1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

26,000 Miles and all four tires are bald

Discussion in 'Prius v Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by ttran76, Jun 7, 2014.

  1. ttran76

    ttran76 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 29, 2012
    8
    28
    0
    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
    Is this normal? How many miles are you guys getting out of your tires?
     
    #1 ttran76, Jun 7, 2014
    Last edited: Jun 8, 2014
  2. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2009
    12,470
    6,862
    2
    Location:
    Greenwood MS USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    I am at 46,800 and have about 30,000 more tread life, but I have a three (16 inch tires rather than your 17 inch) and I inflate until I get even treadwear (about 40f/38r on my tires)
     
  3. KennyGS

    KennyGS Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2014
    1,243
    1,044
    1
    Location:
    Keystone State
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Five
    What brand/model tire are they?
     
  4. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2009
    12,470
    6,862
    2
    Location:
    Greenwood MS USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    Yokohama BluEarth S34 P205/60R16
    Yokohama BluEarth S34

    The OPs tires would be different as he has a Five with 17 inch wheels.
     
  5. rdgrimes

    rdgrimes Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2013
    1,740
    446
    4
    Location:
    New Mexico, USA
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius Prime
    Model:
    N/A
    Its not especially abnormal, depending on a number of variables. The OEM tires are pretty cheaply made, and use of the "recommended" pressure tends to accelerate wear. Driving habits, local conditions, it all factors in. Any vehicle condition such as alignment would be apparent in the tread wear pattern. Consider this an invitation to get a high quality LRR tire, just don't get them at the dealer.
     
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    108,658
    49,371
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    i have heard of tyres going bad here and there, but 4 bald at 26k could be a record.
     
  7. rdgrimes

    rdgrimes Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2013
    1,740
    446
    4
    Location:
    New Mexico, USA
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius Prime
    Model:
    N/A
    "Bald" is also a subjective term. LRR tires don't have a lot of tread on them when new.
     
  8. ttran76

    ttran76 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 29, 2012
    8
    28
    0
    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
    The original tires that came from the dealer. we took our car in every 5,000 miles and had the tires rotated.
     
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    55,407
    38,644
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Clarify "bald", ie: down to the wear bars?

    And yeah, what tires are they?
     
  10. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2011
    6,978
    3,213
    1
    Location:
    NJ
    Vehicle:
    Other Electric Vehicle
    Model:
    N/A
    The same model car can come from the factory with different manufacturers tires.
     
  11. mikefocke

    mikefocke Prius v Three 2012, Avalon 2011

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2012
    3,692
    1,644
    0
    Location:
    Sanford, NC
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    Limited
    Bald at the center of the tread, too much inflation. Edges, too little.

    Most car parts places sell plastic tread depth gauges for ~$2. Measure your tread depth at three places, left, right and center.

    Tire Racks has done tests on tires and it is startling how different in wet conditions a simple act like braking is using tires with differing tread depths.

    The difference between a new tire and one worn down to 2/32 (the legal limit in many states) in a test on a water soaked surface was an almost doubling of stopping distance! 4/32 deep tires took about 50% longer to stop than new tires.

    New - 195 feet

    4/32 - 290 feet

    2/32 - 378 feet

    Even more startling to me is that on a 2/32 tire, in stopping tests in the wet from 70MPH the new tire would have stopped the car where the worn tire at the same distance would only have slowed the car to 55MPH!!!! 4/32 would only have slowed the car to 45!!!!

    • So don't wait till the tire looks bald, measure.

    • Maintain an even wearing pressure.

    • Especially measure the air pressure any time the outside temperature changes from winter to summer.

    • Know the tire's manufacturing date and discard after 5 years no matter the wear.
     
  12. crpriusv

    crpriusv Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2012
    43
    4
    0
    Location:
    Delaware
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    Another data point: Prius v Three with Bridgestone Turanza EL400-02 P205/60R16 V-rated.
    Currently 20,000 miles with ~9/32" tread remaining. Pressures are usually kept 3 psi above Toyota recommended, i.e. at 38/36.

    No complaints for an oem tire except they're noisy on some surfaces.
     
  13. ttran76

    ttran76 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 29, 2012
    8
    28
    0
    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
    Toyo and here is a picture of the tire IMG954009[1].jpg
     
  14. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    108,658
    49,371
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    looks like some wear on the edge? might need alignment or balancing or something. all 4 the same?
     
  15. rdgrimes

    rdgrimes Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2013
    1,740
    446
    4
    Location:
    New Mexico, USA
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius Prime
    Model:
    N/A
    Some under-inflation, but the wear bars are not exposed. Hardly "bald" by any definition.
     
    fuzzy1 and KennyGS like this.
  16. Okinawa

    Okinawa Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2013
    1,333
    317
    0
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Try Michelin Defenders. They are great tires.
     
  17. KennyGS

    KennyGS Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2014
    1,243
    1,044
    1
    Location:
    Keystone State
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Five
    There's still a fair bit of life on those tires @ttran76
    I agree with @rdgrimes. Make sure to keep a close eye on your pressure.
     
  18. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    108,658
    49,371
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    and don't go over 20 mph in the rain.:p
     
    ttran76 likes this.
  19. nsfbr

    nsfbr Member

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2014
    112
    30
    0
    Location:
    Northern Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
    So, first off, those aren't bald. And yes, you are underinflating them. Pump them up! 42/40 for me. You will get better gas mileage and the car isn't working so hard to remove the rubber from your tires then.
     
  20. kithmo

    kithmo Couch Potato

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2010
    2,404
    2,773
    47
    Location:
    South Yorkshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    17" Toyos on mine still have over 6 mm of tread at 17k miles ran inflated 3 psi above recommended.