2002 Volkswagen Jetta Tires & Wheels Problems

THIS COMPLAINT IS IN REFERENCE TO A FLAW AND MISREPRESENTATION OF GOODYEAR EAGLE LS 195/65 TIRES INSTALLED ON A 2002 VW JETTA 1.8T. HE TIRES WEAR EXCESSIVELY, AND CAUSED ME TO LOSE TRACTION IN THE RAIN AND CRASH. THE CRASH CAUSED $7,800 IN DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER MISREPRESENTS THE TIRES AS HAVING EXCELLENT WET TRACTION, AND VERY DURABLE TREAD WEAR. THESE TIRES SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED, AS I HAVE ALSO HERD OF OTHER COMPLAINTS AND WILL ATTEMPT TO CONTACT GOODYEAR DIRECTLY. *NM

WHILE DRIVING THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLOWOUT. *NM THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE FAILED. THE LEFT FRONT TIRE CONTAINED NUMEROUS LATERAL CRACKS ON THE INNER SIDEWALL. THE REMAINED THREE TIRES CONTAINED SIMILAR CRACKS. THE CRACKS MEASURED 3-5 INCHES. *SC

TWICE IN THE PAST FOUR MONTHS I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THE CAR AND UNFORTUNATELY HIT A POTHOLE. NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY, A SIMPLE POTHOLE ON THE ROAD. IN BOTH INSTANCES THE FRONT PASSENGER-SIDE WHEEL (RIM) HAS BENT AND THE TIRE BLEW OUT. I HAVE NOW HAD TO REPLACE THE WHEEL AT AN OUTRAGEOUS PRICE. I FIND IT RIDICULOUS THAT THIS HAS OCCURRED TWICE IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THE SECOND INCIDENT WAS AT NIGHT AND IN THE RAIN. I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO CHANGE A TIRE, AND NO ONE STOPPED TO HELP ME. I HAD TO PAY $25 TO A TOWING COMPANY TO HAVE SOMEONE COME OUT AND CHANGE THE TIRE. *LA

THE TIRES ARE BEING CUT FROM THE INSIDE WHILE DRIVING. THEY ARE CUT IN A SIMILAR FASHION. THE CONSUMER HAS GONE THROUGH SIX SETS OF TIRES. IT IS ALWAYS THE TWO FRONT TIRES. TIRE BRAND: GOOD YEAR EAGLE RSA P225 45 R 17, M67REN OR 3103. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *NM

WHILE ON THE FREEWAY WE HAD A BLOWN TIRE IN OUR 2002 VW JETTA GLS VR6 VEHICLE. WE COULD NOT OPEN THE WHEEL BOLTS SINCE THEY WERE GLUED FROM THE FACTORY, INTO THE WHEEL. IT TOOK A 4' PIECE OF PIPE TO OPERATE THE BOLTS WRENCH TO OPEN THEM. FURTHERMORE, THE JACK SUPPLIED WITH THE VEHICLE IS UNDERSIZED AND UNSAFE TO OPERATE. IT SHIFTED WITH THE VEHICLE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE A STEADY SUPPORT FOR RAISING THE VEHICLE FOR THE WHEEL CHANGE. AFTER A FEW TRIES, WE RESORTED TO USING A HYDRAULIC JACK SUPPLIED BY THE LOCAL SHERIFF DEPUTY WHO WAS PASSING BY THE LOCATION WE WERE STOPPED AT. *AK

THE FRONT LEFT TIRE WENT FLAT AFTER VEHICLE WAS SITTING FOR A MONTH, AND THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING BECAUSE OF CRACKS IN THE SIDEWALL. ALSO, THE 2 REAR TIRES DEVELOPED CRACKS IN THE SIDEWALL. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH CONSUMER REALIZED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RIDING ON A FLAT TIRE. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE TIRE HAD NUMEROUS SPLITS ON THE INSIDE SIDEWALL. ALSO, CONSUMER NOTICED THAT METAL WAS EXPOSED IN SOME OF THE SPLITS. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE TIRE DEALER, WHO ADMITTED THAT THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE, BUT WOULD NOT REPLACE THE TIRES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAME THING HAPPENED IN 2002, BUT ALL OF THE TIRES WERE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK *NM

ALL FOUR TIRES EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT MAY CAUSE A SEVERE BLOWOUT WHILE DRIVING. *AK *NLM SERVICE MANAGER NOTED HE HAS SEEN OTHER FAILURES LIKE THESE AND THERE MAY BE A TREND. *PH

WHILE HOME ON LEAVE, MY SON HAD A FLAT. UPON TAKING THE TIRE OFF, WE DISCOVERED THE INSIDE SEPARATING. ALMOST LIKE A SLIT ON THE INSIDE WALLS. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, ALL FOUR TIRES WERE THE SAME. WE HAD TO REPLACE ALL FOUR. THESE ARE THE EAGLE RSA, HIGH PERFORMANCE TIRES, WITH LESS THAN 20000 MILES ON THEM. FOUR BLOWOUTS WAITING TO HAPPEN. *AK

RICHARD GUNN WROTE TO GOODYEAR; I HAVE A 2002 VW JETTA THAT CAME STOCK WITH GOODYEAR EAGLE RSA TIRES,225/45R17 91H. AT 13,000 MILES ONE OF THE TIRES WENT FLAT BUT DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE ANY NAILS OR HOLES IN IT WHEN I REMOVED IT, ALTHOUGH THESIDEWALL WAS SPLIT. I TOOK THE TIRE INTO THE CLEM TIRE COMPANY 7907 HIGHWAY 72, MADISON, AL 35758 , 256-837-9151. ONE TIRE WAS PUT ON ORDER AS THESE TIRES ARE AN UNUSUAL SIZE FOR THIS CAR. THE FOLLOWING DAY A SECOND TIRE WENT FLAT. AGAIN THERE WAS NO NAIL OR EXPLAINABLE CAUSE. A SECOND TIRE WAS ORDERED. WHEN THE TIRES CAME IN I WENT DOWN TO HAVE THEM INSTALLED. I ASKED THE SHOP TO LOOK AT THE FRONT TWO TIRES TO SEE THAT THEY WERE OK AS I HAD NOW BECOME SUSPICIOUS OF THESE TIRES. THE SHOP FOUND THE FRONT TWO TIRES WERE SPLIT OUT ON THE INSIDE SIDEWALLS AS WELL. THE SHOP CONTACTED GOODYEAR WHO WAS GOOD ENOUGH TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES FREE AND ASKED TO SEND THE TIRES BACK FOR EVALUATION. THE TIRES THAT ARE BEING RETURNED ARE THE SAME AS WHAT WAS JUST PUT ON MY CAR AND FRANKLY I AM NOT ALL THAT WARM AND FUZZY THAT THEY ARE SAFE TO DRIVE ON. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE FAILURE ANALYSIS REPORT ON THE RETURNED TIRES, COMPLETE WITH CONCLUSION AS TO THE FAILURE MECHANISM. ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE CORRECTIVE ACTION IS TO VERIFY THAT THIS TIRE OR LOT HAS BEEN ISOLATED SO THAT OTHERS MIGHT NOT BE INJURED DUE TO DEFECTS IN THIS TIRE. I SUPPOSE I WAS FORTUNATE THAT I WAS NOT TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED WHEN MY TIRES FAILED BUT OTHERS MIGHT NOT BE AS FORTUNATE. ADDITIONALLY I THINK THAT VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD BE INFORMED SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE THE CALL ON WHETHER TO NOTIFY THEIR CUSTOMERS OF THIS POTENTIAL ISSUE. I HAVE A COPY OF THE RECEIPT THAT HAS ALL OF THE DETAILS ON IT IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO FAX IT TO YOU A CAN DO SO.*AK

GOODYEAR EAGLE RSA 225/45 17R TIRES THAT CAME WITH THE CAR WHEN WE BOUGHT IT NEW. COMPLETELY WORN OUT IN 18,000 MILES. INSIDE SIDEWALLS WERE CRACKED AND HAD BULGES. (BREAKDOWN OF CORDS) TALKED TO VW ABOUT THIS AND THEY SAID IT WASN'T COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THEY TOLD US TO TAKE IT IT TO A TIRE STORE BECAUSE IT WASN'T THEIR PROBLEM. WENT TO AMERICA'S TIRE STORE (LIVERMORE, CA) AND THEY WERE GOOD ENOUGH TO CALL GOODYEAR ON THE DEFECT. THEY PRO-RATED THE TIRES (I THINK WE GOT $25 OUT OF IT) AND RECOMMENDED CONTINENTAL CONTITOURING CONTACT 225/45 17R. THESE TIRES ARE WARRANTED FROM CONTI FOR 55,000 MILES! THE PRICE WAS THE SAME AS THE GOODYEARS. OUTSTANDING TIRES! DON'T BUY YOUR VW NEW WITH GOODYEARS! GET THE MICHILENS IF YOU CAN.*AK

THERE WAS NO TREAD LEFT ON ALL 4 TIRES. *JB

SIDEWALL FAILURE OF TUBELESS RADIAL RIGHT FRONT TIRE. MICHELIN "PILOT" XSE HX MXM4 225/45 R17 TREADWEAR: 300 TEMPERATURE: A TRACTION: A TIRE WAS PROPERLY INFLATED AND HAD ONLY 8,190 MILES (OEM). MOUNTED ON A 2002 VW JETTA GLS. DOT #: B98AH5BX3801 TREAD DEPTH UPON REMOVAL WAS 8/32" NO PRIOR DAMAGE TO VEHICLE, I.E., STEERING LINKAGE, STRUCK POT HOLES, CRASHES, ETC...NO PERCEIVABLE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS OTHER THAN WORKMANSHIP/MATERIAL DEFECT. I COVET SIMILAR INFORMATION, I.E., CONSUMER PROBLEMS/COMPLAINTS. I AM A PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEE (STATE TROOPER) AND I HAVE EXTENSIVE TRAINING IN TRAFFIC HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION/TRAFFIC CRASH RECONSTRUCTION. IF YOU READ THIS AND FEEL THAT YOU EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM, PLEASE EMAIL ME AT: DMDJER2911@YAHOO.COM. *JB

LEFT REAR TIRE ON A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH WITH ONLY THE DRIVER. NO INJURIES OR OTHER DAMAGES WERE REPORTED AT THIS TIME (ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, TIRE SIZE IS LS-195/65R15 & THE DOT # M6AEHTDR0202) DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS ISSUE AND PLEASE COMPLETE THE QUESTIONS ON THE QUESTIONNAIRE. *PH