NHTSA Complaint #770556 — 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY

ON HWY CAR PULLED LEFT. AFTER CANADIAN TRIP BROUGHT CAR TO DEALER WHO ROTATED TIRES & DID ALIGNMENT. CAR STILL PULLED LEFT. RETURNED TO DEALER WHO ROTATED LEFT FRON TIRE. CAR STILL PULLED LEFT. BROUGHT TO DEALER 3RD. TIME AND SHOP FOREMAN SAID IT WAS "TIRE KINETICISM". DEALER REMOVED TIRE FROM RIM, INVERTED TIRE, AND REMOUNTED AND BALANCED TIRE. DEALER TEST DROVE AND SAID NO MORE PULL. WHEN ASKED WHO WOULD PAY FOR FUTURE INVERTING OF TIRE DURING 5 WHEEL ROTATION DEALER COULD NOT ANSWER. SPOKE TO TOYOTA REGINAL SPERVISOR WHO TEST DROVE CAR AND SAID RIGHT REAR OUT OF ALIGNMENT. I REQUESTED MICHELIN TIRE UPGRADE AND WOULD SPLIT DIFFERENCE IN COST WITH TOYOTA. TOYOTA SAID ALIGNMENT AND INVERTING TIRE WOULD SOLVE PROBLEM. TOYOTA NEVER RESPONDED TO QUERY RE: WHO PAYS COST OF RE- INVERTING ONE TIRE AND INVERTING ANOTHER TIRE DURING ROTATION. I'M CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY & FUTURE ROTATION COSTS WITH THESE BRIDGESTONES. WANT UPGRADED TIRE REPLACEMENT & THESE TIRES SENT BACK TO BRIDGESTONE FOR ANALYSIS. I ALSO WENT TO A BRIDGESTONE DEALER IN FRAMINGHAM AND THEY SAID THEY NEVER HEARD OF "KINTETICISM" AND TIRE INVERTING TO RESOLVE ALIGNMENT PROBLEM. I SUSPECT A WEAK SIDEWALL CAUSING CAR TO PULL LEFT AND WORRY ABOUT SAFETY. REQUEST DOT TAKE PROMPT INVESTIGATIVE ACTION. SO FAR TOTAL OF 4 VISITS TO DEALER WHO HAS ACKNOWLEGED THE PROBLEM BUT DENIES IT IS A PROBLEM. IN OTHER WORDS LIVE WITH IT. DT