NHTSA Complaint #10070364 — 2003 TOYOTA PRIUS

AT 5,000 MILES THE FRONT TIRES ON MY '03 PRIUS WERE WORN TO CORD EXPOSED. WHEN I FIRST APPROACHED THE DEALER, 4/03, WITH CONCERNS AT 1,500 MILES AND OBVIOUS WEAR, I WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD NOT SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. THEY ALIGNED THE FRONT END AND SAID THAT SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. WHEN I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER,6/13/03,THEY TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM IS COMMON, A DESIGN DEFECT. THE TIRES ARE TOO SMALL FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE'S FRONT END. I LEFT THE CAR WITH THEM AND WAS CALLED AT THE END OF THE DAY. THE SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT GET THE APPROVAL FROM TOYOTA TO REPLACE THE TIRES UNDER WARRANTY. I WOULD EITHER HAVE TO PAY FOR THE TIRES MYSELF OR TAKE THE CAR AS IS. I TOLD THEM I WOULD TAKE THE CAR AS IS, BUT WOULD HOLD THEM RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT MAY HAPPEN IF THE TIRES FAILED. WHEN I WENT TO GET THE CAR THEY WERE MOUNTING NEW TIRES AT THEIR EXPENSE. I CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE TO FILE A COMPLAINT, 6/13/03. THEY PRETEND TO BE UNAWARE OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH PRIUS TIRES. TOYOTA WILL NOT RECOMMEND ANY TIRE FOR THE PRIUS THAN THE BRIGESTONE POTENZA RE92. I THINK THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. IT IS UNREASONABLE TO EXPECT CUSTOMERS TO REPLACE TIRES MORE OFTEN THAN OIL CHANGES. MY DAILY CANYON COMMUTE IS ADMITTEDLY HARDER ON TIRES THAN AVERAGE, BUT I DESCRIBED IT EXACTLY TO THE SALESMAN WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR. NOTHING WAS DISCLOSED TO ME ABOUT POTENTIAL TIRE WEAR PROBLEMS.