NHTSA Complaint #10336533 — 2009 TOYOTA CAMRY

I HAD TO REPLACE THE TIRES ON MY 2009 CAMRY AT AROUND 25,000 MILES. THE LOW PRESSURE TIRE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER I HAD JUST HAD IT SERVICED. THE MASTER MECHANIC AT WORK CHECK THE TIRE PRESSURE AND EACH TIRE WAS 8 - 10 POUNDS LOW ON PRESSURE. I TOOK IT TO TOYOTA IN NORTH AUGUSTA, SC AND THE RUDE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT WHEN I HAD IT SERVICED A TOP TECHNICAL SIGNED OFF AS ROTATING AND AIRING THE TIRES AND THAT HAD IT BEEN ANOTHER TECHNICIAN HE MIGHT BELIEVE THEY DIDN'T AIR THE TIRES. HE ONLY AIRED THE TIRES, DIDN'T CHECK VALVE STEMS OR FOR TIRE DEFECTS. THE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON AND I WENT BACK A COUPLE MORE TIMES I BELIEVE. HE FINALLY DETERMINED MAKING THE STATEMENT "THIS IS COMMON. SINCE IT WAS MY SECOND CAMRY I DISAGREED WITH HIM AND THEN HE RESPONDED "IT IS COMMON IN THIS MODEL". HE SAID YOU COULD DRIVE OUT OF HERE RIGHT NOT AND IT MIGHT COME ON AGAIN.....I REPLIED "I'M NOT BUYING THIS AND LEFT". THE LIGHT DID COME BACK ON WITHIN THE WEEK OR TWO. I LOOKED AT MY FRONT TIRES AND WAS SHOCKED! THE FRONT TIRES WERE WORN OUT WITH HARDLY NO TREAD LEFT ON THEM. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO A TIRE DEALER AND REPLACED THE "FIRESTONE BRIDGESTONE" TIRES WITH ANOTHER BRAND OF TIRE...........THAT HAS BEEN NEARLY 5,000 AGO AND THE LIGHT HAS NEVER TURNED ON. THERE IS A DEFINITE DEFECT HERE WITH THE CAR OF TIRE DEALER. TIRES SHOULD LAST A LONG LONGER THAN 20,000 TO 25,000 MILES ON A NEW CAR ESPECIALLY. IF OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM, TOYOTA NEEDS TO BE REIMBURSING CAR OWNERS FOR REPLACEMENT TIRES....MAYBE THEY PURCHASED DEFECTIVE PARTS AT A LOW COST JUST LIKE THEY DID WITH THE BRAKES....HAD I NOT TAKEN CARE OF THE TIRE PROBLEM IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A BLOW OUT AND ENDANGERING OF MY LIFE AND OTHERS. THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS EXTREMELY RUDE AND DID NOT MAKE ANY ATTEMPT TO RESEARCH FOR AN EXISTING PROBLEM, WHICH BECAME EVIDENT AFTER A FEW TRIPS IN THERE. HIS AND TOYOTA'S DISREGARD FOR SAFETY HAS REALLY CHANGED MY OPINION OF TOYOTA. *TR