Defective Michelin Tyre!

Sahil · 18th August 2004, 18:50

I switched my accord tyres to Michellin Certis Tubeless tyres the very same day i got the car from the existing tubed bridgestone 195/65 R 15 to 205/60 R 15 Michellin.
Now the car has run about 16,000 Kms+ and i sent it for wheel aligment and stuff to J.C Auto in vile parle with the driver to get the job done. After closely lookin at the tyre my driver found a small expanded part on the right side front tyre which looked similar to an air buddle which was about to burst. He called the technican at the wheel balancing place and he informed him that the tyre has cracked from inside and the air is seeped into it and caused the small bump sort of a stucture on the outside, he said that it could bust in a few days which could damage the entire tyre and coz a hole in it!! The driver informed me of the same and i was furious,told him to take the car to the tyre guy who i bought the michellin from. The tyre guy said that michellin would not give a replacement since its been over a year now and i am not even sure if it was ever under warranty and it surely seemed as a defect in the tyre as this has built up over a long period of time. Well now i have started using the spare tyre which is also the same michellin as my front right tyre and the defected tyre is currently getting repaired and i dont wanna take a risk with that and hence will keep that one in the trunk as a spare tyre.
How do such things happen? It was my good luck that someone noticed it and i was saved, if this tyre would have burst then it could have caused a big accident. How do u keep a check on such small stuff that cant really be seen by the naked eye?
I was informed by the tyre chap that there have been many such similar complaints with these tyres and michellin will get it repaired to for free. Should i trust that such a thing wouldnt happen again? I am glad that the tyre is gonna be sent back to the company to get fixed but I dont feel that confident with it still hence i need u r advice if i should use the spare tyre which is new from now on ,thats what i am using right now as the old tyre will take a week to come back from the company and the car seems fine with 1 new tyre and the rest being 16,000Km run. But when the old tyre comes back repaired should i use that once again or keep it as a spare?

Shan2nu · 18th August 2004, 19:28

Oh yeah i've seen this before, now haven't I!! Rehaan had this same problem on his Accent which also has tubeless tyres.

The tyre guy put a tube inside the tyre and something called a "Cold Patch" to cover the bulge until the porblem was taken care of. We even took the car to Panchghani, for the team-bhp trip without any further damage to the tyre.

Dunno what exactly happened after that but i think he's still running on the same tyres, which i'm sure have been repaired by now.

Regards...
Shan2nu

Rehaan · 19th August 2004, 00:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Sahil @ Aug. 18 2004,17:20)]How do such things happen?

Hey Sahil,

These "bubbles" are usually caused by the sidewall taking a severe impact.
I had the same thing happen to my Michelin MXF sports, when i did some unintentional "off-roading" on a island in the middle of the road. Got lucky....

Quote:

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]The tyre guy put a tube inside the tyre and something called a "Cold Patch" to cover the bulge until the porblem was taken care of. We even took the car to Panchghani, for the team-bhp trip without any further damage to the tyre.

As Shan2nu said, this was just a temporary solution for that weekend. We constantly monitored the bubble to make sure it didnt get any bigger.
When i got back i got the tire repaired (vulcanizing & hot patch) so it should be as good as new. However i just moved it to the rear for extra precaution.
My stepnee if the stock tire, so i had to use the repaired tire. In your situation i would probably keep the damaged tire as the stepnee.

According to my knowledge this is more a case of the tire taking a sudden beating (hitting a divider/stone/pothole) than it being a manufacturing defect. (The fact that it is the front right tire emphasises this point).

Its a good thing it was noticed before it grew. I was lucky that someone pointed out my tire bubble to me as well, or else i would have never seen it!

cheers
R

Sahil · 19th August 2004, 00:53

Thnx for the reply guys.
Rehaan the crack is from inside the tyre whereas if it were hit hard from the front then there would be some sign of damage on the outter rubber too but there wasnt. Also the tyre guy told me that serveral such complaints had some from Michillin users and the company is readily accepting them back for repair.
That fact that its gonna be repaired by the company is confusing me if i should trust them and use it back or use the unused spare tyre?

Rehaan · 19th August 2004, 02:30

Hey Sahil,

Well the damage is internal, even in my case there is absolutely no sign of any scraping etc on the sidewall. Its the sudden impact on the tread that causes the sidewall to compress and stretch that causes the "tear" on the inside of the tire.

Whether michelins are more prone to this, i really cant say...

If in doubt use the spare tyre. Thats what i would do.

cya
R

Ravibm · 30th October 2006, 00:23

Hello Guys,

Let me give you some facts on the tyre problem which is similar to that explained.

A tyre is made of Nylon belts which are mouled with rubber on top to get a round shape with more rubber on the contact patch.

What happens to you when you jump from a 10 feet high wall? You may break a bone. Correct. But no blood no injury and no tell tale marks. Simialry, a tyre's nylon belt may get damaged but you will not notice anything. But the outside swells as the inside casing is broken and adds to the over all width.

This normally happens on impact as some of our friends have said. The tyre in such cases can be repaired if it is found out at an early stage and if it is a small fracture of size 1 - 2 inches. Anything bigger i suggest do not take any risk in repairing and using it. You cannot relay on this at high speed.

If michelin is getting it repaired it is a hand holding gesture and nothing else. They will also advice if the tyre is not safe to use.

You may also find after the repair the tyre will not behave the same way, you will have balancing problems and flat spot feeling.

It is advised that all guys who likes to speed, takes a good look at tyres every now and than and gets it inspected once in 10,000 kms by getting it opened up form the rims. After all guys it is this few square inches of rubber that is in contact and control of the huge vehicle you are driving.

Take care of your tyres and they will take care of you.

Have a safe ride.

Ravi

hellspawn · 31st October 2006, 22:53

when i went to change my tires,i was looking at michelin certis.the tyre dealer told me that michelin certis does face some problems regarding bubbling.instead i got michelin energy xm1's.he even showed me some cetirs tires with bubble formation on them.yes the company would replace them free of cost.

carcrazzy · 14th November 2006, 18:16

as Ravi said the fact is impact has caused the bulge on the tyre and not any defect.....no tyre comes with bubbles or bubbling problems either certis or XM1........if the company is offering replacement then its juz a good gesture......as I got one replaced a cpl of years back for the same reason.......we cant expect the tyre to be rugged and comfortable at the same time unless its an All terrain SUV tyre with huge sidewalls for cushioning......

..its like the swelling on our skin due to the cells getting ruptured inside........unfortunately they restructure themselves on their own a tyre cord can't................and as far as external marks are concerned we hardley get them after a 40~50k run on our Indian potholed roads with all those impacts...thats the beauty of some sidewall surfaces of tyres........

...its an irony that despite of the best of cars and to support them best of tyres we dont have good roads all over Indian cities & lets not talk about bombay............we need to be careful with all those low profile tyres with no re-inforced rubber on the sidewall of the tyre specially the 60 and 65 profile ones.......unlike the 45 -50 profile ones.........and then foreign brands do tend to be on a softer side unlike the indian one's but then we all want comfortable ride ...ain't we?

theMAG · 14th November 2006, 18:29

Getting a replacement, irrespective of warranty, is the way to go

atulpj · 28th December 2009, 16:35

I am not able to post this to any other forum so adding the thread here...

I purchased the Michelin tyres 3 months before from two dealer AM. Mehta and Darshan Tyres in Pune India. and one of the tyres got a bulge on the right side. I showed to the dealer who in turn called the Michelin Engineer. THe engineer had some discussion with the dealer and they discuss something withing themselves.

The engineer has inpsected the tyre and said that its due to some impact and there is a bulge on the side wall. The car run only 3000 km when I put the new tyres.

There is no mark on the Rim of any impact on the aloy wheels. The engineer has refuse to listen to my claim. Dealer has offered me a discounted tyre so that, his sale can happen.

I would like Michelin Management to look into it else I am planning to file a consumer complaint against it. Any loss to the car or life due to defective tyre will be a sole responsibility of Michelin

Zappo · 2nd January 2010, 01:09

A similar issue has been raised here (Michelin Primacy LC - Bad experiences). And more surprisingly it is the same manufacturer, the same dealer and tyres most probably from the same lot (since the buying time period looks the same). You guys may wish to exchange notes here.

privin · 2nd January 2010, 20:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by atulpj

I would like Michelin Management to look into it else I am planning to file a consumer complaint against it. Any loss to the car or life due to defective tyre will be a sole responsibility of Michelin

It helps that both of us are in Pune. Let us IM each other, since I also have similar problem and planning a consumer complaint.

DjNik · 2nd January 2010, 21:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by atulpj

I am not able to post this to any other forum so adding the thread here...

I purchased the Michelin tyres 3 months before from two dealer AM. Mehta and Darshan Tyres in Pune India. and one of the tyres got a bulge on the right side. I showed to the dealer who in turn called the Michelin Engineer. THe engineer had some discussion with the dealer and they discuss something withing themselves.

The engineer has inpsected the tyre and said that its due to some impact and there is a bulge on the side wall. The car run only 3000 km when I put the new tyres.

There is no mark on the Rim of any impact on the aloy wheels. The engineer has refuse to listen to my claim. Dealer has offered me a discounted tyre so that, his sale can happen.

I would like Michelin Management to look into it else I am planning to file a consumer complaint against it. Any loss to the car or life due to defective tyre will be a sole responsibility of Michelin

Guys I know I am being too imaginative here but cant it be a possibility that the engineer from michelin has joined hands with the tyre dealer.He rejects the claim from the customer, the tyre dealer offers a discount, the customer purchases it, gives back the damaged tyre and the dealer with the help of the engineer claims a new one for the damaged tyre.Easy profit I must say.

Its just the sequence of events taken place wit two members with the same dealer that make me come up with this.

Nikhilb2008 · 2nd January 2010, 21:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by DjNik

Guys I know I am being too imaginative here but cant it be a possibility that the engineer from michelin has joined hands with the tyre dealer.He rejects the claim from the customer, the tyre dealer offers a discount, the customer purchases it, gives back the damaged tyre and the dealer with the help of the engineer claims a new one for the damaged tyre.Easy profit I must say.

Its just the sequence of events taken place wit two members with the same dealer that make me come up with this.

Hahaha!! You've been wathcing too many movies or saas bahu soaps! This is very nearly impossible. Especially with Michelin.

itzzme · 2nd January 2010, 21:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by atulpj

I am not able to post this to any other forum so adding the thread here...

I purchased the Michelin tyres 3 months before from two dealer AM. Mehta and Darshan Tyres in Pune India. and one of the tyres got a bulge on the right side. I showed to the dealer who in turn called the Michelin Engineer. THe engineer had some discussion with the dealer and they discuss something withing themselves.

The engineer has inpsected the tyre and said that its due to some impact and there is a bulge on the side wall. The car run only 3000 km when I put the new tyres.

There is no mark on the Rim of any impact on the aloy wheels. The engineer has refuse to listen to my claim. Dealer has offered me a discounted tyre so that, his sale can happen.

I would like Michelin Management to look into it else I am planning to file a consumer complaint against it. Any loss to the car or life due to defective tyre will be a sole responsibility of Michelin

A buldge on the sidewall due to an impact can happen to any tyre(any co. any make, it can happen to a truck tyres as well).
It is actually a damage and not covered under warranty by many co. but if there is no evident marks on the tyre, some customer friendly cos. do give the benefit of doubt to the customers.

18th August 2004, 18:50	#1
Sahil Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 6,322 Thanked: 7,767 Times	Defective Michelin Tyre! I switched my accord tyres to Michellin Certis Tubeless tyres the very same day i got the car from the existing tubed bridgestone 195/65 R 15 to 205/60 R 15 Michellin. Now the car has run about 16,000 Kms+ and i sent it for wheel aligment and stuff to J.C Auto in vile parle with the driver to get the job done. After closely lookin at the tyre my driver found a small expanded part on the right side front tyre which looked similar to an air buddle which was about to burst. He called the technican at the wheel balancing place and he informed him that the tyre has cracked from inside and the air is seeped into it and caused the small bump sort of a stucture on the outside, he said that it could bust in a few days which could damage the entire tyre and coz a hole in it!! The driver informed me of the same and i was furious,told him to take the car to the tyre guy who i bought the michellin from. The tyre guy said that michellin would not give a replacement since its been over a year now and i am not even sure if it was ever under warranty and it surely seemed as a defect in the tyre as this has built up over a long period of time. Well now i have started using the spare tyre which is also the same michellin as my front right tyre and the defected tyre is currently getting repaired and i dont wanna take a risk with that and hence will keep that one in the trunk as a spare tyre. How do such things happen? It was my good luck that someone noticed it and i was saved, if this tyre would have burst then it could have caused a big accident. How do u keep a check on such small stuff that cant really be seen by the naked eye? I was informed by the tyre chap that there have been many such similar complaints with these tyres and michellin will get it repaired to for free. Should i trust that such a thing wouldnt happen again? I am glad that the tyre is gonna be sent back to the company to get fixed but I dont feel that confident with it still hence i need u r advice if i should use the spare tyre which is new from now on ,thats what i am using right now as the old tyre will take a week to come back from the company and the car seems fine with 1 new tyre and the rest being 16,000Km run. But when the old tyre comes back repaired should i use that once again or keep it as a spare?
	() Thanks

18th August 2004, 19:28	#2
Shan2nu Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Hubli - Karnata Posts: 5,533 Thanked: 125 Times View My Garage	Oh yeah i've seen this before, now haven't I!! Rehaan had this same problem on his Accent which also has tubeless tyres. The tyre guy put a tube inside the tyre and something called a "Cold Patch" to cover the bulge until the porblem was taken care of. We even took the car to Panchghani, for the team-bhp trip without any further damage to the tyre. Dunno what exactly happened after that but i think he's still running on the same tyres, which i'm sure have been repaired by now. Regards... Shan2nu
	() Thanks

19th August 2004, 00:53	#4
Sahil Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 6,322 Thanked: 7,767 Times	Thnx for the reply guys. Rehaan the crack is from inside the tyre whereas if it were hit hard from the front then there would be some sign of damage on the outter rubber too but there wasnt. Also the tyre guy told me that serveral such complaints had some from Michillin users and the company is readily accepting them back for repair. That fact that its gonna be repaired by the company is confusing me if i should trust them and use it back or use the unused spare tyre?
	() Thanks

19th August 2004, 02:30	#5
Rehaan Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 24,287 Thanked: 35,260 Times	Hey Sahil, Well the damage is internal, even in my case there is absolutely no sign of any scraping etc on the sidewall. Its the sudden impact on the tread that causes the sidewall to compress and stretch that causes the "tear" on the inside of the tire. Whether michelins are more prone to this, i really cant say... If in doubt use the spare tyre. Thats what i would do. cya R
	() Thanks

30th October 2006, 00:23	#6
Ravibm Newbie Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 5 Thanked: Once	Hello Guys, Let me give you some facts on the tyre problem which is similar to that explained. A tyre is made of Nylon belts which are mouled with rubber on top to get a round shape with more rubber on the contact patch. What happens to you when you jump from a 10 feet high wall? You may break a bone. Correct. But no blood no injury and no tell tale marks. Simialry, a tyre's nylon belt may get damaged but you will not notice anything. But the outside swells as the inside casing is broken and adds to the over all width. This normally happens on impact as some of our friends have said. The tyre in such cases can be repaired if it is found out at an early stage and if it is a small fracture of size 1 - 2 inches. Anything bigger i suggest do not take any risk in repairing and using it. You cannot relay on this at high speed. If michelin is getting it repaired it is a hand holding gesture and nothing else. They will also advice if the tyre is not safe to use. You may also find after the repair the tyre will not behave the same way, you will have balancing problems and flat spot feeling. It is advised that all guys who likes to speed, takes a good look at tyres every now and than and gets it inspected once in 10,000 kms by getting it opened up form the rims. After all guys it is this few square inches of rubber that is in contact and control of the huge vehicle you are driving. Take care of your tyres and they will take care of you. Have a safe ride. Ravi
	() Thanks

31st October 2006, 22:53	#7
hellspawn Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: noida Posts: 1,686 Thanked: 7 Times View My Garage Infractions: 0/1 (10)	when i went to change my tires,i was looking at michelin certis.the tyre dealer told me that michelin certis does face some problems regarding bubbling.instead i got michelin energy xm1's.he even showed me some cetirs tires with bubble formation on them.yes the company would replace them free of cost.
	() Thanks

14th November 2006, 18:16	#8
carcrazzy Newbie Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: BANGALORE Posts: 11 Thanked: 0 Times	as Ravi said the fact is impact has caused the bulge on the tyre and not any defect.....no tyre comes with bubbles or bubbling problems either certis or XM1........if the company is offering replacement then its juz a good gesture......as I got one replaced a cpl of years back for the same reason.......we cant expect the tyre to be rugged and comfortable at the same time unless its an All terrain SUV tyre with huge sidewalls for cushioning...... ..its like the swelling on our skin due to the cells getting ruptured inside........unfortunately they restructure themselves on their own a tyre cord can't................and as far as external marks are concerned we hardley get them after a 40~50k run on our Indian potholed roads with all those impacts...thats the beauty of some sidewall surfaces of tyres........ ...its an irony that despite of the best of cars and to support them best of tyres we dont have good roads all over Indian cities & lets not talk about bombay............we need to be careful with all those low profile tyres with no re-inforced rubber on the sidewall of the tyre specially the 60 and 65 profile ones.......unlike the 45 -50 profile ones.........and then foreign brands do tend to be on a softer side unlike the indian one's but then we all want comfortable ride ...ain't we?
	() Thanks

14th November 2006, 18:29	#9
theMAG Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Avon, CT Posts: 7,217 Thanked: 1,811 Times View My Garage	Getting a replacement, irrespective of warranty, is the way to go
	() Thanks

28th December 2009, 16:35	#10
atulpj Newbie Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Pune Posts: 10 Thanked: 6 Times	Worst Experience with Michelin Tyres and Engineers I am not able to post this to any other forum so adding the thread here... I purchased the Michelin tyres 3 months before from two dealer AM. Mehta and Darshan Tyres in Pune India. and one of the tyres got a bulge on the right side. I showed to the dealer who in turn called the Michelin Engineer. THe engineer had some discussion with the dealer and they discuss something withing themselves. The engineer has inpsected the tyre and said that its due to some impact and there is a bulge on the side wall. The car run only 3000 km when I put the new tyres. There is no mark on the Rim of any impact on the aloy wheels. The engineer has refuse to listen to my claim. Dealer has offered me a discounted tyre so that, his sale can happen. I would like Michelin Management to look into it else I am planning to file a consumer complaint against it. Any loss to the car or life due to defective tyre will be a sole responsibility of Michelin
	() Thanks

2nd January 2010, 01:09	#11
Zappo Team-BHP Support Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 5,937 Thanked: 2,730 Times	A similar issue has been raised here (Michelin Primacy LC - Bad experiences). And more surprisingly it is the same manufacturer, the same dealer and tyres most probably from the same lot (since the buying time period looks the same). You guys may wish to exchange notes here.
	() Thanks