPECTED AND FOUND ALL 4 TIRES OUT OF SPECS AND IT WAS NECESSARY TO REALIGN ALL. I TOOK THE CAR (27115 MILEAGE) BACK IN ON JAN 16, 2004 AND THE TIRES WERE MAKING LOUD NOISES. THIS TIME THE TECH CONFIRMED THAT THE TIRES WERE CUPPING AND OUT OF ROUND. THEY REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES AND RESET TO NEW FACTORY SPECS. ALSO, DID A WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THIS WAS THE 3ND SET OF TIRES. ON DEC 20, 2004 I HAD A RATTLE ON THE RIGHT FRONT. AT THIS TIME THEY REPLACED THE RIGHT FRONT LINK BAR(38871 MILEAGE). MARCH 29, 2005 THE CAR WAS BACK IN THE SERVICE DEPT. WITH LOUD TIRE NOISE(42667 MILEAGE). THE TIRES HAD HIGH AND LOW SPOTS. I WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE TIRES AGAIN. I TOOK THE CAR BACK IN FOR NEW TIRES ON JUNE 22, 2005. AT THIS TIME AFTER CALLING SATURN CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THE DEALER MANAGER, I AGREED TO BUY 2 TIRES AND SATURN BUY 2 TIRES. SATURN PAID TO REALIGN THE TIRES. AT THIS TIME I WAS TOLD BY A TECH THAT SATURN HAD A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM WITH THE 2001 L300 SERIES. IT HAD TO DO WITH THE TIRES CUPPING AND MAKING LOUD NOISES. HE SAID THAT AS LONG AS THE CAR DROVE AND TURNED WITH NO PROBLEMS THAT SATURN DID NOT CONSIDER THE CUPPING, LOUD NOISES AND REPLACING TIRES EARLY A PROBLEM. HE SAID IF I COULD TAKE THE CAR TO A NASCAR GARAGE, IT COULD BE FIXED AND SATURN COULD FIND OUT HOW TO FIX THE L300 SERIES.
NHTSA complaint #10132544 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DT: CONTACT WAS IN A MOTOR HOME AND IT WAS TOWING SATURN VEHICLE. THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT, CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT QUARTER PANEL, FENDER, WHEEL WELL, AND PUSHED OUT THE BUMPER. ALSO CAUSED TIE ROD DAMAGE. IN ADDITION,THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE HUB AND HUB CAP. WOULD NEED A NEW WHEEL ALIGNMENT. CALLED AAA, AND THEY PUT ON A SPARE TIRE. DROVE TO A WALMART IN FLORIDA WHERE THE TIRE WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED, AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT DID NOT WHY THIS HAPPENED. THEY REPLACED THE TIRE, TOOK PICTURES, AND SENT TIRE OFF TO GOODYEAR. WALMART REPLACED TIRE BUT GOODYEAR REFUSED TO PAY FOR OTHER DAMAGES. GOODYEAR CONTACTED CONSUMER, AND SAID LACK OF AIR IN THE TIRE WAS THE CAUSE OF TIRE BLOWOUT. THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR DAMAGES. GOODYEAR, DOUGLAS TOURING, SIZE P195/65R15 . *AK
NHTSA complaint #10132080 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE SIDEWALL SEPARATED. CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND CHANGED THE TIRE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
NHTSA complaint #10090295 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S FUEL PUMP. *MR THE FUEL PUMP WAS BAD. THE MECHANIC STATED WHEN HE PULLED THE GAS TANK AND STARTED TO REMOVE THE FUEL PUMP PART OF THE FUEL PUMP FELL APART WHICH WAS NOT NORMAL. THE TWO REAR TIRES WERE REPLACED. *SC
NHTSA complaint #10089426 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND MY STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE. I JUST THOUGHT THAT I MAY NEED AN ALIGNMENT AND DID NOT THINK MUCH ELSE ABOUT IT. ABOUT 10 TO 20 MINUTES LATER MY TIRE BLEW OUT. THERE IS A LARGE GASH ALMOST ON THE SIDE OF THE TIRE AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE RUBBER SEPARATED FROM THE METAL ALMOST ALL OVER THE TIRE.
NHTSA complaint #10074732 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEALER FOR A REGULAR MAINTENANCE CHECK UP. THE DEALER INDICATED THE NEED TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES AND INSTALL A REAR ALIGNMENT KIT. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THE UNEVEN TIRE WEAR WAS CAUSED BY THE FACTORY ALIGNMENT. *PH
NHTSA complaint #10048071 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER STATES THAT FRONT DOOR SEAL FELL OFF RESULTING IN GAS FUMES COMING INSIDE VEHICLE. ALSO THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND VIBRATIONS STARTS AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO FIX. *AK
NHTSA complaint #10026785 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I PURCHASED A 2001 SATURN L-300 IN SEPT OF 2001, I AM NOW ON MY 3 SET OF TIRES FOR THIS VEHICLE AND IT ONLY HAS 39000 MILES ON IT. THE MANUFACTURER HAS REPLACED THESE TIRES UNDER WARRANTY. THIS LAST TIME I MENTIONED THE TIRES GIVING ALOT OF ROAD NOISE, THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT SINCE THE PREVIOUS REPLACEMENT OF TIRES ON MY VEHICLE SATURN HAS COME OUT WITH A "SHIM" KIT FOR THE REAR END . WHEN MENTIONING THIS TO A FRIEND WHO WORKS IN AUTO MANUFACTURING SHE STATED THAT THIS WOULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE . TO MY KNOWLEDGE SATURN IS NOT RECALLING THESE VEHICLES NOR IS THEIR CURRENTLY A "CAMPAIGN" ON THIS ISSUE . THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE OF MICHIGAN IS WORKING ON THIS CASE WITH ME UNDER THE LEMON LAW OF MICHIGAN BUT I CAN NOT LET THE SILENCE CONTINUE IF THIS IS ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE. THE TIRES ARE FIRESTONE AFFINITY. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10023731 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I PURCHASED A 2001 SATURN L300. AT 9000 MILES I NOTICED A SLIGHT VIBRATION IN THE RIDE. I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR THE DEALER TO INSPECT IT. THE DEALER SAID THE TIRES WERE CHOPPY AND HAD UNEVEN WERE. THEY ALSO STATED IT WAS A KNOW DEFECT. THEY REPLACED TWO TIRES UNDER WARRANTY. WELL I NOW HAVE 30000 MILES ON THE CAR AND I AM GOING TO REQUEST MY 5TH, YES FIFTH, SET OF TIRES TO BE REPLACED. ONLY THIS TIME AM I GOING TO REQUEST ANY TIRE AS LONG AS IT IS NOT THE FIRESTONE AFFINITY HP P205 65 R15. THIS IS MY FIRST GM CAR AND I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED. IF GM KNOWS THE TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE, WHY DO THEY CONTINUE TO REPLACE THEM WITH THE SAME DEFECTIVE TIRE?
NHTSA complaint #10013622 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.