Cupped tires are real -- and a real danger

Cupped tires not safe? Hogwash I say... They may not produce the smoothest ride but they are fine for every day travel. Unless there are other wear indicators on your tires that would suggest the need for new tires I would wait.

I would guess the second reason (mentioned but not given) for cupped tires is low air pressure. Perhaps your shocks are just fine and you just need to pay closer attention to your air pressure.

I have the same problem with my 2006 Chevrolet Uplander after only 18k miles. I have Goodyear Integrity tires on my car. They are original equipment from the dealer. They are very cheap tires. I looked on the internet and found many others complain about these tires. You said that worn shocks can be one of the problems. I rotated my tires every 4K miles and my tire pressure was as GM stated on the door of my car. I take care of my car extremely well and believe tire companies look for ways to not live up to there warranty with reasons like cupping. When defective tire material or design are the real problem.
When I brought my car into the Goodyear dealership right away the manager rocked my car back and front and said it was defective shocks because the car did not stop immediately and had a slight double jump, then he showed me another car next to mine and it stop immediately. This car was a BMW with racing shocks and said they would not honor my 50K warranty because of my supposedly defective shocks. I brought my car to my dealership and checked another new Uplander and the shocks on the new car had the same type of restore after pushing the cars bumpers down to see how soon it would come to a stop. All 4 tires have cupping. I believe that Goodyear and other tire company have there employee use this reason so they do not have to replace all the garbage tires they sell. It's just another consumer rip off. I have a report from my dealership saying my shocks are in very good condition and this type of vehicle has soft ride type of shocks. My cars ride is wonderful at higher speeds (50-65mph) at low speed I feel the up/down bumping. The only thing I can do is take them to small claims court. This however would take my money up front and lots of my time for a few bucks. That's how these companies get away with not living up to there warranty.

Is there no honesty left in the world?

I have a Ford Focus zx3 and the tyres on the car are 2 years old. The tyres are cupped and I had a look at the suspension and found that the trailing am has a slight bend in it from a previous accident. Will this cause the tyres to be cupped?

I have a 03 Mustang with "cheaper" tires. It has 75k miles with all original suspension parts. I thought it was a tire issue when my tires were very noisey. It quieted when it rotated, but came back soon after. The steering wheel pulls when I break at a slow stop. From what I have concluded (and I hope you can help) is that I have bad struts and or bushings... I have put much thought into this.... Am I right???????

I hear this is a problem with that model...mostly because I own a 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe LX, purchased in 2006 with 32,000 miles on it, and it came with cupped tires as well! I replaced them at 45k, and guess what? At 80k, they were cupped again. I bought Cooper tires. I can't imagine my shocks being bad - they pass state inspection each year. *sigh* What to do?

My wife's 2007 VW New Beetle developed a rumbling noise at around 22k miles. All maintenance on the car had been completed by a reputable repair shop in our city. I took the car to the dealership thinking it may have a bad bearing and hoping to get it corrected via warranty. The dealer said that cupped tires were the cause of the noise. He said that the cupping could have been caused by misalignment (hogwash) or lack of rotation (supplementary hogwash?). Of course they would not honor any warranty since they could find no evidence of alignment or rotation every 5000 miles. I understand that cupping is caused by tire bounce. Neither misalignment or lack of rotation would cause bounce would it? Help me get to the bottom of this?

My brand new 2011 Honda Accord Sedan I4 EX has been vibrating since day one when driving 50-60mph. Had it in to the dealer twice - 1st time checked tire balance with all OK and 2nd time tires cupping and rear tires out of alignment. After 2nd time in (with rear alignment done and two new rear tires in place), it's still vibrating! Called dealers service manager and went round and round for almost a half hour with no help or solution except to bring mine in for a drive with service mngr in mine and then we test drive another Accord just like mine - for what purpose?!? I'm taking it to another dealership, and if no solution, I'll call Honda Corp Customer Service. Any other suggestions or remedies?

In response to vehicle pulling when brakes are applied, this is more typically due to sticking caliper pins, uneven tire pressure, or possibly due to a mis-alignment (excessive caster or positive camber on pulling side), though a wheel mis-alignment would likely pull while driving, too, though possibly not as badly.

Vehicle pulling to one side while braking is most likely not due to tire issues.

I would check each caliper for unevenly worn pads, and freedom of movement on the pins which the piston assembly floats on. If one or both of the pins sticks, remove the floating piston assembly from the caliper assembly, which may require clamping part of the assembly in a vice if badly seized (piston assembly, which rides on pins, is slid out of the guides in which the pins ride). Clean out the guide(s) with gasoline or carburetor cleaner. Remove rust from the pin(s) and guide(s) with steel wool. Clean again and grease with graphite grease, or with silicone grease if the guide is lined with rubber (petroleum grease will cause the rubber to swell, which will cause seizing of the pins....one example of a car that uses rubber lined guides is the Saturn S series). Re-assemble. Check for freedom of movement.

If boots are decayed, replace them. If pins and guides are very badly rusted, and can not be cleaned up well, replace caliper assembly.

why couldnt this be simple tire out of balance?

Yes, I agree. Integrity tires are garbage! As for being cheap, maybe in quality but not in price. Cost me nearly $130 each for my 2007 Chrysler 300. They cupped and I replaced them, within a few weeks they started cupping again. A co-worker also has a Chrysler 300 but a 2005. He had the same problem with Integrity tires. He got different ones and he doesn't appear to have that problem any more.

I am told the frinding noise i Have on a 12 minth old X Type Jaguar is due to tyre scalloping, The original tyres are Pirelli P zero and have done 21K klms. The problem first occured at about 7K klms. Dealer says that Pirelli and Continental tyres have this problem,, Expensive tyres on upmarket cars fitted as factory supplies should not have these problems.

I have a 2011 Ford Focus which just recently has been running rough. I usually don't return to dealer for service because of the high expense but I did this time. I thought it might be something wrong in the engine or wheels. I was told, after only an hour waiting for the car, that my tires were cupped and it was basically MY fault because I hadn't rotated the tires after every other oil change. I have had many cars in my lifetime and have never had cupped tires!!! Even my dealer, who is an old college friend, said there is nothing I can do about it. the tires are not old or worn enough to replace. they changed my oil but didn't bother to rotate the tires...duh... Last time I go to them for help! Will probably be the last Ford that I ever purchase!!! lesson learned the hard way!!!

Yesterday I had the front wheels balanced at a Goodyear Dealership for a vibration betwee 63 and 75 mph. It still does it. I have only less than 2000 miles on these tires. I purchased the car, a 2005 Buick with only 44k miles on it from a local reputable dealer. I previously had a Buick with the same Integrity tires on it and had the same vibes. Is this another of the same Integrity tire problems? What's my solution?