EGainer

well right before christmas, my tire went flat... the sidewall had separated. the tire was replaced and then today the new tire split along the sidewall, all the way around....

now i thought the car was pulling to the right some, but assumed it was alignment, since of course the tire was just replaced, no reason for it to be low on pressure. guess it was actually low on pressure, which caused the entire sidewall to be worn quick then it split...

now the guy who put my tire on wont replace it for free bc he said it was running on low tire pressure which is my fault for not noticing and bringing it in.... i asked well maybe there is a leak around the rim, he claims his guys check that when they put it on.... no nails, no rocks, just a torn tire. he found a tiny slit, which he said might be a hole caused by a rock.... but thats kinda funny since this is the same tire as before, and this one split in the same way...

anyway, im runnin around on a donut again...

you guys think its a bad wheel? or bad tire?

Kris Hansen

that is properly inflated.

RKA

So, either they didn't install the valve properly, and you've been losing pressure, or they installed a faulty valve, and that's why you lost pressure, or the tire is defective. I'm betting on the latter. In any event, the onus is on them. Back to the shop.

What tires are we talking about?

EGainer

so you guys don't think the wheel is bent or leaking air, but it is infact the tire... well im taking it someplace else to have them look at it, if they determine that the tire was not properly mounted then i will take it to the first place and get free tire. he claims that its my fault for running on low pressure...

RKA

The last thing you need is the first shop pointing the finger at the second shop. I suspect it's probably a cheap tire...and getting another tire of the same brand/model, might not address the problem.

A bad rim could cause air to leak, but the rim would either have to have a HUGE deformity that the shop should not have missed, or the rim could be cracked. Hairline cracks are kinda hard to see. When you mount the new tire on the rim, spray the wheel down with soapy water and check for leaks.

As for addressing the issue, you might try contacting Cooper for assistance. Let them know what's happened. Ask them how they typically handle issues with defective tires. They will say that the installer should be qualified to judge whether the tire was defective or not. Remind them that the shop believes low pressure was the cause...however you only had the tire two weeks, and the installer already inspected for punctures. There should be no reason for pressure loss, unless the tire was defective. Ask them how you should proceed.

If you're nice...they may ask you for the name of the shop, and make arrangements to have a new tire put on at no expense to you. If they don't offer, suggest that they do this to make you happy...because Cooper is a quality tire company (right?). Good Luck!

EGainer

if it is due to the service of the store, and not the tire being defective or cheap, then they should replace it and eat the cost. he says he wont be able to send the tire back to the manufacturer bc they would just laugh, since it tore up due to low tire pressure. he showed how the marks were on the inside of the tire too, but it split on the outside first...

how do i prove that it was their service that improperly changed the tire, or did not check for leaks. and that it doesnt matter that i didnt notice the tire being low on pressure for the few days it was (if thats how long it was low). he pointed out to me some type of cut on the sidewall, it was very minute and i do not believe it was a source of leaking air, is it was only a small slit, didnt seem to have punctured the entire tire.

RKA

You described the split on the sidewall as if it was a tire defect. Now you're describing it as if something actually cut the tire while driving.

If the tire was damaged in anyway while driving...you're probably screwed, because they can point to that as a possible cause for low pressure.

If their is no evidence of damage, then a low tire pressure condition points back to the original installer. Either they didn't install the tire correctly, or they didn't put enough air in it when they sent you out.

Based on the above...decide which applies.

EGainer

there is a tiny slit somewhere else, but it just looks like a hangnail type piece, and not a puncture