one car tire the wrong size

[Sandy61]

We just found out that the last time we got tires, they put one on that is the wrong size. We have been experiencing uneven wear, pulling to one side, and now one tire has belts loose inside.

When we take the car back in to complain, what should we expect to receive as compensation? I am so upset that I would like to get 4 new tires for free. This has damaged my car for the last 2 years of driving. My husband drives it to work 40 miles away each day.

We have receipts and are regular customers of them. I don't even know what damage it may have caused to the car or other tires.

 

[kymom99]

I would certainly expect a new set of tires at the very least. Years ago Michel Tire put the wrong size axel on my step daughter's car. Well, it was my car, but she drove it. We had the work done on it. They forced an axel for the wrong model year which caused the bearings to wear out. My husband took the car to another garage and they noticed the part was the wrong size and said that would likely have caused the wheel bearings to wear out. My husband went back to Michel Tire and spoke with a service manager. They turned the case over to their insurance. A representative called and spoke with my husband and offered a settlement. I want to say it was something like $1200.

Using the wrong size part on a car could endanger a person's life. Go in there prepared to stand your ground until something is done.

 

[lexysdad04]

We'll expect to have to put up a fight, 2yrs of having the wrong size tire sure is a long time, they might if your lucky pay for a full tire replacement but I really wouldn't expect much after it being 2 yrs, had you brought it to their attention right away on your first tire rotation (I rotate very 5k miles, if you drive 40miles each way 40x2x5x52=20800 so at least 4 rotations) they for sure would have done something but it being 2 yrs later they could very simply say that "you had a blow out and got the wrong tire size else where and now want to blame them"

Also why did you wait so long to get this issue taken care of?

The good thing is that you say you are regular customers so they might just do it simply for the fact that they don't want to loose a customer

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[bumbershoot]

We have receipts and are regular customers of them. I don't even know what damage it may have caused to the car or other tires.

Wow, shouldn't THEY have noticed this if you took it in for rotation at some point in there? Crazy!

 

[toolmanjan]

How big of a difference are the sizes?

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

The rule of thumb that is used when they have to replace a defective tire is based on thread wear. Depending on how much tread wear there is on the other tires, they have a mathematical calculation they do as to how much money they will give you toward a new tire.


The tire that is the issue, does it have the same rim as the other tires? The reason I ask is, its not uncommon for a thief take your good tire off of your car and switch it with their bad tire.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

Did you take it in to them to get the tires rotated every 5K miles like suggested? If not, you probably wont be able to get much out of them past a new tire.

 

[cvjw]

Unless you have a picture of all 4 tires just as you were leaving the tire shop after buying them, can you really prove that the wrong size tire was put on your car? Maybe I am just cynical, but I would not get my hopes up that the tire shop is just going to take your word for it that they installed the wrong size tire on your car. For all they know, you could be trying to scam them.

 

[luvmy3]

I'm no expert but if you had a tire that was the wrong size wouldn't you have noticed something right away, like pulling to one side?
If you were having problems for 2 years, why didn't you take it in a long time ago?
I think you are way past the "guarantee" period to be able to get 4 tires replaced for free. It doesn't hurt to ask, but I imagine they are going to question why you waited so long to complain about the problems you've experienced in the last 2 years.

 

[lakelandgal70]

Had this happen to us last year. They put 4 tires on that were all wrong size. Naturally couple weeks after this was done we were on our way to TN on trip and one of the tires went. Thankfully our cars computer alerted us to low tire and when we took it in to Walmart they told us they were all the wrong size. What a mess. Sam's was the ones that put them on. When we got back home we took all the tires back and got a refund. However no one really seemed to care they put the wrong size on. I will never go to Sam's for that reason. Just thankful that nothing worse happened

 

[wiigirl]

I would certainly expect a new set of tires at the very least. Years ago Michel Tire put the wrong size axel on my step daughter's car. Well, it was my car, but she drove it. We had the work done on it. They forced an axel for the wrong model year which caused the bearings to wear out. My husband took the car to another garage and they noticed the part was the wrong size and said that would likely have caused the wheel bearings to wear out. My husband went back to Michel Tire and spoke with a service manager. They turned the case over to their insurance. A representative called and spoke with my husband and offered a settlement. I want to say it was something like $1200.

Using the wrong size part on a car could endanger a person's life. Go in there prepared to stand your ground until something is done.

x2

 

[Sandy61]

UPDATE Got 4 free new tires. We didn't even have to put up much of an argument which confused us. At first they said they could give us 2 new ones free but then talked to the store manager and we got 4 free new ones fairly easily.

 

[lexysdad04]

UPDATE Got 4 free new tires. We didn't even have to put up much of an argument which confused us. At first they said they could give us 2 new ones free but then talked to the store manager and we got 4 free new ones fairly easily.

WOW that's great!

I actually would like to know what company did this so that I can become their new customer, this shows A LOT for them

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[lost*in*cyberspace]

I'm with those who can't believe you took 2 years to notice this!

 

[Sandy61]

I'm with those who can't believe you took 2 years to notice this!

Honestly, I don't know either. I don't know anyone who gets new tires and crouches down to read and compare all the numbers on each tire. I guess I will from now on.

The ride wasn't that bad. Not horrible enough to think we had a flat tire or there was a major problem. Maybe the tire wasn't that far off in size. And they did not notice or did not tell us if they saw the mistake when they were rotated. Yes we feel dumb.

We were pretty happy to get the new tires. I hated to tell everyone that it was Walmart tire service. I guess next time we need new tires we should go somewhere else but we just don't know where to go. If they had not cooperated with us, we were going somewhere else and then file a complaint with them. I even found the corporate phone number and the home office phone number in Arkansas.

 

[bumbershoot]

UPDATE Got 4 free new tires. We didn't even have to put up much of an argument which confused us. At first they said they could give us 2 new ones free but then talked to the store manager and we got 4 free new ones fairly easily.

That says to me that this happens often.

When JiffyLube nearly destroyed my (dad's) car because they didn't tighten the screw (or whatever it was) on the thing containing the axle fluid, and that thing opened up on me when I was at highway speeds the day after getting it worked on....well they didn't compensate me (my dad) all that highly because he didn't want to be greedy. But the lady next to him talking to the manager about the same thing was getting a stinkin' brand new car from them. Same issue. (my dad bought a rear axle from a junkyard, installed it himself, and got the amount for the axle compensated in...certificates for Jiffy Lube....I never used even one...learned to do my OWN oil etc)

Anyway, that they are that generous to me says it happens a lot with them.

And they did not notice or did not tell us if they saw the mistake when they were rotated. Yes we feel dumb.

THEY should be the ones feeling dumb, not you. I wonder if it actually happened during one of the rotations, and not from the beginning?