Tires on new Camaros cracking due to very cold weather

On second thought, I DO have some things to add.

I'm surprised GM would approve tires that crack at low temperatures. I'll bet they didn't know nor had a test as part of the qualification program.

I'm surprised Goodyear would source an OE tire that would do that. I'll bet they didn't expect that and I wonder if they even suspected that would happen.

Nevertheless, this is going to be expensive - mostly for Goodyear. AND someone is likely to lose their job over this.
 
On second thought, I DO have some things to add.

I'm surprised GM would approve tires that crack at low temperatures. I'll bet they didn't know nor had a test as part of the qualification program.

I'm surprised Goodyear would source an OE tire that would do that. I'll bet they didn't expect that and I wonder if they even suspected that would happen.

Nevertheless, this is going to be expensive - mostly for Goodyear. AND someone is likely to lose their job over this.

If they don't, they should. This is without question the dumbest thing I've ever heard of, in regards to putting "high performance street tires" on licensed vehicles.

If this is widespread, they'll be lucky if someone doesn't get severely injured or killed in an accident over this, and sue Goodyear, GM, or both back to the stone age.

And putting a warning on the tire documentation isn't going to save their asses, anymore than it did the cigarette manufacturers.
 
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This happened a few years ago with Corvettes and Michelin PS4S, causing the stepped up warnings about cold whether, didn't it? I don't think there's anything new here. The same thing just happened again due to extreme cold in shipping/delivery stages.

I think there's a thread (I can't find right now) where right before I purchased a set of PS4S I was asking what was going on with all of the extra crazy cold weather warnings in the American market - they don't want you changing tire pressure, rolling, using, touching or looking at their summer tires below some temperature and it was unclear to me whether something was new and extra-fragile about the PS4S or whether something litigious happened. It was the latter. My summer tires sometimes see dry cold mornings around freezing in the shoulder seasons and it's 70F again by the afternoon so I was initially concerned. I'll post a link if I find it.

Referenced in here I think: https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/03/performance-tires-crack-winter-cracking/index.htm
 
If they don't, they should. This is without question the dumbest thing I've ever heard of, in regards to putting "high performance street tires" on licensed vehicles.

If this is widespread, they'll be lucky if someone doesn't get severely injured or killed in an accident over this, and sue Goodyear, GM, or both back to the stone age.

And putting a warning on the tire documentation isn't going to save their asses, anymore than it did the cigarette manufacturers.
Plenty of non-exotic manufacturers have offered these types of tires on production cars for years without issue; Lotus, Porsche, IIRC even my S2000 came with a warning about its tires....
 
Why? They're street cars, not race cars. If they can be licensed and insured, they should be safe to be driven on any road at any time.

Regardless, I find it almost unbelievable that the DOT would approve such a tire, that can destroy itself, by doing nothing but going through a temperature change, while sitting on a transporter.
OMG man. They are track specific tires that meet minimum DOT requirements so one can go to track. If someone wants to drive in bit versatile weather conditions, they should take down these tires and put regular, more street capable tires, all seasons or summer with higher UTQG.
It is performance car not Camry. If driver is too lazy to know or do stuff like that, GM will sell them Malibu anytime they want.
I have set of tires and brakes for my BMW that I use only on track. I take down all seasons and regular brakes, put them on, take down after track event.
People who drive these cars with these tires in very cold climates or to visit family, are simply dumb! There is no any other way around that.
 
Plenty of non-exotic manufacturers have offered these types of tires on production cars for years without issue; Lotus, Porsche, IIRC even my S2000 came with a warning about its tires....
Yes, and those cars are usually patked in garage during winter. Problem IMO with this Camaro is that regular Joe is treating it like regular Camaro. People don’t read warnings, manual etc. anymore. They know everything by reading 140 characters on Twitter.
These cars can be used year around, but then get summers with higher UTQG or all seasons (which kind of defeats purpose of this car).
 
So, in the Spring and Fall out here, when the temperature can fluctuate anywhere from the high 30's in the early hours, to the 70's during the afternoon, I can either "follow the documentation", and change my tires daily, or else stay home until it warms up for good. Sound plausible. :ROFLMAO:

(This is the part where someone comes back, and tells me I need to buy, "all season tires"). Then I have to live with the fact it's going to take me an extra 25 seconds to get to Wal-Mart in my Super Camaro, due to all the lost traction and poor handling. Decisions, decisions. :ROFLMAO:
Super Camaro is 2nd or 3rd vehicle. You go to Wal Mart in that Camaro with appropriate tires or you go with your daily driver. If this is DD, yes you find better suited tires.
 
You mean the same way these were parked on a transporter?
I'll break the news.. your arguments are weak .. do you keep continuing out of stubbornness?. This reminds me of the 85 year old marine arguing over 3cents at the grocery store and holding up the line for 10min. (ps he was wrong too)

On the transporter they are flexed in transit. If they were parked on a transporter trailer inside a building for storage and not moved ever....they would be ok.
 
Plenty of non-exotic manufacturers have offered these types of tires on production cars for years without issue; Lotus, Porsche, IIRC even my S2000 came with a warning about its tires....

You can even get them on a Civic Si (they've had the option for many years), and the Civic is much more likely to be a daily driver than a special edition Camaro. It also comes at a much lower price point.

On second thought, I DO have some things to add.

I'm surprised GM would approve tires that crack at low temperatures. I'll bet they didn't know nor had a test as part of the qualification program.

I'm surprised Goodyear would source an OE tire that would do that. I'll bet they didn't expect that and I wonder if they even suspected that would happen.

Nevertheless, this is going to be expensive - mostly for Goodyear. AND someone is likely to lose their job over this.

Goodyear has publicly stated that all their summer tires have a glass transition temperature of 20F, and both GM and Goodyear should know that summer tires are not meant to be used in freezing or near-freezing temperatures, through snow, or on ice.

The engineers developing the ZL1 and other high performance Camaros know very well that these tires are not meant for cold temps, and most of them probably have some track time under their belts, too.

Probably nobody from either company expects anybody to drive these cars in cold weather or year-round.
 
And you think my arguments are weak? That's your comeback? And at the same time you think it's acceptable that a brand name, DOT certified street tire, cracks itself to destruction by simply being moved on a trailer. OK.
How is that yelling at the cloud going for you?
Yes, these tires crack in cold weather. Brand name! They have disclaimer about their use! People have to read them. But, you are example that that doesn’t happen in real world. After 4 pages of explanation why, you still didn’t Google this and read it for yourself.

Also, manufacturers of performance cars very often transport these vehicles on specific wheels and tires to avoid this situation and damaging super expensive wheels. Why GM didn’t do it good question. Then some guy running blog from his basement finds out about this and posts online, and bcs. bad news is always a news people picked it up.
 
You can even get them on a Civic Si (they've had the option for many years), and the Civic is much more likely to be a daily driver than a special edition Camaro. It also comes at a much lower price point.



Goodyear has publicly stated that all their summer tires have a glass transition temperature of 20F, and both GM and Goodyear should know that summer tires are not meant to be used in freezing or near-freezing temperatures, through snow, or on ice.

The engineers developing the ZL1 and other high performance Camaros know very well that these tires are not meant for cold temps, and most of them probably have some track time under their belts, too.

Probably nobody from either company expects anybody to drive these cars in cold weather or year-round.
I have seen Porsche and BMW transporting their cars on specific wheels and tires. Then dealership install max performance tires and appropriate wheels and return those cheap ones back.
 
And you think my arguments are weak? That's your comeback? And at the same time you think it's acceptable that a brand name, DOT certified street tire, cracks itself to destruction by simply being moved on a trailer. OK.
If you bought a carton of ice cream and left it on the counter would you be amazed they sold something that self destructs if handled wrong?
If you order your car with steet legal racing tires.. they might require SPECIAL care.. not too hard to understand.

I'm not sure if you are ostrich with head in the sand, geico caveman guy living under rock.. at this point in your arguments.
I know its old man yelling at cloud ;)
old.jpg

Next up its amazing they sell a car that could run out of gas... it could be a safety hazard. /sarcasm
 
I think you are mixing up tool quality with tool usage.

Is this screwdriver issue that it does not work well with nails?

Somebody with your understanding of tire technology shipped high performance vehicles (and some Camaros are apparently equipped with track ready options from factory) with wrong parts for transport in winter conditions.
Nothing wrong with tires, when they are used as recommended.

Krzys
 
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