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Toyota Highlander Tires and Wheels

788 messages,  Last post on Apr 28, 2013 at 4:42 AM

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What is this discussion about? Toyota Highlander, Tires, SUV

Messages Page 55 of 79

#540 of 788 Re: 2008 Highlander Limited Toyo Tires [awl1] by topdawg

Feb 02, 2010 (7:05 pm)

Replying to: awl1 (Apr 22, 2009 11:30 am)
NOTE: This is a reply to a post in April 2009 - check the original post to see how this relates.
 
I think you have a problem with your specs. I have not found anyone with a 255/55R19 tire. There are several 255/50R19 tires, but not 55's. Without the 55 aspect ratio, the 50 ratio shrinks the tire about 0.4 inches in diameter and results in a 2% difference in real speed (slower) than indicated speed. There may also be issues related to ABS calibration. Firms with 255/50R19 include Michelin Latitudes, Continental Extreme Contact DWS, Continental ContiCrossContact UHP, and Hankook Ventus AS and possibly some Pirellis. You really must shop around the tire company sites to find the sizes since places like Tire Rack do not carry all brands and all sizes. Michelin offers no mileage warranty, whereas Continental and Hankook do. The replacement Toyo tire (if you want to continue the pain) is a Toyo Open Country H/T with a 60,000 mile warranty. Why is it the replacement tire gets 60K while the OEM is lucky to get 25K? I suggest everyone with problematic 19" tires (that includes the Bridgestone owners with similar complaints) write to Toyota and demand a refund for premature tire wear. The address is:
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
19001 South Western Ave.
Dept. WC11
Torrance, CA 90501
You should also go to the blog at Consumer Reports to read what they have to say about the tires in question.
 
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2009/04/toyota-highlander-how-to-choose-th- e-best-replacement-tire-.html
 
I have always found their evaluations of tires to be right on target.

#541 of 788 Re: 2008 Highlander Limited Toyo Tires [topdawg] by mdhutton

Feb 02, 2010 (7:22 pm)

Replying to: topdawg (Feb 02, 2010 7:05 pm)
Bridgestone, Pirelli, Continental, Hankook and Michelin (to name a few, there may be more) all make a 255 / 55 R 19 tire, what are you talking about?

#542 of 788 Re: 2008 Highlander Limited Toyo Tires [mdhutton] by topdawg

Feb 02, 2010 (7:48 pm)

Replying to: mdhutton (Feb 02, 2010 7:22 pm)
Bridgestone and Hankook do make 255/55R19 tires, you are correct. They are the Hankook Ventus and the Bridgestone Dueler Alenza. Michelin and Continental do not - at least according to their web sites. Pirelli did not show a choice like this on their site (at least not that I could find). I say this because when you use the "tire selector" feature for size for SUV tires, you cannot get a choice for a 19" rim in the 255/55 size. Having said that, the 255/55 tires are 31" in diameter, a gain of 0.4 inches over the OEM size. A 255/50 tire is about 0.7 inches smaller in diameter. For clearance reasons, I would think a slightly smaller tire would be a safer bet than a slightly larger one.

#543 of 788 Re: 2008 Highlander Limited Toyo Tires [topdawg] by mdhutton

Feb 03, 2010 (12:16 am)

Replying to: topdawg (Feb 02, 2010 7:48 pm)
I searched by size at Discount Tire's website. That's where I found the Pirelli Scorpion Zero, the Pirelli ATR, Michelin Latitude Tour HP and the Continental Conti 4x4 Contact in addition to the Bridgestone and Hankook that you mention.

#544 of 788 Re: 19" Highlander tires [howards1] by maryjoleblanc

Feb 13, 2010 (5:40 pm)

Replying to: howards1 (Feb 26, 2009 2:08 pm)
I liked your suggestion and submitted the following at the Toyota site:
 
"My 2008 Highlander Hybrid has 21,000 miles and it needs new tires! This is unacceptable and inexcusable. Like other Highlander Hybrid owners, I am now forced into purchasing replacement tires to ensure the safety of my family.
 
I am not alone in my disappointment and anger around this problem. It will only take one savvy lawyer to make this into a class action law suit and, when it does happen, I will happily sign up to fight Toyota for equipping their Highlanders with inferior tires.
 
Toyota MUST also do the right thing and compensate Toyota Highlander Hybrid owners like myself for tire replacements."

#545 of 788 Re: Toyota Service Bulletin - 18 Wheels [topdawg] by tventre

Feb 13, 2010 (6:05 pm)

Replying to: topdawg (Jan 31, 2010 6:15 pm)
Try the Toyo HTs. They are the same size and I'm having very good luck with them. I have the 2008 Highlander Sport and I had to replace my original Toyos after 14K.

#546 of 788 Re: 19" Highlander tires [maryjoleblanc] by topdawg

Feb 15, 2010 (12:23 pm)

Replying to: maryjoleblanc (Feb 13, 2010 5:40 pm)
Way to go Mary Jo! Unhappy tire owners need to go beyond complaining here and take it to Toyota! I recommend a regular letter in addition to email.
 
Toyota is now being sued by shareholders who claim the price of the stock was kept articifically high by hiding the gas pedal problems. It is a class action suit.
 
Any lawyers own these 19" tires?

#547 of 788 To complain about your tires, use these .. by topdawg

Feb 15, 2010 (12:43 pm)

A one ounce letter to Japan takes $0.98 postage. Bypass the USA PR machine and go straight to the top.
 
Mr. Akio Toyoda
President and CEO
Toyota Motor Corporation
Toyota City Head Office
1, Toyota-cho, Toyota City,
Aichi Prefecture 471-8571, Japan
 
Tel: (0565) 28-2121
 Fax: (0565) 23-5800
 
For the corporate web site, not the USA 'buy your car here' sales site, go here:
 
http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/index.html
 
To file a complaint with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), use this site. They have a complaint form on line. You need the DOT identification for your tire found on the side wall near the rim after the letters "DOT" it is a combination of letters and numbers. It also helps to have your VIN found on your title and maybe your registration.
 
https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/Complaint.cfm
 
The House Oversight Committe is holding hearings on the Toyota recalls. Add your tire complaints to their agenda. Email your representative in Congress. You can locate that person using this link.
 
http://www.contactingthecongress.org/
 
One of the best blogs about these tires is found at Consumer Reports. Read the article, then add a post like you have here. You can also scoot around the Consumer site until you find a way to send them an email -- it can be done from the site, but it is not obvious. The more people who directly contact them, the better the chance they will investigate and run an article.
 
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2009/04/toyota-highlander-how-to-choose-th- e-best-replacement-tire-.html
 
A good complaint has these things:
 
The year and model of your vehicle.
Where it was purchased.
The name and size of the tire that is the problem.
The mileage on the tires.
Any problems related to the tires, such as skidding, near misses, collisions, etc.
Anything you have already tried to get the problem resolved (visited dealer, etc.) and the result of that (e.g., nothing).
What you want done about it (rebate $XXX, replacement).
Emotions such as anger and disappointment should be mentioned.
Threats to take your next car purchase to another brand are legitimate.
Profanity will not help (although you may swear at the tires themselves).
 
 

#548 of 788 Re: 2008 Toyota Highlander Sport TOYO 19" tires [TekinFamily] by jer_wag

Mar 04, 2010 (10:24 am)

Replying to: TekinFamily (Jan 22, 2009 8:18 am)
I'm so angry at Toyota right now and these junk Toyo A20's. It's March 2010 and still no good tires in 245/55 19's. I have 19,500 miles and they are seriously worn. With minimal snowfall I slid about 200 yards down a hill and almost wrecked with my wife and 18 month old along for the ride. I consider myself a cautious snow driver, but these tires break lose with minimal snowfall. I got AWD so I could go in the snow. The wife's Odyssey preforms better than the Highlander in the snow. So here are my options as I see them:
 
1) Get a new tire size (255/55-19). I don't want to do this. Computers on these vehicles are so sophisticated, I'm worried about what it will do to the gas mileage and overall performace of the vehicle. Toyota and many tire shops are leary of this as well.
 
2) Get the newer expensive Toyo HT's which are rare. How is the snow performance for these? I'm leary of Toyos in general now.
 
3) Downgrade to the 17" as you mentioned. Is this the wheel you used? Are you still having good luck doing this? At least I could have an OEM size tire in 245/65-17 with a little more rubber on the road.
 
Any input is greatly appreciated.

#549 of 788 Re: 2008 Toyota Highlander Sport TOYO 19" tires [jer_wag] by hlander

Mar 04, 2010 (1:15 pm)

Replying to: jer_wag (Mar 04, 2010 10:24 am)
Dear "jer wag"
 
I changed my tire at 18500 miles. I already called Toyo Tires and Toyota so many times and I didn't get any response except Toyo Tires agent sent me out to 3 different dealers and the claimed their self that they are not Toyo Tire dealer anymore.
 
The winter was very near at that time and I have baby girl whose enjoy the ride a lot. So I changed the tire for my family safety.
 
I report complaint to 3 websites including bbb.org and finally I got partial credit from Toyo Tire via bbb.org about 40% of my new tire purchase.
 
I have no idea about Highlander Sport.
But for me, Highlander Hybrid, have no choice rather than to stick with 245/55 19" due to computer calculation input. I already discussed with 2 mechanics and they told me to stick with original tire size.

Messages Page 55 of 79

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