Tire Sidewall Problems of Chevrolet Volt

See NHTSA complaint number 10949504 Feb 3, 2017 that reflects a second tire in the same driver front position when it lost pressure due to a crack in the sidewall while sitting in the driveway the morning of Feb 3, 2017. The pressure had dropped from about 38 psi to 26 psi over about 2 days it had been parked. I got it to a corner gas station about 1 mile away who where - losing another 2 psi while traveling and the mechanic detected the sidewall problem indicating it was a tire defect and it would be best to take it to the dealer/service dept. It was re-pressurized to 38psi and other tire pressures were checked (no problems). Going the few miles to the dealer, the tire lost 4-5 psi pressure. I was told by the dealer/service manager that the tire needed replacement and that it was something I might have done and not a tire problem. The sidewall defect seems a safer duplicate of the first tire failure (that happened on the interstate during slow moving traffic and with four adults in the car - NHTSA complaint 10706538, 4/19/15). Note that both tire failures the two on the driver's side. Tire rotations are done front/back on the same side, onstar and I both monitor tire pressures, tires have not been driven under or over-inflated, failures have both been in the driver front position (heaviest load).

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These tires are shown as being the original equipment tires gm put on their Volts. In my experience they are severely below normal durability. My Volt's FL tire was replaced at 17k miles (slow sidewall leak) followed by the rr failing at 24k miles (catastrophic). Despite the usual pothole and road debris encounters my previous set of pirelli p4 tires ran 115k+ miles failure free and the michelins I had before them lasted 64k miles without a failure. Additionally, I see my two remaining factory tires are down to 6/32 to 7/32 of an inch tread after only 24k miles which might explain their distressingly poor grip in rain and snow. To put that wear in perspective, the pirelli tires still had from 5/32 to 7/32 of an inch tread left when at 115k miles. That these tires seemingly need replacing at the rate of one tire roughly every 6k to 12k miles suggests they suffer from a fundamental design deficiency. I gather my experience is not a fluke. A visit to a Volt owners' site found complaints of 5 flats in 36k miles, 2 flats in under a year, 3 flats in 3 months, 2 flats in one year, 4 flats in a year and a half, 2 flats in 10 months and 2 flats in 22k miles. Such dismal reliability and apparent dangerous fragility suggests a recall, or at least an investigation, might be justified for safety. . Read more...

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The tires have been on the car with correct pressures since purchase oct 2012 and proper rotation. Pressures are monitored. On the incident date, I had driven approx 80 miles at speeds under 60 miles/hr with no heavy breaking, on smooth road, when suddenly, on the interstate, the tire began loosing pressure from 40 lbs to <34 lbs (with car warning). With pressure going steadily down, I was able to safely get off the interstate onto a side road and church, where I saw the sidewall had split with air escaping (now 24 lbs pressure). I called onstar and used the emergency pump and rubber goo to try and stop the air escaping and was successful at halting the leak, building pressure back to 29 lbs. I drove the care with onstar on line to drop off my passengers living nearby, and then had the tow truck come to pick up the car to take to the dealership. The car was delivered at the dealership with the tire pressure still at 23 lbs. I was told I would have to buy a new tire and canister, and that the occurrence was not a design problem of the tire. I had never noted any prior problems or defects in this tire, and in 45 yrs driving, have never experienced a tire failure like this. Noted is that the tire pressure is much higher than any tire I have owned. There is considerable salt put on the roads and I've had other tires I've had to replace at 5 yrs. While I knew I would need to pay for the tire, I'd asked that the tire and others be taken for a better investigation and that I had strong concerns about safety given how the tire had failed. I have notified goodyear (ref number 145-9946) and Chevrolet - chat advisor and Volt advisor group. I also notified my insurance company usaa. On the Volt forum, there is a similar description of a sidewall leaking escaping air with the car at home.