2000 Toyota Camry

A ROAD HAZARD DESTROYED A FRONT TIRE AT APPROX 20, 000 MILES. I REPLACED IT AND HAD NEW SPARE PLACED ON OTHER FRONT WHEEL. REAR TIRES NEEDED REPLACING AT 47,000 MILES AND I REQUESTED COSTCO TIRE CENTER, SUNNYVALE, CA, TO PLACE NEW TIRES ON FRONT AND ROTATE PRESENT FRONTS TO REAR WHEELS. CLERK REFUSED STATING THAT COSTCO POLICY IS TO REFUSE TO INSTALL NEW TIRES AND MOUNT ON FRONT WHEELS ONLY. REASON WAS BASED ON A STUDY FROM MICHELIN TIRE COMPANY. I REQUESTED AND WAS SHOWN COSTCO EMPLOYEE MANUAL WITH THAT DIRECTION. STUDY WAS NOT AVAILABLE. COSTCO EMPLOYEE DIRECTIONS ARE THAT IF CUSTOMER INSISTS ON NEWER TIRES ON FRONT WHEELS, THE EMPLOYEE IS NOT TO SELL THE TIRES TO THE CUSTOMER. I WAS REPLACING MICHELIN TIRES WITH MICHELIN TIRES. COSTCO SELL OTHER BRANDS, BUT THIS WAS APPARENTLY A RULE FOR ALL. I CONTACTED MICHELIN ON THEIR WEBSITE REQUESTING AVAILABILITY OF READING THE SUBJECT STUDY. NO RESPONSE IN 8 DAYS. I HAVE ALWAYS HEARD AND FOLLOWED THE RULE THAT BEST TIRES BELONG ON FRONT WHEELS FOR SAFETY REASONS. I HAVE USED MICHELIN TIRES FOR YEARS BUT HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS CONDITION OF SALE. HAS MICHELIN PLACED ME AND FAMILY IN AN UNSAFE POSITION WITH THIS UNAVAILABLE STUDY? WOULD APPRECIATE NHTSA ASSISTENCE IN RESOLVING THIS MATTER. *AK

RE: DUNLOP SP SPORT 4000 TIRES, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON 2000 TOYOTA CAMRY PURCHASED NOV 1999. HE FINAL DIGITS OF THE DOT NUMBER ON ALL THE TIRES IS: 369. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THESE DIGITS ARE SUPPOSED TO INDICATE THE DATE OF MANUFACTURE. BUT SURELY THAT DATE CANNOT BE THE 3RD WEEK OF 1969! SO MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THE TIRES DO NOT ACCURATELY INDICATE THE DATE OF MANUFACTURE.*AK

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE 57 SOUTH FWY ABOUT 7P.M. WHEN HER FRONT RIGHT TIRE EXPLODED INTO SERVAL PIECES... THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL TIRE AND EQUIPMENT. WE UNDERSTAND A FLAT COULD HAVE OCCURRED FROM EVERYDAY WEAR AND TEAR; HOWEVER, THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SERIOUS OR FATAL ACCIDENT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE EVIDENCE OF THIS, WE WILL PROVIDE PHOTOS OF WHAT IS LEFT. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND OR RECALLED.*AK

MY FRONT TIRES WORE OUT COMPLETELY, DOWN TO THE BARE METAL, AT 11,000 MILES. THIS WAS DETERMINED BY THE DEALER DURING AN OIL CHANGE. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE AND I ASKED THAT THE MANUFACTURER BE CONTACTED SO THAT I COULD GET AN EXPLANATION. SUBSEQUENT COMMUNICATION WITH A DEALER REPRESENTATIVE INDICATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT DID NOT RESPOND. THE SERVICE MANAGER INDICATED THAT THEY HAVE HAD SIMILAR ISSUES WITH OTHER CUSTOMERS AND HE BELIEVES THAT THE TIRES WEAR OUT QUICKLY BECAUSE THEY ARE MADE TO "PROVIDE A SMOOTH RIDE". AS A CONSUMER I AM APPALLED THAT TIRES COSTING OVER $100 EACH WORE OUT SO QUICKLY AND I BELIEVE THAT THERE MAY BE AN ISSUE RELATED TO THIS PARTICULAR BATCH. I AM ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT I HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED A RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER (TOYOTA). TS

THE BRIDGESTONE TIRES THAT WERE ON THE VEHICLE WHEN PURCHASED, HAD DEVELOPED AN AIR BUBBLE ON THE SIDEWALL. OTHER TIRES HAVE WORN OUT A LOT OF THE TREAD, CAUSING THE LACK OF CAPACITY OF THE TIRE AND MILEAGE. *AK RE 92 P205/65R15 92H-TWO REAR TIRES HAD A DEPTH READING OF 3-5/32ND EVEN BOTH TIRES (WEAR). THE TIRES HAVE BEEN CHECKED EVERY 3000 MILES AT THE TIME OF OIL CHANGE. THE TIRES WERE ROTATED AND BALANCED ON MAY 13,2002. *SCC

WHILE DRIVING, RAIN STARTED TO FALL AND BECAME VERY INTENSE, CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES TO SLIGHTLY SLOW DOWN TO LET A TRUCK PASS, HOWEVER CONSUMER LOST CONTROL, CONSUMER HIT A TOTAL OF THREE VEHICLES AND HIT A CONCRETE MEDIAN BARRIER, CONSUMER HAD PURCHASED NEW FRONT GOODYEAR EAGLE HP, H SPEED RATED, ALL SEASON RADIAL TIRES ONE MONTH PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, TIRES WERE MARKED INCORRECTLY CAUSING INCORRECT INSTALLATION, THE TREAD FACING DIRECTION WAS OPPOSITE TO THE TIRE ROTATION, WHICH IS WHAT CAUSED CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL, ALSO IN ACCIDENT AIR BAGS DID NOT EXPERIENCE DEPLOYMENT, TIRE SIZE P205/65H15, NOT DOT NUMBER GIVE, CONSUMER WAS INJURED IN ACCIDENT. *SLC