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Tires: Anybody have Michelin Premiers?

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by Starship16, Aug 11, 2018.

  1. Starship16

    Starship16 Senior Member

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    I can't take it anymore! I'm talking about the constant loud "hum" these tires put out. The noise increases or decreases with the speed, but it's always there. It almost sounds like I have 4 bad wheel bearings. Today it was 93 degrees when I was driving, and I swear the noise gets even worse during the hotter temps. (But I still hear it in Winter, too.) I have close to 11,000 miles on the tires.

    Multiple rotations, a wheel alignment, and experiments with various psi have failed to quiet the noise.
    Anybody with Michelin Premiers, any generation of Prius, let me know how yours sound. Thanks.
     
    #1 Starship16, Aug 11, 2018
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2018
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  2. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    Yes, I have a pair. It's the only thing that the shop had for me in our size, after 2 horrible blowouts - so that's how we ended up w/ jyst 2. I would call their noise not so much similar to a dry bearing sound, but more like really knobby truck tires at freeway speed type sound - how they have a constant huming sound the faster you go until you get up to maybe 50 miles an hour or so. I've tried to ignore now for maybe the past 10 months.
    Thanks for reminding me.


    .
     
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  3. krmcg

    krmcg Lowered Blizzard Pearl Beauty

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    And to think, you paid a premium for the Premiers...
     
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  4. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    Better than walking home.
    .
     
  5. Glenn G

    Glenn G Member

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    Thanks for the heads up, that's surprising, since Michelin has such a great reputation.
    I bought a set of Michelin X Ice winter tires for my 2011 (in 2011). I still have them, and intend to use them this winter on my new Prime.

    For a winter tire, or even a conventional tire, they are quiet, and seem to last for many miles.
    I bought another set for our "v".

    The tires that came on my 2011 & 2015 were useless in snow, it must be due to a trade off between low rolling resistance and winter traction (?).
     
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  6. Starship16

    Starship16 Senior Member

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    Yep, kind of like a 4X4 truck tire sound. But mine don't quiet down when I reach 50mph... the faster I go, the louder it gets. It's actually difficult to have a normal conversation when driving at freeway speeds. That will shut up the little woman! :ROFLMAO: Any road surface, it doesn't matter. They are just as loud on a nice new smooth road.

    krmcg, They were on sale, plus a $70 rebate credit card in the mail. Plus they gave me another $70 for my noisy Toyo tires. But I think these Michelins are even louder than the Toyos. I can't wait for them to wear out! :LOL:
     
    #6 Starship16, Aug 11, 2018
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2018
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  7. Fester

    Fester Active Member

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    Had a set on my 08' Prius, unlike the other experiences, mine were very quiet, and had quite good traction (not much driving on snow though). Had them on for three years or so till I traded on my 2017 Prius 2. The Toyo tires seem to be fairly quiet, but based on my experience would give thought to another set of Michelin's.
     
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  8. Starship16

    Starship16 Senior Member

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    Maybe something is wrong with my suspension. It is just not normal to have this much tire noise. The dealer supposedly checked everything.... but we all know how that goes. I even called the Michelin customer service rep. No help there. She just told me how quiet their tires are. :eek: :LOL:

    One last desperate move. I'll go to another tire shop and have them turn around each wheel, so that all of them are rotating in a new direction. Can't hurt to try. I doubt if the noise can get any LOUDER!
     
    #8 Starship16, Aug 11, 2018
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2018
  9. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    I don't know without looking, but check to see if they have an arrow stamped on to the sidewall. Many tires nowadays are only designed to rotate in One Direction.
    .
     
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  10. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    Best tires our Prius ever had were michelins. However the model, the Hydro Edge, 90, 000 mile warranty, they pulled those off the market. Yeah, you can't sell many tires when they last THAT long.
    .
     
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  11. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    Oop sorry should have been just 1 post. Looks like the site is running slow.
     
    #11 hill, Aug 11, 2018
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2018
  12. Glenn G

    Glenn G Member

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    Yes, that's very likely. Those tire installer guys (I was one once) aren't always paying attention.
    Also, in my days as a tire installer (70's) - a different time - but the dealer had to deal with these
    problems when the customer brought them to his/ her attention.
     
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  13. Starship16

    Starship16 Senior Member

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    Thanks. I checked a few months ago. No arrow. And the Michelin rep confirmed that the Premier tires can be rotated any which way. I'll try one more time with a rotation.... do a big X.... make all 4 roll a new way. My last attempt, then just leave them alone (and wear earplugs) :D
     
  14. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    about 10,000 miles on the premiers on our hycam. very quiet and smooth, with no reduction in mpg's from the oems. my wife said the car felt like it was floating when we put them on.
     
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  15. Starship16

    Starship16 Senior Member

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    Thanks bisco. Some people have no complaints whatsoever. That's why I think that possibly something is wrong with my suspension, and/or the wheel bearings. There's got to be a reason for all that unusual noise.

    About the only thing good I can say, is the MPG is still right up there in the normal range. I average a pretty steady 55 mpg overall.

    Is there a way to check/grease the wheel bearings? Can they actually go dry on such a new car? The wheels spin freely, I watched him do that.
     
    #15 Starship16, Aug 11, 2018
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2018
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  16. KennyGS

    KennyGS Senior Member

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    I love mine.
     
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  17. Starship16

    Starship16 Senior Member

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    I'm glad some people out there have quiet Premiers.
    I don't understand what's wrong with mine. If I wanted all this noise, I would've bought a Tacoma! :LOL:
     
  18. Since2002

    Since2002 Senior Lurker

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    Michelin Premier A/S 185/65R15 88H

    Installed three years and 33,000 miles ago on my 2006 Gen 2

    Have enjoyed them more than any other tire on my Prius. Quieter and better handling than the Hydroedge they replaced. Only downside was losing a couple of mpg but I knew that going in.
     
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  19. Colin_S

    Colin_S Junior Member

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    First post woo! I have a set of Micheline Premiers (215/45R17) on my 2012 Prius and they're pretty quiet, about the same as my 15" X-Ice XI3 winters.
     
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  20. Starship16

    Starship16 Senior Member

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    Starship16 does not like this. :ROFLMAO: Somebody out there must have noisy Premires like mine... Anybody??? Could mine be defective? They are definitely not old, the manufacture date is only a couple months before I bought them. Maybe krmcg has the right idea. Slow down, and never drive over 15 mph, and I won't ever hear any tire noise. :LOL:;) And I can go 900 miles on a tank! :cool:

    The Admiral is about ready to kick me out of the Starship Federation.
     
    #20 Starship16, Aug 11, 2018
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2018
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