2003 Saab 9-5 Tires Problems

“While trying to get my car inspected, the technician found some very concerning uneven wear in the inside edge of one of the tires. After doing research it seems to be a known issue for my car model. If the wear is left unchecked can be a hazard for everyone on the road, fortunately it was caught on time, but the fact that this is a widely known issue with no real fix available makes me want to report it. The car is a 2003 Saab 9-5 aero, but the defect affects all trims and years of this model car.”

“The contact owns a 2003 Saab 9-5 equipped with hankook tires hkh405, size 225-45-17. The DOT and serial numbers were not available. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic for routine maintenance when the technician advised that the front tires tread was worn prematurely. The tires were replaced. The failure mileage was 12,000 updated 08-24-12”

“The contact owns a 2003 Saab 9-5 equipped with nexen n5000 tires (n/a). While having the vehicle serviced at an authorized dealer for routine maintenance, he was informed the rear driver side and front passenger side tire both had very large cracks along the sidewall. The tires had not been repaired or replaced. The failure and current mileages were approximately 96,900.”

“Tire tread separation due to sudden wear on the inside edges of both rear tires. Negative camber on rear wheels leads to cupping and wear along the inside edge of both back wheels. With car fully loaded, tread can separate after only a few thousand miles. At the very least the tires must be replaced after a few thousand miles to avoid sudden tread separations and loss of air pressure.”

“The car suffers from vibrations when the original equipment tires are replaced. The replacement process requires many rebalancing and/or tire replacements and still results in more vibration than exists with the factory tires. The vibration is most pronounced at speeds around 70-80 miles per hour.”