NHTSA Complaint #762189 — 2001 TOYOTA PRIUS

WE HAD A TIRE SEPARATE AT 75MPH IN THE REAR. A COUPLE WEEKS LATER THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE SEPARATED AT 70MPH. THE CAR HAD APPROX. 20000 ON IT. WHEN TOYTOTA RAISED THE CAR THEY FOUND A THIRD FRONT LEFT TIRE HAD BEGUN TO SEPERATE. I SAID I DID NOT TRUST THESE BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE TIRES SO THEY PUT ON MICHELIN TIRES. THE DEALER THEN CALLED AND SAID NO OTHER TIRE COULD SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE PRIUS. THEY HAD ALREADY PUT THE MICHELINS ON. I CALLED ALL THE TIRE MANUFACTURES TO FIND OUT THAT ONLY THE FACTORY BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE TIRES COULD SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE HYBRID PRIUS. I PHONED TOYOTA AND FIRESTONE. BOTH SAID THEY WOULD CALL ME BACK WITHIN THREE WEEKS. NO ONE HAD CALLED. TOYOTA SAID IT IS A TIRE MANUFACTURER PROBLEM, BUT THEY USE THEIR TIRES. I WENT TO THE DEALER TO BE TOLD SINCE I TOOK THE CAR IN THEY HAD THREE OTHER PRIUS'S COME IN WITH BLOWN TIRES ALL WITH ABOUT 20000 MILES ON THEM. I WENT TO SEARS IN SAN BERNARDINO AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY TOO HAD TWO PRIUS'S WITH BLOWN TIRES. I HAVE LOST OVER $2000.00 AND SPENT THREE WEEKS WITH A PAINFUL KNEE AND TOYOTA DOESN'T CARE. I GOT THREE FRIENDS TO BUY TOYOTA PRIUSS AND I NOW WORRY ABOUT THEIR TIRES. SINCE THIS STARTED TOYOTA EMAIL ME AND SAID DO NOT DRIVE THE CAR OVER 85 MPH FOR THE TIRES CAN NOT SUPPORT THE CAR AND SPEED. WHY WEREN'T WE TOLD THIS AT TIME OF PURCHASE? NO OTHER TIRE IS MADE FOR THE CAR AND THE BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE TIRES ARE NOT UP TO SUPPORTING THE CAR SAFELY EVER. I WILL TAKE MY CHANCES WITH THE MICHELINS. OTHER PRIUS OWNERS HAVE TOLD ME THEY WILL TAKE THEIR CHANCES WITH OTHER BRANDS EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT RATED FOR CAR. *AK *JB