According to a new J.D. Power study, the number of problems owners experience with their original equipment tires has declined by 22% to 68.5 problems per 100 vehicles in 2014 – down from 88.3 in 2010.

The 2014 Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Study also found the incidence of all tire problems measured has declined over the 5-year span, with the largest improvements in fast tread wear, slow leaks and uneven wear. The study measures tire owner satisfaction after two years of vehicle ownership in four segments: luxury, passenger car, performance sport and truck/utility. Satisfaction is examined in four factors: tire wearability, tire ride, tire appearance, and tire traction/handling.

The study found that when owners do not experience any problems with their tires, 36% expect to purchase the same brand of tires upon replacement and 32% of owners say they “definitely will” recommend their OE tires to family and friends. Once an owner experiences a single problem with their tire, loyalty drops to 24% and advocacy dips to 18%, on average.

According to survey results, nearly 50% of all owners believe the type of tire on their vehicle can affect fuel economy. However, only one-third of owners indicate they intend to have fuel-efficiency as a goal when purchasing tires in the future. While sub-compact car owners are most likely to indicate their intent to have fuel-efficiency as a goal when purchasing tires in the future (47%), midsize pickup (42%) and large light duty pickup truck owners (38%) are, as well.

Tire Brand Ratings
The tire brand study rankings by vehicle segment are as follows:

Luxury:
Michelin (780)
Pirelli (764)
Bridgestone (741)

Passenger car:
Michelin (752)
Goodyear (707)
Firestone (688)

Truck/utility:
Michelin (736)
Bridgestone (710)
BFGoodrich (689)

Performance sport segment:
Pirelli (739)
Goodyear (732)
Bridgestone (724)