NHTSA Complaint #10443887 — 2010 TOYOTA CAMRY

IN LATE 2009, I PURCHASED A NEW 2010 CAMRY HYBRID. THE VEHICLE CAME WITH BRIDGESTONE TURANZA TIRES. I HAVE JUST HAD TO REPLACE THESE TIRES AFTER 2.5 YEARS AND ONLY 19,700 MILES. THE FRONT TIRES WERE 4/32 AND RIGHT AT THE WEAR MARK, THE REAR AT 6/32. THE WORN TIRE TREADS BECAME EVIDENT WITH THE FIRST CHICAGO SNOW. AT 10 MILES PER HOUR, I WAS SLIDING AS I DROVE HOME AND, AT ONE POINT, HAD TO SKID INTO A CURB IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE SO AS NOT TO SLIDE INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC IN A CROWDED INTERSECTION. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT AND NO DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE OR OTHER PROPERTY. I CONTACTED THE DEALER (FROM WHOM I PURCHASED THE CAR) TO COMPLAIN. HE TOLD ME THE TIRES WERE GUARANTEED FOR FIVE YEARS BUT HAD NO ESTIMATED MILEAGE, WHICH IS HARD TO BELIEVE. I ALSO CONTACTED ANOTHER TOYOTA DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THESE TIRES LAST NO MORE THAN 25,000 MILES. I SPOKE WITH A BRIDGESTONE DEALER AND WAS TOLD 40,000 MILES. I HAVE CHANGED THE OIL ON MY CAR REGULARLY AND ALSO HAD MY TIRES ROTATED EVERY SIX MONTHS (MY CAR HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE TO DATE). IT IS EVIDENT THAT BRIDGESTONE TURANZA TIRES DO NOT MEET EVEN THE MINIMUM ENDURANCE REQUIREMENTS.