Blow Out

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Had a tyre go bang on me the other night which was a little worrying as the car has only done 2,500 miles. Never had one go pop before. Usually a nail or the like will show itselft as a slow puncture. The tyre pressures were all correct as I check them weekly (at beginning of a six day shift) and upon investigation the tyre wall on the inside of the rear tyre had ripped outwards :o

Luckily I was stationary at the time and not tanking down the M62 at 70mph (or so ;) ). Had just dropped a punter off and they'd left the seatbelt in a mess on the back seat, so I pulled over under a street lamp and was re-reeling the belt when BANG, hisssssss. It went down in about 10 seconds.

Now I know this can happen so I must have been lucky not to ever experience it in the 500,000 odd miles I've driven for my job. I could also understand it if I had a pair of Yingwoolan tyres or other cheap n nasties but these were brand new Bridgestones from Toyota!

Didn't bother hassling Toyota about it as too busy and the only good thing to come out of this is that a replacement tyre only cost me £65 fitted. Couldn't believe it, but £65 for a matching Bridgestone 250 tyre from the local tyre dealers. Was expecting £110 or more each but £65 is nothing these days for a named brand tyre - WOW!

So, anyone else had tyre problems with their Prius and what price have you peoples paid for yours?

[cootuk]

I've read that speed humps are causing a lot of inner wall tyre damage as the edges of the smaller humps (where you get three smaller ones across the road instead of one long one) get worn and weather eroded, then start eating away at the inner wall when people straddle the hump.

[Sagitar]

Didn't bother hassling Toyota about it as too busy and the only good thing to come out of this is that a replacement tyre only cost me £65 fitted.

I think I would still want the supplier and manufacturer to look at it. It might be part of a bad batch. Are you not worried about the state of the others?

I think I got mine about the same time as you did, but mine has 17" Michelins on.

[Chris Dance]

When our car was new at 2000 miles I found the rear passenger side tyre was losing pressure. Dealer had to remove the tyre to find a minute nail in the tyre. Luckily I check the tyre pressures etc prior to making long motorway journeys. On this occassion we were going on a long motorway journey next day.

My son had a front driver side tyre blow out on the M1 in the reduced lanes section of the major road build they are doing. His Prius had only done 1000miles when it happened. He was lucky not to be killed. The tyre caught fire and he was forced to stop and leap the barrier. By some miracle his car did not get hit. Investigation after revealed debris was in the road from a shredded lorry tyre. (Toyota checked the car fitted a new tyre.) He was rescued by the police who got his vehicle removed from the motorway. At the service station the RAC were contacted and suggested he fit the spare wheel and drive some 150 miles home at 50 MPH. He refused and insisted on full recovery home as he considered the car dangerous to drive without full checks being made.