[SamarthMehrotra]

I too have had a similar bad experience with Amazer Acelere tyres on my Wagon-R. They were in pretty bad condition after just 7-8000 kms on the ODO. Took it up with the company with multiple emails and calls. Ultimately, found no satisfactory response an they refused to change the tyres under warranty. Switched to MRF and I'm happy now. Have blacklisted the Dealer and the company an warned all my friends and family......

[AkMar]

Update: Today I checked yet another Xcent in parking lot. I also checked a couple of WagonRs having Amazer 3G tyres (Xcent has 3G Maxx). None of them had cracks as severe as our car. I agree with Rehaan & others that the cracks & cuts in first 2 pics are likely to be normal. I am ready to overlook them. However this still remains my concern:



In all, I checked at least 5 to 6 other cars having Apollo tyres. None of them had any cracks like this on the tread pattern.

[rahulskumar]

@AkMar:

1. Do you know how long your vehicle was lying in dealer stockyard . What is the difference between date of manufacture and your purchase date.

2.Is your car driven only during weekends and is it parked outside without any shade for the remaining days ?

[roby.thomas]

Originally Posted by AkMar

Experts, your opinion I am really on seeing this in a 6000 km car less than a year old.

AkMar, Thank you for the PM. I've returned to my home town, and took a few snaps of all the tyres. I've clocked 10,500 KM by now, and had the front-rear tyre rotation done in the second service right at the completion of 1st year. I don't think I see the type of cracks that you showed. I've run through many rough roads by now (this is in Kerala), occasional wheel spins on climbs, but don't have the type of damage you reported. I do have sidewall bruises, but that's because of me climbing /slipping off on concrete slabs (thanks to errant parked bikes, in my narrow lane).

However there is another subtle difference. My stock tyres are Bridgestone, not Appolo as yours. So I think, you deserve a warranty replacement. I've atttached the pictures below clock-wise in its current configuration - Front-Right, Front-Left, Right-Rear, Right-Left and the last Front-Right macro shot. See if I missed something.

[FuelInjector]

i have similar cracks on my michelin, but only after 30K and after a horrid drive to valparai where the roads were non existent. It was really brutal on my tyres.
If you say, your drive was mainly in the city and good roads, this should not occur, in my opinion. tyres are meant to take small nicks and cuts. Most of the nicks in your pictures seem normal to me.
But when you have strong doubt, better not to take a chance. consult a good tyre place and get them replaced.

[AkMar]

Originally Posted by rahulskumar

@AkMar:

1. Do you know how long your vehicle was lying in dealer stockyard . What is the difference between date of manufacture and your purchase date.

2.Is your car driven only during weekends and is it parked outside without any shade for the remaining days ?

1. It must have been at dealer stockyard for about 30 to 45 days. Tyres are manufactured in the last week of April. We can assume that it would take at least 1-2 weeks for the tyres to be fitted on a car & for that car to reach stockyard in Mumbai from the factory. Date of registration of car is around 20th June. So we can say 30-45 days in dealer stockyard.

2. Yes. The car is parked in open parking without shade & is not a daily use car. However our previous 2 cars also have seen the same usage pattern.

Originally Posted by roby.thomas

However there is another subtle difference. My stock tyres are Bridgestone, not Appolo as yours. So I think, you deserve a warranty replacement. I've atttached the pictures below clock-wise in its current configuration - Front-Right, Front-Left, Right-Rear, Right-Left and the last Front-Right macro shot. See if I missed something.

Thanks for taking the trouble to click photos of all your tyres Yes, after sending PM, I did realise that your tyres would be Bridgestone due to the 15 inch alloys. I will raise this during service and see what Hyundai/Apollo folks have to say.

[ganti79]

I own Hyundai i20 and had similar issues with 4 of my tyres. Too many cracks, almost 6 punctures on each tyre. I took this up with Hyundai guys and they replaced one tyre of mine and refused to replace the remaining 3. I took this issue with Apollo manager and made sure they replace remaining 3 tyres. I paid approx. 500 rupees for one tyre wherein remaining 2 costed me nothing. All these happened within 8,000 kms. At around 10,500 kms I got all 4 brand new tyres. It did not come easy to me trust me you goto be back of these people to get this done. At 45,000 kms all tyres were in worst condition. Now I have Michelin XM2 Energy tyres and I am happy with them. I have clocked around 15k kms and they look brand new i must say.

Originally Posted by AkMar

Today morning inspected all tyres once again. I found cracks like the last photo in previous post on at least 3 of 4 tyres. Additionally I found this on one of the tyres (click on image for a closer look):
Attachment 1517314

I definitely think this is not normal for tyres just a year old and running of 6300 km. This has got me concerned. In a way it is good that I found this before scheduled 1 year service so that if needed, we can take this up with A.S.S. during the service. Should we raise this concern with Hyundai? I think they may try to dismiss the claim as wear and tear item or some such excuse. None of the tyres have faced abuse like hitting potholes at high speed.

Tyres are factory fitted Apollo Amazer 3Gmax.

EDIT: The cracks somewhat resemble those on 5years/30000 km JKs on our Swift when they were replaced.

[Sheel]

Those lines, not very encouraging. What if the tire gives away? To me, it appears as the rubber was stuck as an after thought. Typical of Apollo/JK-Tyre? Maybe..

The chipping in the tire is common, has happened to almost all the tires I have used.

[vipinendran]

After reading this post went back and checked my three car tyres with a powerful magnifying glass borrowed from a friend of mine who has a lab. One on MRF zvts clocked 10800km one with Bridgestone clocked 28500 and another with Yokohamma clocked 45000km, and I did not find any cracks on the tyres. So this definitely is ABNORMAL indeed and calls for immediate action.

[AkMar]

UPDATE: We reported the tyres in the 2nd service. As expected, Apollo got back saying those are joints. Planning to escalate this as I do not buy the joints theory one bit. From their own website:

The curing press is where tyres get their final shape and tread pattern. Hot moulds like giant waffle irons shape and vulcanise the tyre. The moulds are engraved with the tread pattern, the sidewall markings of the manufacturer and those required by law.

So there goes their theory of joints. The website says moulds are engraved with tread patterns. Which means that they are not joint onto the tyre.

Their website also lists a toll free number & this link to submit a complaint. Has anyone experienced any of these two methods? This page also asks for "Outside tyre image" & "Inside tyre image. What exactly do they want in these images? They also have a Twitter page. I am thinking of calling their toll free number first. If they fail to address the issue, then I'll take to Twitter and FB. Your thoughts?

[sgiitk]

I will say that hairline cracks on tyres are not that unusual, and can be ignored. I think it may have something to do with the chemistry of the tyre compound used.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by AkMar

So there goes their theory of joints. The website says moulds are engraved with tread patterns. Which means that they are not joint onto the tyre.

If these cracks were normal and there from manufacturing days plus as per their manufacturing process philosophy, If the tread etc is engraved then logically thinking shouldn't these cracks be on the tyre since manufacturing and even more pronounced as the tyre hasn't been subjected to any wear and tear?

And as per their manufacturing process philosophy then these cracks that you see on the thread should wear off with usage. Isn't it?

[kpzen]

Akmar :

ISSUE A :
Firstly, its not a crack so do NOT panic.

It's a manufacturing defect during the molding process.
Causes could be :
1. The sealing of core and cavity part of mold is not perfect. Resulting in a gap and causing extra material to flow result in a crack shape formation all through the circumference of the tread.

2. Poor mold maintenance (Cleaning), unwanted foreign material left in the mold which is not allowing the molten rubber to take complete shape of mold.

From the pics, the defect formation is uniform and observed all through the circumference so IMO its the sealing issue.


ISSUE B
It's the parting line where two parts of the mold meet. So some small flash type extra material is inevitable.
However, while designing the mold, this position can be placed at locations that are not so visible.
Example : On Michelin tires, its difficult to find the parting line location.

[AkMar]

Originally Posted by kpzen

It's a manufacturing defect during the molding process.
Causes could be :
1. The sealing of core and cavity part of mold is not perfect. Resulting in a gap and causing extra material to flow result in a crack shape formation all through the circumference of the tread.

2. Poor mold maintenance (Cleaning), unwanted foreign material left in the mold which is not allowing the molten rubber to take complete shape of mold.

Thanks for the explanation! Since it is a manufacturing defect, it must be eligible for warranty replacement, right? However, the tyre does show signs of additional damage near these lines as seen in this photo.

Originally Posted by kpzen

ISSUE B
It's the parting line where two parts of the mold meet. So some small flash type extra material is inevitable.

Attachment 1520557

You are right. I have not claimed anywhere that B is a defect/it is unacceptable. I posted that photo only as a reference to differentiate between actual moulding lines & the lines seen on tread pattern.

[kpzen]

Originally Posted by AkMar

Thanks for the explanation! Since it is a manufacturing defect, it must be eligible for warranty replacement, right?

Akmar

Yes, technically it is a manufacturing defect.
But it may not be in the trouble shooting guides given to the service guys.

So, to claim warranty replacement you may have to haggle around with the service guys with patience.

Good Luck.

Originally Posted by AkMar

However, the tyre does show signs of additional damage near these lines as seen in

IMO, that's additional material which has not bonded well due to the mold sealing gap. Hence, its getting chipped off during use.