Car is pulling - Am I being taken for a ride (so to speak)
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From: CA
Car is pulling - Am I being taken for a ride (so to speak)
Bought new tires at 30K miles - Michelin Pilot Sports. OEM size.
Car now pulls hard to the right. Car was in for service and I went ahead and had them align it. Still pulled to the right so I went back. They agreed, and at the end of the day said I had a bad tire. They determined this by switching the left front with the right and the car tracked straight. The tire dealer gave me a new tire. Put the tires on the rights sides and the car again pulled to the right. Went back to the dealer and he put new oem tires from another GS on my car and it tracked straight. They are blaming the "aggressive" tread pattern on the new tires. Got back from a long road trip this weekend and I took it back to the dealer. They switched both fronts and backs across the car and it now pulls to the left. The dealer is done with this and says I have to live with it or get new tires. I only have 5K miles on the new, $1100 tires.
What do you think? TIA!
Car now pulls hard to the right. Car was in for service and I went ahead and had them align it. Still pulled to the right so I went back. They agreed, and at the end of the day said I had a bad tire. They determined this by switching the left front with the right and the car tracked straight. The tire dealer gave me a new tire. Put the tires on the rights sides and the car again pulled to the right. Went back to the dealer and he put new oem tires from another GS on my car and it tracked straight. They are blaming the "aggressive" tread pattern on the new tires. Got back from a long road trip this weekend and I took it back to the dealer. They switched both fronts and backs across the car and it now pulls to the left. The dealer is done with this and says I have to live with it or get new tires. I only have 5K miles on the new, $1100 tires.
What do you think? TIA!
Driver
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 127
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From: WI
I used to work for a Goodyear dealer and we had this problem a lot with goodyears. Take your receipt to another Michelin dealer and tell them the story. They will be under warranty if anything you'll have to pay a pro-rated price for new tires for the 5,000 miles you put on them.
I always like to blame the alignment, cause thats usually the cause, but, since two things fix your problem / cause it to pull a different direction, then, I'm going to go ahead and agree you have a couple bad tires...
OEM tires from another car and no pull... not an alignment problem...
Swap tires side to side and the pull changes... not an alignment problem...
they should have swapped out both front tires just to be on the safe side, as it a tire can not only cause a pull (right side pulls right), but a tire can also cause a push (left side pushes right)... there is a way to determine which, but it includes rotating one tire at a time and is somewhat time consuming...
I don't know why they are complaining - this isn't costing them anything more than their time (which I would complain about, as it sounds like they are getting frustrated with a relatively easy to solve problem)...
All you need to do is call Michelin direct and ask them for advice... Chances are, they will contact your dealer, or direct you to another dealer for some sort of replacement... the reps @ Michelin are definitely willing to work with you, so, ask for advice, suggest a whole new set if it takes it... you might be surprised what they will do...
OEM tires from another car and no pull... not an alignment problem...
Swap tires side to side and the pull changes... not an alignment problem...
they should have swapped out both front tires just to be on the safe side, as it a tire can not only cause a pull (right side pulls right), but a tire can also cause a push (left side pushes right)... there is a way to determine which, but it includes rotating one tire at a time and is somewhat time consuming...
I don't know why they are complaining - this isn't costing them anything more than their time (which I would complain about, as it sounds like they are getting frustrated with a relatively easy to solve problem)...
All you need to do is call Michelin direct and ask them for advice... Chances are, they will contact your dealer, or direct you to another dealer for some sort of replacement... the reps @ Michelin are definitely willing to work with you, so, ask for advice, suggest a whole new set if it takes it... you might be surprised what they will do...
This is the response I left you on Lexusownersclub.com.
take it to an independent but reputable tire shop and have it redone. Have them print out the alignment specs pre and post alignment. Have them do a 4 wheel alignment. Explain the whole situation to them. I sounds like the dealer is frustrated because they cannot figure it out. If the outside alignment works make the dealership reimburse you or give you a service credit for the same amount.
I had a similar situation when my Michelin Pilot Sports were put on but the dealership. Brought the car to my tire shop and the pull was gone. I took the pre/post alignment spec printout to the dealership and showed them proof that there alignment is not in alignment. Case closed, $90 service credit obtained as well as a free total car detailing. I just don't like using dealerships for tire and alignment issues. Never had luck with them.
I go where they know what they are doing everytime.
steviej
take it to an independent but reputable tire shop and have it redone. Have them print out the alignment specs pre and post alignment. Have them do a 4 wheel alignment. Explain the whole situation to them. I sounds like the dealer is frustrated because they cannot figure it out. If the outside alignment works make the dealership reimburse you or give you a service credit for the same amount.
I had a similar situation when my Michelin Pilot Sports were put on but the dealership. Brought the car to my tire shop and the pull was gone. I took the pre/post alignment spec printout to the dealership and showed them proof that there alignment is not in alignment. Case closed, $90 service credit obtained as well as a free total car detailing. I just don't like using dealerships for tire and alignment issues. Never had luck with them.
I go where they know what they are doing everytime.
steviej
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Lead Lap
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: TX
I had a similar situation when my Michelin Pilot Sports were put on but the dealership. Brought the car to my tire shop and the pull was gone. I took the pre/post alignment spec printout to the dealership and showed them proof that there alignment is not in alignment. Case closed
I go where they know what they are doing everytime.[/COLOR]
steviej
I go where they know what they are doing everytime.[/COLOR]
steviej
Glad your issue is resolved,
I think with your specific tire, it is documented that the tire cause drift/pull with Mercedes Benz. It is not defective tires, but the design specs of the tire.
Not sure about your car, but with the third gen GS430 and the GS300 rwd car, only the toe is adjustable on the car. What exactly was out of spec on your car and how did this independent adjust your alignment?
Last edited by GS2006; Oct 24, 2009 at 01:46 PM.
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I had a similar situation on my 2001 ls430.
Put Michelin Pilot Sport A/S on it, and had it aligned shortly after.
The car either wandered or pulled hard to the right after the new tires and before and after the alignment.
Had the alignment rechecked and it was correct.
Expermented with rotating the tires around and the wandering, pull stopped.
The dealer determined that two tires had bad radial pull.
Michelin was not very responsive, so I ended up just running the bad tires on the rear. They lasted 24k miles before I had to replace them. The prior set had lasted about 45k, and the current front has about half of the tread left.
I run these on my sc400 as well with excellent results.
Be sure to contact Michelin early, as this pull caused abnormal wear which Michelin claimed as alignment issues. They said it was extremely rare to have this problem on two tires of a set.
My tire dealer did give a prorated discount based on the difference in mileage I experienced.
Good luck.
Alan
Put Michelin Pilot Sport A/S on it, and had it aligned shortly after.
The car either wandered or pulled hard to the right after the new tires and before and after the alignment.
Had the alignment rechecked and it was correct.
Expermented with rotating the tires around and the wandering, pull stopped.
The dealer determined that two tires had bad radial pull.
Michelin was not very responsive, so I ended up just running the bad tires on the rear. They lasted 24k miles before I had to replace them. The prior set had lasted about 45k, and the current front has about half of the tread left.
I run these on my sc400 as well with excellent results.
Be sure to contact Michelin early, as this pull caused abnormal wear which Michelin claimed as alignment issues. They said it was extremely rare to have this problem on two tires of a set.
My tire dealer did give a prorated discount based on the difference in mileage I experienced.
Good luck.
Alan
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From: TX
Thread Starter
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 17
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From: CA
RESOLUTION. Michelin comped me a set of 4 Pilot MXM4's. Car now goes straight down the road, and it seems like the ride is even less harsh. They are about $50 more per tire, but Michelin didn't charge me - good company.
What I cannot understand is why the tires did what they did!
What I cannot understand is why the tires did what they did!
RESOLUTION. Michelin comped me a set of 4 Pilot MXM4's. Car now goes straight down the road, and it seems like the ride is even less harsh. They are about $50 more per tire, but Michelin didn't charge me - good company.
What I cannot understand is why the tires did what they did!
What I cannot understand is why the tires did what they did!
sometimes, as mentioned above, its just a bad combination of tire / vehicle specs...
Michelin ALWAYS took care of my customers that experienced issues with their tires...
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