2004 Toyota Sienna Tires

I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT UNEXPECTED TREAD DEGRADATION ON MY 2004 SIENNA XLE LIMITED AWD. AT 17K MILES THE TIRES NEEDED REPLACING. *NM

PREMATURE TIRE WEAR LEADING TO UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS.

WITH OUR 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA MINIVAN, WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE RUN-FLAT TIRES INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. THESE DUNLOP RUN-FLAT TIRES ARE STANDARD ON THE ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE VERSIONS OF THE 2004 AND 2005 SIENNA. THE TIRES HAVE BEEN PRONE TO PUNCTURE (TWO SEMI-DELFATIONS IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS) AND THE TIRES DO NOT WEAR PROPERLY. AS A RESULT, WE ARE FORCED TO REPLACE THEM AT $300 A PIECE WITH ONLY 12,000 MILES ON THEM AND AFTER THEY WERE PROPERLY ROTATED AND MAINTAINED DURING THEIR SHORT LIFE. A QUICK SEARCH ON THE INTERNET CONFIRMS THAT THESE PROBLEMS ARE RAMPANT ON THE 2004 AND 2005 SIENNAS WITH THESE RUN-FLAT TIRES. THE TOYOTA DEALER HAS ADMITTED THAT THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS AND HAS OFFERED TO PAY FOR ONLY 2 OF THE 4 NEW TIRES. TO EXACERBATE THE PROBLEM, SIENNAS WITH RUN-FLAT TIRES ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH ANY SPARE TIRE BECAUSE THE RUN-FLATS ARE SUPPOSED TO ALLOW YOU TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL YOU CAN HAVE THE FLAT FIXED. TWO PROBLEMS EMERGE FROM THIS -- (1) IF YOUR RUN-FLAT TIRE FAILS COMPLETELY (THERE ARE REPORTS OF THIS ON THE INTERNET), YOU ARE STUCK WITH NO SPARE; AND (2) IF YOU CAN STILL DRIVE ON THE FLAT TIRE, THERE ARE FEW IF ANY REPAIR SHOPS OUTSIDE OF MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREAS THAT CAN FIX THESE RUN-FLATS.

TOYOTA SIENNA AWD CAME WITH RUN-FLAT TIRES AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AND NO SPARE. HAD A FLAT AND AUTO DEALER CLAIMED TIRE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED, TIRE COULD NOT BE REPLACED FOR THREE DAYS, REPLACEMENT COST $280. STRANDED FOR THREE DAYS FAR FROM HOME. I OBJECT TO NOT PRIOR DISCLOSURES FROM AUTO DEALER OR MANUFACTURER CONCERNING LIMITED AVAILABILITY & REPAIRABLE, OR COST OF RUN-FLAT TIRES. *JB

VEHICLE WASN'T EQUIPPED WITH A SPARE TIRE BECAUSE THE FACTORY TIRES WERE MADE TO BE DRIVEN 100 MILES WHEN FLAT. (NAR) *PH *CB