YIKES!--What would cause this??

[sb001]

I just got a new set of 195 65 15 tires put on my car last week. I began noticing a slight shimmy around 55-65mph. SO I decided to check the air in the tires and found a large bulge in the sidewall of the right front tire (I tried attaching pics but the site gives me an error message and says I am exceeding my quota?)
I drove the car out of town last weekend right after getting the new tires put on, would a bad rim seal or bent rim cause this? Or is it a defective tire from the factory? Or was it road damage from driving last weekend?? Either way I'm scared to drive on it!
BTW this tire is also the only one where the guy used outer weights (2 of them) when balancing-- would that also be a symptom of a factory defect?

 

[cmgreensr]

My guess would be defective assuming you didn't cause it any damage. Did you get a warranty of some sort?

 

[sb001]

My guess would be defective assuming you didn't cause it any damage. Did you get a warranty of some sort?

I have looked all over the tire with a fine tooth comb and don't see any damage of any sort. They are a set of 4 Cooper CS3 touring tires I bought from Tread Depot online, and had them installed by an authorized installer.
If it's a defective tire it wouldn't be covered by road hazard warranty anyway. I would think the tires are warrantied against factory defects by the manufacturer regardless- A proven defective tire should be replaced by the manufacturer no matter what.

 

[sb001]

I would really like to post pics of this- do I have to reach a minimum # of posts before attaching images is allowed?

 

[DarkSideAccord]

if it's a bubble on the wall, they will replace it for free... it's defective... happened to me many times...

 

[cg6soldado]

if it's a bubble on the wall, they will replace it for free... It's defective... Happened to me many times...

x2

 

[sb001]

Thanks- this is the first one I have ever seen. It's not just a small bubble, it is a large bulge, which is why I wanted to post photos- I need to know if it's OK to drive the 10 minute trip to get it back to the tire shop.

 

[RedRyder]

Defective as stated. Yes you can drive it a short distance, go slow and stay off the freeway (which I assume you would since it's 10 minutes away).

You didn't say it, but I assume you also got an alignment when you had them put on?

 

[sb001]

No, no alignment- it didn't need one after the new tires were put on- drove straight as an arrow with no problem.
However, I bought these tires online, and then had them put on by a local (authorized installer) shop. I took the car back this morning and they contacted Tread Depot where I bought the tires, and well let's just say I'm guessing all the posters saying it was a defective tire and they will replace it for free without a second thought have never actually had this happen to them. It took a LOT of arguing between myself, the tire shop, and Tread Depot, and a lot of photos we had to take and send them, before TD finally gave (but still would never admit that it was a defective tire, only that the local shop --remember an AUTHORIZED TD INSTALL SHOP-- mounted it wrong and cut the bead seal.) After we got the tire off and looked at it, yes there was a slice in the tire, but it was on the inside of the sidewall right BY the bead seal, not the bead itself. Then the TD guy called ME back and started explaining how it couldn't be a defect, that it HAD to be something they did, and that's what really ticked me off- because it was obvious he wanted ME to argue with the tire shop guys about it. I told him I wasn't going to get caught up in an argument about whose fault it was, because whether that's true or not, the ONE person who definitely wasn't responsible was ME- so why should I end up being the one who has to pay for a new tire? Just send me another one and save everyone a bunch of headache.
I mean I suppose I can accept a slight possibility that it happened when they were mounting the tire--MAYBE-- but the fact is that Tread Depot buys these tires in huge bulk quantities (they are the largest Cooper Tire dealer in the country)- so what were they risking, maybe $20 shipping to send me another one?
Lesson learned- even if you pay a few more bucks up front buying tires locally, it' well worth the xtra dough in case something like this happens, you KNOW you'll get a replacement tire free of charge since the same shop sold it to you AND mounted it for you.

 

[rebornS14]

what brand/model of tire was this?