2016 Prius Eating Tires

Hello,

This is going to be a long and detailed post. I apologize in advance for its length and level of detail...I want to be complete and share as much info as possible in the hopes that someone will be able to help.

Just so we are all on the same page, I am somewhat of a fanatic when it comes to keeping my car mechanically maintained by following to the letter (and/or exceeding) the recommended service schedules set forth in the Owner's Manual.

My car is a 2016 Prius (the hatchback/regular model) Four Touring with the original equipment, 17 inch tires. I purchased it brand new and it entered service on May 31, 2016. It currently has 36,500 (+/-) miles on it and spends most of its life doing highway driving between Toledo and Columbus, Ohio, USA. Its "lifetime MPG average," according to the on board computer, is 52.5 mpg.

As you can see from the subject line of this post, my 2016 Prius Four Touring is chewing up its tires. Specifically, it is chewing them up on the "inside" of the rear tires (that is, the tread of the rear tires closest to the center of the car is being worn off faster than the tread on the "outside" of the tires). I discovered this by noticing an unusual tire noise at slow speeds and/or while rolling to a stop. I wear hearing aids and am never certain about what I'm actually hearing, so in to the dealer we go (on Thursday, 2-1-18). The service writer goes with me for a drive and says that he hears tire noise (and not bearing noise). We stop, take a look at the tires, and discover the unusual wear noted above. I ask why this is happening. Service writer says it's probably out of alignment. I say possible, but doubtful as I have had the alignment checked and adjusted (as needed) three times in the 36,000 (+/-) miles and one year & eight months I've owned the car.

(Side note: I purchased a "lifetime alignment check/adjustment package from a local - Toledo, Ohio - and reputable tire/auto repair store chain. Have had the "lifetime alignment" deal - where I pay an increased one time alignment charge and can then get as many alignments per year as I wish while I own the car - on several different cars and have found it to be a cost effective way to maintain my cars' alignment).

I say I will make an appointment to have alignment checked. Dealer service writer says he has a quick alignment check machine in the service bay entrance area, let's check it here. He puts it on the machine and it shows the CAMBER is negative 1.7 degrees "out" of where it should be (the top of the tire is "tilted in" toward the middle of the car 1.7 degrees from where it should be). I ask the service writer if there is a way to fix it. He isn't sure and goes to find out...comes back and says, according to the dealer parts guy, there is a "kit" available to fix the problem (just like there was for my Gen 3 Prius 5). Fine...I'll take the car to the tire store for an alignment.

On Friday, I go to the tire store. They do alignment check and find out that the rear wheels are out of alignment...the camber is 1.7 degrees "off" from where it should be (just like the dealership quick check said). The rear tire TOE, which IS adjustable, can be brought into tolerance, but the camber can't be fixed. They CAN'T adjust the CAMBER because no kit exists to make the CAMBER adjustment. I say, the Toyota dealership says a kit is available. Tire store calls the dealer. Dealer parts person who had done the parts search on Thursday is not in...will be in on Saturday.

Today (Saturday), I get a call from the dealer service writer saying that the dealer parts guy made a mistake (on Thursday) and THERE IS NO KIT/REPAIR to make a camber adjustment on the rear tires of the 2016 regular Prius cars (which is the same thing the tire store said after checking with the "Moog" company and another manufacturer who makes these kinds of parts). The dealer service writer says that I should take the car to a body shop which has frame straightening equipment to check the frame alignment to see if all is okay.

(Side note: On Friday, the tire store had adjusted things as much as possible and sent me on my way.)

That's where we are.

I'm going to make an appointment with a body shop to have the frame checked. I seriously doubt that the frame will be the problem. If it is, I will have it fixed.

My questions to Prius Chat People:

1. Do any of you know of others who are having this problem? If so, what are they doing about it? I'll admit that I didn't do an extensive Prius Chat search for this subject. I am a somewhat frequent reader here and have not seen this topic discussed. If I've missed it, please accept my apologies for being lazy and point me in the correct direction.

2. Is it really possible that Toyota has produced a car that eats tires and there is no way of fixing it? At the rate the tires are wearing, I will need to replace them at 50,000 miles (+/-). I'm the kind of driver that, due to my "fanatical" maintenence tendencies, generally gets outstanding milage results from a set of tires (for example: 90,000 miles on a set of original tires on my 2009 Chevy Malibu LTZ and were still safe...I think they were Goodyear Eagle tires?).

3. I have no real idea about how many Gen 4 Prius cars have been built/sold worldwide since 2016...maybe 250,000 - 300,000?? Is it possible that I am the only person on the planet having this problem? Is it possible that no one has manufactured a fix for this rear tire camber problem because I'm the only one with this problem?

4. If the frame turns out to be okay and there is truly no fix for my car, is it possible that I have a case for a "lemon law" claim?

5. I absolutely love everything else about my Prius. Am I being unreasonable to expect my car to treat its tires more kindly and not "eat" them?

Thank you to all who have suffered through my gross verbosity and details. I look forward to your replies.

Dave

 

Hi Everyone,

Sorry for going silent on this thread/topic! I just changed phones...the old one wouldn't let me post?

My Prius is now fixed for a cost of $490...took until July to get it done due to my schedule and playing phone tag with the dealer collision shop. Had to replace the suspension on the right side (did not replace the shock/strut or spring). I can't quite believe that Toyota makes a car that doesn't adjust in all ways that it might become out of alignment. On the other hand, I guess they don't expect people to run over (not into) a dead deer on the road.

Unfortunately, due to the uneven wear on the tires caused by the damaged suspension, they (the tires) are now CRAZY noisy. Lots of tread left...just really, really NOISY! Gonna try to put up with the noise until 75,000 miles (if tread holds up okay) and then replace them (51,000 miles on the car now).

Thank you to everyone who replied...you all helped!

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