NHTSA Complaint #10063736 — 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