tires cupping gen 3

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Technical Discussion' started by k9frog, Jul 21, 2011.

Page 1 of 2
  1. k9frog

    k9frog New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2011
    88
    11
    0
    Location:
    sullivan co ny
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    i got a 3 month old gen3, the car has 1100 miles on it,all 4 tires are cupping towards the outside of the tire, front tires i have 44lbs,rear tires 42lbs, my knowlege tells me that the alignment is out on all 4 wheels, is this an on going problem, that has no end or toyota has a fix for this, this is kinda of a dissapointment only due to the fact is that were also getting the plugin when it comes out ,but not if the car has a alignment issue
    will toyota replace my tires that are cupped, what can i expect when i go to the dealer ,which i have an appointment to look at it next weds, this is kinda of a downer with the car, i had a gm that had the same problem which was never fixed, and i wont go thru the hassle like i did with the pontiac, new cars shouldnt need this kind of work
     
    #1 k9frog, Jul 21, 2011
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    111,169
    50,602
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    take it to the dealer, there should be a warranty fix.
     
    #2 bisco, Jul 21, 2011
  3. GSW

    GSW PRIUS POWER

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2009
    537
    74
    0
    Location:
    Jacksonville
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    +1. I've rotated my OEM (Yoko) tires only once at 5K miles and now the car has 33K on them and the tires look like they have another 20K to go.
    Take it to the dealer and ask for a before and after printout of your alignment. Good luck!
     
    #3 GSW, Jul 21, 2011
  4. k9frog

    k9frog New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2011
    88
    11
    0
    Location:
    sullivan co ny
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    i bought my car into johnstons toyota for the tire cupping issue,i feel much better about it he agreed that there is the start of cupping on the tires, so next friday the car goes in for an alignment, i will remember to ask for the read out start and finish on the alignment, one thing i can say the people at the dealership seem to be very helpfull, which is a good thing
     
    #4 k9frog, Jul 28, 2011
  5. k9frog

    k9frog New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2011
    88
    11
    0
    Location:
    sullivan co ny
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    well now our car has 4700 miles on it, its going back for the third time because of tire cupping,i guess this is an on going problem with the prius, i cant believe how many stories ive read on this subject, with no clear answer to whats cupping the tires,, but toyota and johnstons knows without a doubt how we feel about this, we want 4 new tires and i want the car to track correctly,simple you would think, but the only way i got the dealer to listen to me was calling toyota customer service and even then the dealer didnt call me ,i had to call customer service back and they got johnstons to call,dirt bags in my book,the car goes into the dealer on the 7th, see how this story goes
    just for info the first time car went to the dealer the gave me a alignment readout and said it was within parameters, second time was during the first service, when i complained about noisy tires that are serious cupped,i was told they can find nothin wrong, third time on the 7th of march
     
    #5 k9frog, Mar 2, 2012
  6. adamace1

    adamace1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2009
    1,403
    192
    0
    Location:
    Charlotte, NC
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I haven't heard to much about any cupping on our cars. I only seen it happen on older cars with worn out suspension. I don't believe cupping has anything to with alignment. Can you take pics?
     
    #6 adamace1, Mar 2, 2012
    1 person likes this.
  7. k9frog

    k9frog New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2011
    88
    11
    0
    Location:
    sullivan co ny
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    i guess theres really not much to see, the tires are cupping on the outside of the tires
    any were between 1/8 in to 3/16 cupping more on the pass side
    that is good to hear it might be a fixable problem,i sure hope so
    i just dont think my camera will take any kind of pic that would be useful,why they want to waste time with a rebalance who knows, i feel no shimmy or shake at all, i feel no drifting or pulling, very strange
     
    #7 k9frog, Mar 2, 2012
  8. B. Roberts

    B. Roberts Hypah Milah! Ayuh.

    Joined:
    Mar 11, 2005
    691
    212
    0
    Location:
    used to be "Glacial" Maine and now FL
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    We just traded in a 2005 Prius that strangely cupped rear tires through its nearly 7 year stay with us. I wrote out the saga on the 2nd gen section of this forum. I had the rear tires off for a cleaning and rotated the drum/hub assembly as I cleaned those off, when I noted some points of what seemed magnetic drag. They were very slight, but I found 3 of these points on the right rear and 2 points of drag on the left rear. The tire wear seemed to match these points on each side. I had blamed the Goodyears for this problem after the car had eaten 3 sets of tires, but then I found those points of drag, and wondered if that couldn't be the cause of the tire wear.

    I went to the dealer with this information, and they could find nothing. The car was aligned and shimmed by the dealer and another set of brand new tires were fitted that again started to wear unevenly in he same manner, at the rear only, within 5 to 7 thousand miles.

    I too called customer service, but the time spent going between the dealership and customer service took so much time, that we eventually decided to trade the car in on a 3rd gen Prius.

    Now to see this same type of problem crop up on a 3rd gen is not a good thing!

    Take the rear wheels off and slowly turn the rear hubs and see if you can feel any changes in resistance as you make a complete revolution. I sure hope this is not a common problem with all Prius.
     
    #8 B. Roberts, Mar 2, 2012
    1 person likes this.
  9. mainerinexile

    mainerinexile No longer in exile!

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2010
    403
    73
    0
    Location:
    Maine
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    My 2010 with 50,000 miles has cupped 7 tires already on the right rear. It happens after less than 5,000 miles. Alignment has been done 4 times, didn't help. Toyota gave me one new set of tires at 14,000, but now they say they won't help further.

    By the way OP, you should learn to use periods as punctuation in sentences. Hard to read without sentences.
     
    #9 mainerinexile, Mar 2, 2012
    1 person likes this.
  10. Robsquatch

    Robsquatch Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2011
    29
    1
    0
    Location:
    Orlando
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    My jeep tires were cupping due to suspension/shocks being old. Have you tried that yet. Btw jeep tracked great before and after shocks were replaced. Cupping gone now.
     
    #10 Robsquatch, Mar 3, 2012
  11. k9frog

    k9frog New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2011
    88
    11
    0
    Location:
    sullivan co ny
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    My car has only 4700 miles on it and the front tires are also cupping.ill mess with this only so long.
     
    #11 k9frog, Mar 3, 2012
  12. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2006
    7,028
    1,116
    0
    Location:
    South Jersey
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    I haven't had cupping with my 2006 or 2010 so it isn't fair to say it is a "Prius problem". If I had that situation I'd be pi$$ed too. File a complaint with your county or state Consumer Affairs Office & NHTSA. They may be able to get someone at the dealer & Toyota to care.

    If the dealer believes this is a common or universal situation then have them show you all the used Prius with cupped tires.
     
    #12 JimN, Mar 4, 2012
  13. cossie1600

    cossie1600 Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2009
    898
    92
    0
    Location:
    CT
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Alignment.
     
    #13 cossie1600, Mar 4, 2012
  14. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2005
    4,067
    688
    0
    Location:
    Eastern Oregon
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    +1
     
    #14 tumbleweed, Mar 4, 2012
  15. shrktank

    shrktank New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2012
    56
    7
    0
    Location:
    Imperial,Mo
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Can someone tell me what "cupping" is and how to check to see if I might have this occuring.

    Thanks

     
    #15 shrktank, Mar 4, 2012
  16. k9frog

    k9frog New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2011
    88
    11
    0
    Location:
    sullivan co ny
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Believe me when i say my wife and i love this car, but due to past experience with tire problems with gm cars we have owned i cant afford new tires every couple of years, the gas savings are taking up by buying new tires,were just hoping when we bring in the car weds they convince me whats going on with it and make proper repairs.
    shrktank all you have to do is run you hand over the tire front to rear,if theres cupping you will feel a hump on the tire either foward or backwards, hope i said that right
     
    #16 k9frog, Mar 4, 2012
  17. adamace1

    adamace1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2009
    1,403
    192
    0
    Location:
    Charlotte, NC
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Cupping is up and down wear on the tire. Caused by cheap tires or wornout suspension parts most of the time. If you run your hand around the outside tread of the tire in a circle motion and feel that the tire is not round you have cupping.
     
    #17 adamace1, Mar 4, 2012
  18. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2010
    3,524
    981
    8
    Location:
    US
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    +2

    It has to be spot perfect and not just in range. I had it only once in corolla and the alignment problem was in a real wheel that was "not adjustable". Tire shop had to put some aftermarket shims to correct that.
     
    #18 Former Member 68813, Mar 4, 2012
  19. k9frog

    k9frog New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2011
    88
    11
    0
    Location:
    sullivan co ny
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Its good to see positive responce on the prius tire problem,as i call it,
    the shims sound similar to the gm problem with the rear spindles you had to make up special shims and drill out the spindle to get the alignment correct
     
    #19 k9frog, Mar 4, 2012
  20. cobradb

    cobradb Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2010
    105
    7
    4
    Location:
    tn
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    not a problem for my 2010 at 45k
    ASK IF THEIR SYSTEM IS CALIBRATED. 2 yrs ago i went to a shop and got an alignment and saw sever cupping; went back to the shop and they told me it was a new sytem install and calibrated by the maker
    i took it to another shop and they showed me that it was out very bad;
    ask to see the calib and the actual data from your car.
     
    #20 cobradb, Mar 4, 2012
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)
Page 1 of 2