2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE Tires Problems

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED ON THE LEFT REAR TIRE THERE IS A SMALL BULGE ON THE SIDEWALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. UPON INSPECTION, THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED A BLOW OUT WITH THE LEFT REAR TIRE. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED AND THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE TIRE LINE IS GOODYEAR P26570R17.

IN THE PAST 60 DAYS I HAVE HAD TWO BLOWOUTS ANDF A FLAT TIRE ON THE ORIGINAL GOODYEAR TIRES OF 2002 AVALANCE. NEAR MULTICAR COLLISON LAST WEEK. FIRESTONE SAID "LOOKS LIKE TIRES ROTTEN INSIDE" SEARS SAID "WE HAVE HAD A QUITE A FEW AVALANCES IN LATELY".*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP, AND THE TECHNICIAN FOUND THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT TIRES AS WELL AS THE LEFT REAR HAS BUBBLE AND INSIDE WALL ARE CRACKED. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *LA

I HAVE NOT GIVEN PERMISSION TO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO START REPAIRS. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE REAR AXLE OR REAR END THAT WAS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR AND MUST BE REPLACED. I WAS QUOTED A REPAIR COST OF $2,400 FOR A USED PART AND $3,000 FOR A NEW PART. THIS TRUCK HAS AROUND 42,000 MILES AND WAS PURCHASED JUNE 1, 2003. I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS RANGING FROM REPLACEMENT OF CD'S TO A DOOR WINDOW MOTOR PROBLEM. I INQUIRED/COMPLAINED ABOUT A NOISE IN THE REAR END AT AROUND 25,000 MILES PRIOR TO THE BREAKDOWN. HOWEVER, THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. THE TAILGATE WOULD FALL OPEN WHEN LOCKED OCCASIONALLY, BUT THIS WAS ADJUSTED AFTER TAKING IT BACK FOR REPAIR. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED ONE HUB ASSEMBLY ON THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK AT A COST OF $250.00. THERE IS AN OIL USAGE PROBLEM THAT REQUIRES AN ADDITIONAL QUART...

THE REAR PASSENGER AND BOTH FRONT TIRES ACCUMULATED BUBBLES. *AK *SC *JB

STANDARD TIRES ISSUED WITH VEHICLE WERE OFFROAD WRANGLER HP WHICH HAVE VERY POOR RAIN HANDLING CAPABILITIES. I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THIS OR GIVEN OPTION OF SWITCHING TO HIGHWAY TIRES WITH BETTER RAIN CAPABILITY. AS A RESULT OF THE POOR CONTROL OF VEHICLE IN RAIN, FRONT EDGE WAS DAMAGED WHEN ENTERED PARKING LOT AND WAS TRYING TO TURN ON WET PAVEMENT AND SLID INTO WALL WHEN STEERING WAS NON-RESPONSIVE DUE TO TIRE SLIDING INSTEAD OF TURNING. SPEED WAS LESS THEN 10 MPH. I HAVE FOUND SEVERAL ARTICLES ON INTERNET INDICATING SHOULD EITHER REPLACE THOSE TIRES OR HAVE THEM "SIPED" TO ACHIEVE BETTER CONTROL IN RAIN. SINCE MY AVALANCHE IS TWO WHEEL DRIVE I NEVER THOUGHT MUCH IF ANY ABOUT OFFROAD USE OR THAT THE STANDARD TIRES WOULD BE SO GEARED UP FOR OFFROAD USE AS TO MAKE THEM HANDLE POORLY IN RAIN. CAPITOL CHEVROLET SERVICE MANAGER CONFIRMED THIS INFORMATION WITH...

FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE BUBBLED ON THE SIDE. AS A RESULT, THE CONSUMER CONTINUED TO ROTATE TIRES PREMATURELY. *AK THE ROTATION DID NOT STOP THE TIRES FROM PUSHING OUTWARD IN THE THREAD AND TIRE WEAR. TREAD WEAR WAS ONLY 27%. *SC

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT 72 MPH FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. *AK

AT 7,500 MILES I HAD A BLOW OUT ON THE INTERSTATE AND HAD TO USE MY SPARE, THEN REALIZED IT WAS A SMALLER SIZE. I DROVE TO MY DEALERSHIP AND THEY GAVE ME A NEW TIRE, AND SAID ALL OF THESE TRUCKS CAME WITH A 16 INCH SPARE. I NOW HAVE 30,000 MILES AND NOW NEED ALL NEW TIRES. I USUALLY GET NEW TIRES ABOUT EVERY 60,000 MILES. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO ASK WHY MY TIRES WERE WEARING SO BAD AND THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO HELP OR DISCUSS THIS ISSUE.*JB

THE INCIDENT ON MAY 11, 2002. THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY GOING 65 MPH. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 8827 MILES AND HAD ORIGINAL WHEELS AND TIRES. THE INCIDENT ON NOVEMBER 10, 2002: THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL, INCLUDING THE DISC BRAKE MECHANISM, SEPARATED AND BEARING PARTS, ETC. WERE SCATTERED ON THE STREET. THE EXPOSED WHEEL WELL DUG INTO THE CONCRETE AND SHOCK ABSORBER AND STRUTS CLEARLY VISIBLE WITH WHEEL SEPARATED. PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE IF NEEDED. DT

PASSENGER TIRES WERE SUPPLIED WITH Z71 OFF-ROAD PACKAGE. I TOOK THESE TIRES OFF-ROAD, AND TORE A HOLE ONE. ALL4 TIRE DEALERS IN MONTROSE, CO INCLUDING THE GOODYEAR DEALER, SAID THAT THESE ARE PASSENGER TIRES, NOT OFF-ROAD TIRES, AND THAT THEY WILL BE DAMAGED BY TAKING THEM OFF-ROAD IN THE MOUNTAINS. CHEVY'S PHOTOS ON THEIR WEB PAGE SHOW THE AVALANCHE FORDING STREAMS, DRIVING OVER ROCKS, AND DRIVING IN THE MOUNTAINS. THE OWNER'S MANUAL DISCUSSES DRIVING OVER ROCKS AND LOGS, "BOUNCING THE CAR" AND HAVING ONE OR MORE WHEELS OFF THE GROUND AS THINGS THAT MIGHT BE ENCOUNTERED IN "OFF-ROAD" DRIVING. STILL, THEY DELIVER THE NEARLY 3-TON TRUCK WITH PASSENGER TIRES, NOT LIGHT TRUCK TIRES. HAD I NOT PUNCTURED THE DIRE, BUT ONLY SEPARATED THE PLY, I COULD HAVE HAD A SERIOUS ACCIDENT DRIVING THE 400 MILES BACK TO MY HOME. THE OFF-ROAD PACKAGE INCLUDES SKID PLATES, HEAVY DUTY SHOCKS, A TOW...