Defective Tire(s)

Sorry guys, I need to vent.

Got a set of 4 Goodyear ATD2s on my 99 Ranger from Sam's Club as a birthday gift last summer from the gf. All my misgivings about Sams/Walmart aside, it seemed like a sensible thing to do- I had almost

100K on the original Firestone Blowup Tires and they were hard as a rock and dry rotten everywhere. I have no complaints about the Goodyears, really. They look nice, ride relatively nice and quiet, and are awesome in the rain and snow.

However, I've been back to Sam's club several times in the last 17K to have them re-balanced. Each time they tell me "oh yeah, there was XXX oz. off on one of them", where "XXX" is usually 1.25 to 2.5 oz. With all due respect to these guys my own former experience in working with tires suggests that 2.5 oz is kind of a *lot*. More on that later. Yet each time I'd take it to them, they'd do their thing and when I drive away the truck would shake and shimmy just like when I took it in. Sometimes the speed at which it was most evident would change, but usually it was 25, 45 and 65.

So after awhile I thought that maybe their balancing machine was out of calibration, I had a bent rim, or a messed up tire. These things happen, and if any of them are the case I'm not upset at them or anyone. That's just the breaks. So I took it to the local garage down the road one day for an oil change, brake inspection and to have the tires rotated. I usually rotate them @ every oil change. It's probably excessive to do it every 3000 but it's been my habit for years. I also asked them to spin balance the tires too. Different machine, different guys, all that. This isn't a quicky-lube place either, it's a real honest-to-goodness and reputable shop. Had them do lots of work there and they do it well. So the tech there immediately brings me over to show me the right front on the balancer. He let it spin and it's definately out of round, with about 2" of motion. Perfectly balanced, but shaped like an egg. Ok cool, that explains everything.

Took it back to Sam's, along with the invoice I got from my mechanic which states that the right front was out of round. Sam's said they'd look at it. But when they gave it back I got the usual "oh yeah there was XXX oz. off on one of them". I explained (nicely) that I wasn't here for a re-balance, but that there was a defective tire that needs to be replaced. The woman behind the desk went back out the door and talked with her guys at length. Eventually she came back in and said "Yeah, he says it's got a 'hop' in it but you just need to rotate it a few times and that will go away."

I was speechless. I stopped myself from just screaming at her at the top of my lungs. I left to go cool off. Later when I spoke to them they still maintained that lack of rotation is the reason for this tire's condition. Nevermind that I get them rotated every 3000, and nevermind that every time they've balanced the tires they put them all back on different corners than where they came off- sort of defeats their own argument. Problem is I can't prove anything after the fact.

I am formerly an ASE-certified auto mechanic myself. Sure, I haven't worked in the field for many years, but I *do* know a number of things, tires being one of them. I'm not trying to toot my horn or get up on a high-horse, but when I talk with these guys, it really shakes my faith in their abilities. I mean this in the kindest way possible, but either they're trying to bullshit me, or they are very mis-informed and ignorant about the job they do. I realise that's what I get for going to Sam's and not a real tire store, but nonetheless here's my connundrum.

I've tried to reason with them, and explain to them as kindly as possible that rotation has everything to do with even side-to-side treadwear and fuckall to do with the shape of the tire, and that out of roundness is either a broken cord, damage from the tire machine or a molding defect at goodyear. Nonetheless, I am at their mercy, and they've apparently got the power.

Of course these tires are Sam's-Specific, I can't just go to a Goodyear dealer and work with them. Of course there's no other Sam's with in a hundred miles or so, and that'd be a pretty rough trip with the tire(s) like they are. At 65mph it's like sitting on a washing machine on the spin-cycle, and at times it slightly affects the ability to control the vehicle.

It's a real hazard, and something needs to be done. I could *buy* another tire from them for $85, but that means they 'win'. I really doubt that they deserve any more business if they're going to be this incompetent. I could continue to bitch and moan till I'm blue in the face, but to be honest I'm not much for debating. I don't like to do it, and thusfar I've proven that I'm not very effective. I could go see if a real, honest-to-goodness tire shop can sell me the closest thing they have to that tire. Might make it handle funny, and once again, I'm the one getting stuck with the problem. Or I could buy a whole new set of tires somewhere else and sell 3 of these to recoup the cost. I'd have a hard time selling the 4th one to anyone, at least not without telling them what's wrong with it.

*sigh*

Sorry for the rant. Any suggestions? Am I being unreasonable?

thanks

-phaeton

Reply to
phaeton
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Are the tires still under a manufacturer's warranty? Do you have the receipts for all of the balancings? You should contact Goodyear and tell them the problem. Definitely do not buy tires at this Sam's again.

Reply to
Matt Macchiarolo

SamsClub/Walmart says it all. You get what you pay for. Knowing how much they pay their store help do you think they pay the tire thumpers they hire as technicians any better?

Whitelightning

Reply to
Whitelightning

"> Took it back to Sam's, along with the invoice I got from my mechanic

I think you need to force your hand. NO REPUTABLE TIRE SHOP would tell you that a egg shaped tire is from lack of rotation; and that it can be rotated and will correct itself.

"spin and it's definately out of round, with about 2" of motion. Perfectly balanced, but shaped like an egg. Ok cool, that explains everything."

If what you say is true; and you have 2 inches of motion, then you have a separated belt. It happens allot in all tires (Not just Firestones set at a low pressure in hot climates ;) ) Go back to them and tell them you want a replacement tire OR if they say it's OK, then you want that in writing so when the tire separates and damages your truck; or causes a roll over (See Firestone) they will help with the settlement.

Most people will say anything but to put it in writing stops them cold.

Steve

4.5 years at Firestone Now working at another place
Reply to
Stephen H

They sound like a bunch of dumb asses. Tell them you're sending a letter to your attourney so when the tire blows and you're killed he knows who to sue. But as thick as they sound they may not be frightened.

Reply to
invalid unparseable

Got 4 Goodyear ATD2s on my 99 Ranger from Sam's Club. Tires are demonstrably defective. Sam's Club will not replace them. Any suggestions? ________________________________________________

1.) Buy the good tires you need at another supplier.

2.) Organize the proof you have collected and file suit against Sam's Club in small claims court.

Good luck.

Rodan.

Reply to
Rodan

I think Matt's got the right idea; contact Goodyear and tell them about the runaround you're getting from the tire weenies @ Sam's.

Reply to
invalid unparseable

You have every right to vent. This is pure B.S... BTW the rotation is not moving the tires from one position to another but the actual spinning round and round as you drive down the road. Again, this is B.S. Sometimes tires that are stored upright in a rack will develop a flat spot on the bottom. This usually goes away when the tire is inflated but sometimes it will remain flat or oval shaped until it is driven (rotated) with the vehicle weight upon it. This will go away in 5-10 miles, normally. If the condition persists, it means that the tire is defective (I would say a manufacturing defect) and should be replaced... Every tire brand at these "tire stores" like Wal-mart, KMart, etc. have a vendor representative that visits the store on a regular basis (at least they used to). I would find out from Wal-mart when this person is going to be in the store and I would visit the store and have a nose-to-nose conversation with the rep. These people are quite knowledgeable, usually and are interested in maintaining good customer relationships. If you can't go this route, then I would get the customer service number at Goodyear and layout the situation to them. I can tell you that had I heard one of my techs or service writers trying to B.S. one of our customers in such a fashion, they would be looking thru the door from the outside in....

Dave D

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Reply to
Dave and Trudy

Reply to
fordtech via CarKB.com

Everyone loves a little ass but nobody likes a WISEASS! You know damn well what I was getting at, I did misstate myself in that what I intended to say was the rotation under discussion was the rotation of the tire on the axle NOT moving them from one position to another. But wait a moment...you are a Ford Tech...so perhaps you didn't get the gist of my post... AHHHH!!!! Sorry... I will attempt to be more lucid for you in any following posts!

Dave D

///snipped for brevity/// Uhh that means I cut some out to keep the post short Ford Tech///

Reply to
Dave and Trudy

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