NHTSA Complaint #10014314 — 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS

TWO BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE92 [P175/65 R14 84S, DOT EL(PJDH4801] TIRES FAILED ON MY 2002 PRIUS WITHIN ONE WEEK. THESE ARE THE TIRES INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE WHEN WE BOUGHT IT. OUR VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS SLIGHTLY LESS THAN 25,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AND IS DRIVEN PRIMARILY FOR COMMUTING ON FREEWAYS. WE DISCOVERED THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE EXTREMELY LOW ON AIR WHEN RETURNING TO A PARKING GARAGE ON 4/12/03. AS WE WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE A GAS STATION MY HUSBAND CHANGED THE FAILED TIRE WITH THE TEMPORARY TIRE AND HAD THE THE FAILED TIRE REPAIRED THE NEXT DAY. WHEN SERVICED WE WERE TOLD THE TIRE HAD A PIN HOLE AND IRREGULAR WEAR PATTERN. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ITS SCHEDULED 22,500 MILE SERVICE AND TO HAD THE TIRES INSPECTED AND THE FRONT END ALIGNED. WHEN QUESTIONED ABOUT THE TIRES WEAR PATTERN WE WERE TOLD THE "TIRES WERE MARGINAL" AND THAT WE SHOULD EXPECT TO REPLACE THE TIRES IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS. THE SECOND TIRE FAILED TODAY WHEN MY HUSBAND WAS CUT OFF IN A PARKING LOT (TRAVELING LESS THAN 5 MILES AN HOUR AND SWERVED TO AVOID BEING HIT AND HIT THE PARKING CURB), THE TIRE FAILED AND REQUIRED IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT WITH THE TEMPORARY TIRE. WE ARE HAVING ALL FOUR TIRES REPLACED, AT THIS TIME, DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE TWO BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE92 [P175/65 R14 84S, DOT EL9PJDH4801] WITHIN A SEVEN DAY PERIOD. *NLM