NHTSA Complaint #10080557 — 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS

I NOTICED ROAD NOISE AND DETERMINED THAT IT WAS A TIRE NOISE. SINCE I WAS TRAVELING OUT OF MY HOME STATE - I TOOK THE CAR TO BE CHECKED BY A LOCAL TIRE CENTER.HE GUY LOOKED AT THE TIRE AND IMMEDIATELY POINTED OUT THE UNEVEN WEAR OF THE FRONT TIRES - COULD FEEL THAT THE STEEL BELT WAS ALMOST EXPOSED. I HAD JUST MADE A 1000 MILE TRIP AND FEEL LUCKY THAT THE TIRES DIDN'T BLOW. AT THE TIRE DEALERSHIP, THEY WONDERED WHETHER THIS WAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE TOYOTA PRIUS - THEY HAD ANOTHER PRIUS IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. HE INDICATED THAT IT LOOKED LIKE AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM. WHEN HE TRIED TO ADJUST THE REAR ALIGNMENT, HE WAS UNABLE TO RESET IT TO THE RECOMMENDED SPECIFICATIONS. THE SAME WAS TRUE OF THE OTHER PRIUS THAT HE HAD IN THE SHOP. SO OF COURSE I SHOULD EXPECT THE NEW TIRES TO HAVE UNEVEN WEAR. NOW I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS CAR. AT LEAST I'M AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT WHAT ABOUT ALL THE OTHER PRIUS OWNERS THAT ARE IN DANGER?? THIS CERTAINLY APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW - THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL!! I HAVE HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE AT THE RECOMMENDED TIME BY THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. NO ONE EVER INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ALIGNMENT OR ANY OTHER KIND OF TIRE PROBLEM. BUT AFTER READING ALL THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEB SITE REGARDING THE TIRES, I FEEL THE CAR IS UNSAFE. I WILL BE GOING TO MY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP & I KNOW THEY WILL COVER THE COST OF THE NEW TIRES BUT THAT DOESN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. I BELIEVE TOYOTA NEEDS TO MAKE PRIUS OWNERS AWARE OF THE DEFECT BEFORE SOMEONE IS INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *AK