Tyres cracking on 280

[MarioVrs]

So had my superb almost 2 years and where this isn't completely new issue ( first noticed probably year or so ago)

With this lockdown it seem its getting slightly worse as car is constantly sat on car park sheltered.

Tyres are Bridgestone S001 made in second week of 2018 and have approx 5-6mm left on them.

Obviously it won't get any better but will it last say another 6+ months? 

Anyone else with this problem?

[penguin17]

I've seen a few reports of S001's seemingly degrading/cracking prematurely.   They look like tyres that are much older or have been exposed to some serious weathering. 

 

Seems like a good reason to buy yourself some Michelin PS4's, just in time for Summer 😃. 

[MarioVrs]

9 minutes ago, penguin17 said:

I've seen a few reports of S001's seemingly degrading/cracking prematurely.   They look like tyres that are much older or have been exposed to some serious weathering. 

 

Seems like a good reason to buy yourself some Michelin PS4's, just in time for Summer 😃. 

I used to run a tyre shop for last 5 years until this non sense started and have to say lot of people were not happy about Potenzas due to them being quite hard...they apparently need a lot of heat to make last longer...on other hand car has always been kept indoors ...i had Conti Sport 5s on my old Vrs and after 2 years they were worn more with 4mm left but not as sign of cracking...new tyres obviously need to wait as I'm currently unemployed....

[RicardoM]

Skoda does generally a good job keeping the flag up along VW. But brother, Skoda Superb, and sadly VW Phaeton too, are a quality disaster for the insanely high price they ask for.

[penguin17]

Just now, RicardoM said:

Skoda does generally a good job keeping the flag up along VW. But brother, Skoda Superb, and sadly VW Phaeton too, are a quality disaster for the insanely high price they ask for.

Cracking tyres is a QC/manufacturing issue from Bridgestone though.  Can't exactly blame Skoda; the car could have easily had Pirelli P7's fitted at the factory 🤷‍♂️

[silver1011]

The tyres are two years old and under warranty...

 

 

Contact Bridgestone and tell them you'd like to make a claim under their warranty...

 

https://www.bridgestone.co.uk/contact-us

 

I've successfully claimed from two tyre manufacturers for defective tyres now, Dunlop and Nokian.

[MarioVrs]

13 hours ago, silver1011 said:

The tyres are two years old and under warranty...

 

 

Contact Bridgestone and tell them you'd like to make a claim under their warranty...

 

https://www.bridgestone.co.uk/contact-us

 

I've successfully claimed from two tyre manufacturers for defective tyres now, Dunlop and Nokian.

That's brilliant mate, will drop them email now. Thanks for this 👍

[silver1011]

If they are anything like Nokian they will likely make life difficult by insisting you take the tyres to one of their approved tyre fitters to be examined, photos taken, forms filled-in and submitted to Bridgestone on your behalf.

 

The trouble I had is that the local Nokian dealer wasn't the place I bought the tyres from, so I felt a bit guilty asking them to take time out of their working day to accommodate and process my claim for no financial gain.

 

I have since used them for replacement tyres though so feel a little less guilty now 

 

My tyres were well worn when I submitted my claim, but despite this Nokians's offer of compensation was very generous (I can't remember what it was now), but I got over £100 back on two tyres, that aside from the cracking were already 80-90% worn. So it can definitely be worth the effort.

 

Nokian, as part of their offer, also insisted on the tyres being returned to them too. The tyre dealer did this for me though. Luckily they were my winter tyres so I was able to swap back to my summer wheels and tyres.

 

Good luck 👍

[MarioVrs]

1 hour ago, silver1011 said:

If they are anything like Nokian they will likely make life difficult by insisting you take the tyres to one of their approved tyre fitters to be examined, photos taken, forms filled-in and submitted to Bridgestone on your behalf.

 

The trouble I had is that the local Nokian dealer wasn't the place I bought the tyres from, so I felt a bit guilty asking them to take time out of their working day to accommodate and process my claim for no financial gain.

 

I have since used them for replacement tyres though so feel a little less guilty now 

 

My tyres were well worn when I submitted my claim, but despite this Nokians's offer of compensation was very generous (I can't remember what it was now), but I got over £100 back on two tyres, that aside from the cracking were already 80-90% worn. So it can definitely be worth the effort.

 

Nokian, as part of their offer, also insisted on the tyres being returned to them too. The tyre dealer did this for me though. Luckily they were my winter tyres so I was able to swap back to my summer wheels and tyres.

 

Good luck 👍

Thanks for the heads up mate. I have contacted Bridgestone, will see what they come up with.

I have tyre insurance that i bought with the car back in 2018 but having worked in tyre business and been processing these claims i know that for them to replace it they would have to be damaged from curbing or having punctures in unrepairable area...

 

[MarioVrs]

On 20/04/2020 at 13:17, silver1011 said:

If they are anything like Nokian they will likely make life difficult by insisting you take the tyres to one of their approved tyre fitters to be examined, photos taken, forms filled-in and submitted to Bridgestone on your behalf.

 

The trouble I had is that the local Nokian dealer wasn't the place I bought the tyres from, so I felt a bit guilty asking them to take time out of their working day to accommodate and process my claim for no financial gain.

 

I have since used them for replacement tyres though so feel a little less guilty now 

 

My tyres were well worn when I submitted my claim, but despite this Nokians's offer of compensation was very generous (I can't remember what it was now), but I got over £100 back on two tyres, that aside from the cracking were already 80-90% worn. So it can definitely be worth the effort.

 

Nokian, as part of their offer, also insisted on the tyres being returned to them too. The tyre dealer did this for me though. Luckily they were my winter tyres so I was able to swap back to my summer wheels and tyres.

 

Good luck 👍

So been in touch with Bridgestone and this is what they replied:

 

Hello and thank you for the email and accompanying images of the tyres.

 

Based on the images provided we can confirm that you have nothing to worry about.  The tyres visual surface rubber crazing is not concerning and is a natural ageing process of the tyres when they are exposed to certain operation elements.

 

In their present condition they pose no detriment to safety or vehicle performance.

 

If the tyres are well looked (i.e. correct tyre inflation air pressure used, visual health checks carried out) they will complete a good service like without any further issues.

 

[silver1011]

Good news 👍

[MarioVrs]

Not sure if good but will have to do i guess...thanks buddy🙏

[penguin17]

Nice work @silver1011 

[numskull]

The Pirelli P7’s on our 280 are cracking all over the tread edge. The car has done just under 22k and there is still 5mm tread depth. Unfortunately as the car is just over 4 years old so I’ve missed the chance of a claim, but it’s ridiculous that they should begin to fail at such an early age. The oldest tyre on our 2006 Superb Elegance is just over 10 years old and the tread and side walls are perfect. All the others are over 8 years old and are also perfect. 

[Greezy56]

Bridgestone would say that , Tire experts would say something else. I had these on my superb from the factory , a really poor tire. I changed when I could and afford to Mich PS4S and man what a diff. They stay shinity and new looking even after a hard winter. I would go further and say I had potenzas on a few company cares in the last 10 years and I never liked them. They back slid round , roundabouts.

My current set up is Falken and looking at the reviews its a good tire. 

I see some of your miles , 22k etc , never , never have I kept a tire at that mileage. I change at 3 mm around 14k max usually

[IJWS15]

On 08/05/2020 at 21:10, numskull said:

The Pirelli P7’s on our 280 are cracking all over the tread edge. The car has done just under 22k and there is still 5mm tread depth. Unfortunately as the car is just over 4 years old so I’ve missed the chance of a claim, but it’s ridiculous that they should begin to fail at such an early age. The oldest tyre on our 2006 Superb Elegance is just over 10 years old and the tread and side walls are perfect. All the others are over 8 years old and are also perfect. 

 

I once had a tyre delaminate at speed on the M1 - the failure report said the cause was the age of the tyre.  It was 7 years old and had done about 30k miles.

 

Running tyres over 5/6 years old is very risky.

[numskull]

Nah, sorry Mario to be sceptical, but just with any manufacturer in the motor trade, tyre companies will do everything they possibly can to blame the customer for a failure, generally  putting it down to user error. I had four Vredestein tyres on our MKII Superb and after about 10 months and 1.5mm of use of the one offside front - the two rear tyres had zero perceptible wear - these three tyres developed bulges on the inner sidewalls, so naturally, I had them replaced. I then complained to Vredestein and they agreed to inspect them so I lugged them home and a month or so later, they were collected. The report that came back - which included photos - said that it was apparent, according to them, that “all three units had been run flat or highly under inflated for some time”; this was utter bull****e - they had not. I am and always have been completely anal about checking tyre pressures every week and in between too, if say a  motorway journey was going to take place. However, they did agree as a “goodwill gesture” to give me a partial refund of the cost of the tyres, which amounted to about 90% of the cost. Tyres DO fail due to manufacturing defects.

[IJWS15]

Inner side wall bulge - been too fast over speed bumps?

 

A couple of years ago I noticed one of the wife's front tyres was looking soft. On examination there was a bulge on the outside of the sidewall.  Called a local tyre place and they got a replacement.

 

Took the wheel off to take it down and get the new tyre fitted and inside rim of the alloy had a significant bend in it, don't remember if there was a bulge in the inner sidewall as well.

 

Of course she hadn't driven up a kerb or been speeding over the bumps. . . . . . . . . .