NHTSA Complaint #10535601 — 1994 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

WE HAD TWO (2) GOODYEAR VIVA II TIRES PUT ON THE REAR OF OUR JEEP, SIZE P215/75R15, AT WALMART SERVICE CENTER AT 3400 NORTH 85TH ST, LINCOLN, NE 68507 ON 07-27-2013 AND THEN TWO (2) MORE GOODYEAR VIVA II TIRES PUT ON THE FRONT ON 8/7/2013. AFTER HAVING THE FIRST 2 TIRES PUT ON THE REAR, WE NOTICED INDENTS IN THE SIDEWALLS GOING ALL THE WAY UP TO THE TREADS. I SPOKE TO THE TECHNICIAN ABOUT THIS AND THE TECHNICIAN SAID THAT IT WAS NOT A DEFECT, THAT THIS WAS THE STRONGEST PART OF THE TIRE. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THIS IS WHAT THEY TOLD HIM IN THE TRAINING COURSE. AFTER HAVING THE FRONT TIRES PUT ON, WE NOTICED THE SAME INDENTS IN THE TIRES BUT THEY WERE MORE SEVERE. BEFORE THE TIRES WERE PUT ON, I TOLD THE TECHNICIAN TO TORQUE THE LUG NUTS TO 85 FT/LBS AS THAT IS WHAT THE JEEP MANUFACTURER MANUAL STATES. THE TECHNICIAN REFUSED AND TOLD US THAT HE TORQUED EVERY WHEEL AT 100 FT/LBS BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT HE WAS TOLD TO DO IN HIS TRAINING. MY WIFE, SPOKE WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE AT GOODYEAR THE NEXT MORNING ABOUT OUR CONCERNS ABOUT DEFECTIVE TIRES AND SHE BEGAN A CLAIM IMMEDIATELY. SHE HAD US TAKE OUR VEHICLE TO GRAHAM TIRE IN LINCOLN WHERE THEY PUT 4 NEW UPGRADED GOODYEAR WRANGLER TIRES ON OUR VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY. DURING THE TIRE SWITCH OUT, GRAHAM TIRE SHOWED US THAT THE FRONT FACE OF THE ROTOR WAS BADLY BENT DUE TO THE ROTOR NOT SITTING ON THE STUD CORRECTLY AND THE WALMART TECHNICIAN OVER-TORQUED THEM AT 100 FT/LBS WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN TORQUED AT 85 FT/LBS ACCORDING TO THE JEEP MANUFACTURERS MANUAL. WE HAD THE ROTOR AND STUDS REPLACED BY GRAHAM TIRE AND WALMART PAID FOR THIS WORK AND PARTS. EVERY TIRE AND RIM IS TORQUED DIFFERENTLY ACCORDING TO THE MANUALS. WALMART IS TORQUEING LUG NUTS AT 100 FT/LBS AND WILL NOT LISTEN TO MANUFACTURE SPECS. THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED BECAUSE WHEEL STUDS ARE GOING TO BREAK AND WHEELS ARE GOING TO COME OFF VEHICLES.