Tire failures

[I_4]

Post you tire failures that you have had happen. To you or family members cars. And a little background info and resulting damage. No generic images off the net.

First image is a Federal winter tire, second image is a Starfire. Both were not worn down to the wear bars, with approx. 5/32" (about 4MM) tread remaining. Both about 5 years old. So not aged out. I do not have the date codes, as the tires have been disposed. Both resulted in property damage, fender damage, outer and inner. The Federal also ripped the ABS sensor wires from the harness, not an inexpensive fix. The Starfire resulted in an accident report, and the associated mess resulting in MA. Car was on it's pass side. Any single car crash in MA, the operator is at fault, with the resulting costs and insurance surcharges applied. Regardless of the accident report by police. So time was spent, along with pictures, date codes, and testimony by the driver, in an insurance board hearing "proving" that a car on it's side... it was caused by a catastrophic tire failure. The short version of a long story that played out over more than 6 months. End of rant about MA and its insurance laws and regulations. Thankfully, no harm to the vehicle occupants in both cases.

 

[Astro14]

Never had a tire failure like that. 40+ years of owning and driving cars.

 

[krzyss]

Any chance that they were murdered by running low pressure?

Krzyś

 

[wings&wheels]

Only one I experienced was in my Parent's car in '77. The LR Firestone 500 blew apart on Dad's '76 Ford Cobra II. I was sitting in back without a seatbelt of course, and still remember the thump as the belt hit the inner fender.

Awful car, worse tire....recalled in '78 or so after way too many failures and deaths. I remember studying the problem and Firestone's response, or almost criminal lack thereof, as a case study in Business School a decade or so later.

 

[benjy]

NONE ever because i watch the pressures + alignment + change BEFORE they are on OVERTIME unlike many driving past wear bars!!

 

[Jetronic]

didn't take any pictures, but a few weeks ago an oncoming driver ignored the yield sign and tried to pass through a narrow section together with me. To avoid a head on collision we both had todrive as far to the right as possible and both emergency braked to a stop. My right front tyre sidewall rubbed on the curb and got torn. Lost all pressure in 10 seconds.

That's one Michelin Crossclimate for the dumpster.... They were doing their last winter anyway, but still doesn't sit right with me.

 

[Tomioka]

This was on a brand new recap. On another truck I also had two recaps mystically lose air.

 

[I_4]

Any chance that they were murdered by running low pressure?

Krzyś

My thoughts that they suffered a road hazard, most likely a pothole at some point in their life. To my knowledge they were always had 32-35 psi, and I had never seen them with low pressure. Both happened in summer. On a highway. Yes, the Federal was a winter tire being driven in summer, not my car, but a relative. Both failures seem similar, with internal belt separation.

 

[Nick1994]

Only ever had 2 failures. First was on my 96' Chevy C1500 in 2011, bought it from the neighbor and it had been sitting a while. Tires needed to be replaced anyways. Just lost the tread, drove home with no tread since it still had air.

The other was last summer in the Genesis. Hit a pothole and got a bubble in the front left tire.

 

[eljefino]

No pictures for you of this one.

Chinese tire, properly inflated, plenty of tread, not too old, went bang one very hot summer day. It was on the rear of my saturn so probably had ~400 lbs on it.

 

[supton]

Had a tire lose balance one night, drove maybe 5 miles on it, wasn't summer. Next morning I noticed a bulge. But I was a teen and I had places to be. I think it lasted 5 miles? blew out at 45 mph, on a curve, but luckily it was an inside tire. Forget if I left my jack or a spare tire at home, either way I got some walking in that day (we're talking 1993? so no cell phones, let alone digital camera to take a pic). Ripped the tire from bead to bead, right across the tread, but did not lose any tread. Wish I took a photo.

 

[Gene K]

I've seen failures like that on large truck tires. It's a tread seperation usually caused by excessive belt flex and heat often caused by low pressure
precipitated by a puncture or a leaky valve stem.

 

[HowAboutThis]

Been in a car twice with a flat. Heard the helicopter thumping and the driver slowed and pulled over immediately. No annoyance except putting a spare on.

 

[DallasTexas]

Took wifes 2014 Sienna for alignment on Friday, I was informed by Firestone Shop that they can't do alignment as the Sumitomo tires 3 years old with 23k miles on them had thread separated. On the rear tires they said the tires were cupping due to weak rear suspension, the van has only 44k miles and has only been driven in the concrete jungles of Dallas. According to UTGA the tires were to last 65k miles. Sumitomo makes the warranty recovery extremely hard to recover. Last set of tire from them.

 

[Rand]

you just went to wrong tire shop.
the right tire shop will get you credit for the tire.

I have had no blowouts. plenty of nails.

I hit a 2x4 leaving work one night got about 3 miles and 2 almost flats.. I inflated them and they bubbled. was not fun. 40 miles from home.

 

[CapriRacer]

Took wifes 2014 Sienna for alignment on Friday, I was informed by Firestone Shop that they can't do alignment as the Sumitomo tires 3 years old with 23k miles on them had thread separated. On the rear tires they said the tires were cupping due to weak rear suspension, the van has only 44k miles and has only been driven in the concrete jungles of Dallas. According to UTGA the tires were to last 65k miles. Sumitomo makes the warranty recovery extremely hard to recover. Last set of tire from them.

you just went to wrong tire shop.
the right tire shop will get you credit for the tire.

Based on what was posted, I'll bet the tire shop knew they weren't adjustable - that the tires weren't separated, just irregularly worn. That is sometimes hard to explain to customers.

 

[WylieCoyote]

Only ever had 2 failures. First was on my 96' Chevy C1500 in 2011, bought it from the neighbor and it had been sitting a while. Tires needed to be replaced anyways. Just lost the tread, drove home with no tread since it still had air.

The other was last summer in the Genesis. Hit a pothole and got a bubble in the front left tire.

View attachment 48085

Had this happen to a brand-new Sumitomo ordered from Tire Rack. It'd been on the car for 3 days. They credited me 1/2 the purchase price. Never bought another Sumitomo, or another tire from Tire Rack again.

 

[Rand]

Had this happen to a brand-new Sumitomo ordered from Tire Rack. It'd been on the car for 3 days. They credited me 1/2 the purchase price. Never bought another Sumitomo, or another tire from Tire Rack again.

another of the many reasons I prefer local DT(or costco etc) over online except for complete wheel and tire packages.