Meanwhile, Back at NHTSA, TPMS Problems Are Never Dealt With
We started publishing consumer letters regarding TPMS problems. They came in response to a recap of dealer complaints about certain makes/models of vehicles sporting unique TPMS issues, particularly corrosion. The letters just keep coming… “I previously commented on the number of failures I’ve encountered, 7 or 8 out of 12 tires, last one leaking and
The Future is Here, Dealing With the Reedros
“In the very near future, though, computer chips embedded in tires might be able to report exact real-time inflation pressures and tire temperatures. Further down the road, technology may allow for live treadwear readings and mileage projections, temperature readings at specific positions within a tire, or even early detection of internal damage that could lead
Online Surveys and the He-Man Women Haters Club
Before we get too far, I want to make it clear that I don’t dislike women. So please, don’t email or call me. I cannot help that on the same day two separate groups issued press releases about how car-inept women are. Supposedly. Based on their “research.” According to them. AutoMD.com, that Internet purveyor of
Civilized? Not With a 98% Used Tire Reg Failure Rate
I find it quite interesting that the U.K., one of the most civilized, freedom-loving first-world countries on the globe, has an actual law governing the sale of what they call ‘part worn tires.’ It is not illegal to sell them to consumers there, mind you, but there are specific regulations under the Consumer Protection Act’s
What Could Sen. Markey Want – and How Far Will He Go?
For an industry that claims an almost genetic aversion to government involvement, we sure seem to find ways to garner the attention of regulatory agencies and vote-seeking legislators. It’s almost as if we intentionally seek such intervention. While it would be easy to dismiss Sen. Ed Markey’s (D-MA) prodding of the Department of Transportation and
What Did We Learn From ABC’s Investigation?
To be “successful” (re: get high ratings) in TV “news,” reporting requires of a “journalist” (re: pretty face) three important things – 1) establish your premise, 2) do absolutely no advanced research to know your subject and 3) never, ever, ever waver from that premise. Mostly it’s 1 and 3. No TV journo does a
Some Random Thoughts on Recent ‘News’
Over Mother’s Day weekend, WGME-TV in Portland, Maine, set about panic with its gripping “investigative report” about finding “unsafe, recalled tires still on the road in Maine.” Gasp! “A CBS 13 investigation discovered millions of recalled tires, considered unsafe, have never been recovered, and you could be riding on one right now,” the report by
Can We Muster the Courage to Finally Bring Tire Age Change?
Actor Paul Walker didn’t die because the nine-year-old tires he was driving on failed. At least as far as anyone knows. Was it all recklessness and high speed that wrapped the 2005 Porsche Carrera GT around a pole, causing an inferno that literally burned him alive? Or did the aged tires contribute to the carnage?
More Consumer Complaints About TPMS Corrosion
Every so often I receive notes from consumers who have read about TPMS maladies on our website and my blog. Most of the problems are because of serious corrosion issues that are not being addressed by the automakers or NHTSA. Of course, NHTSA isn’t accomplishing anything of late, and we can see (GM and Toyota,
Want to Know What Car Dealers Really Think About You?
Have you ever wondered how car dealers talk to their customers about you and your business? Under the headline “Tech Tip-The Truth About Tires,” published by the Penobscot Bay Pilot, a newspaper in Maine, was this advertisement disguised as “news” from Atlantic Motorcar Center in Wiscasset, Maine. All bold emphasis is from the original story
With Imports Growing, Isn’t it Time for Representation?
It was with great interest that I read of Federal Tire Corp. and Kenda Rubber Industrial Co. joining ITMA in Europe. ITMA is the Imported Tire Manufacturers’ Association, which now has 21 members and is charged with representing and supporting the best interests of those firms importing tires into Europe. “With the sheer volume of
Noting the Passing of a True Dealer Friend
It was already a sad, rainy day when I learned that Bill Floyd had died. I had known Bill and his amazing right-hand-wife Joan since early on in my tire career, a duo whose dynamic drive served the tire dealers of Ohio for decades. Bill was 85 when he passed; Joan died in January 2009,