The quality of your vehicle’s tires plays an important role in your road safety and directly affects handling, braking performance, and driving comfort. While there are many criteria for choosing a good set of tires, you can save time in your research by avoiding the worst tire brands to avoid.
Continue reading to discover the notorious tire manufacturers, known for their deadly tires, and know that it’s better not to risk your life just to save money.
The Worst Tire Brands to Avoid at All Costs in 2023
Chinese Tire Manufacturers
Chaoyang
- A large Chinese rubber company that manufactures a variety of products, but its car tires are disappointing
- Wears unevenly and quickly
- Countless reports that tires have burst due to extreme heat
- Too soft and not durable, punctures too easily
AKS Tires
- Known for its short lifespan
- Easy deterioration and failure that can lead to serious accidents
- Very poor grip on both dry and wet roads.
Geostar
- Poor grip on both dry and wet roads
- Poor steering responsiveness
- Poor driving comfort
Auto Greening
- Poor grip on dry roads
- Poor driving comfort, noticeable vibrations at highway speeds
- Very short lifespan, 10,000 miles at most
- Uneven tread wear, which further reduces its short lifespan.
Non-Chinese Tire Manufacturers
Firestone Destination Tires (USA)
- Used to manufacture decent car tires, but now, all their tires are made in China, using poor quality materials and reducing testing and quality control to cut manufacturing costs.
- Tires are too soft and are not made from durable materials, so they puncture easily and road bumps can cause them to bend quickly.
- Likely to burst at high temperatures.
Carlisle Tires (USA)
- An American brand but increasingly more products are now made in China. Quality has deteriorated due to excessive cost-cutting.
- Tires wear out quickly and unevenly
- May burst in case of extreme heat or very fluctuating temperatures.
Falken Ziex Tires (Japan)
- Used to manufacture decent tires in an affordable price range, but sacrificed quality to reduce costs.
- Tires have low traction on dry and wet roads
- Dreadful performance on wet roads.
Goodyear (USA): G159 model only
- Goodyear is a prestigious tire brand, but in 2003, its defective G159 model was linked to several accidents and had to cease production.
- Be aware that some of these tires are still sold at very low prices.
General Tires (USA): Low-end models only
- A prestigious tire brand, but it manufactured some low-end tires that are a poor attempt to replicate some highly rated tires at a low price.
- Use of inferior quality materials on some models
- Customer note: Stay away from those that are significantly cheaper than General Tires’ average price range.
As you can see, these tire brands to avoid that we listed above are all Chinese tire brands. And there are a few reasons behind this list.
First, the products from these tire manufacturers lack basic safety measures and quality control. They generally have weaker sidewalls, meaning premature replacement due to sidewall damage.
They also have a shorter lifespan, meaning you will have to replace them more often. And you are not saving money by opting for a cheaper tire, in addition to risking your life on the road due to tire failures.
In reality, well-known but bad tire brands like these would produce tires with below-average grip, meaning a longer braking distance. In an emergency, this bad tire problem can make the difference between life or death.
Worse still, many complaints have been filed stating that their tires even lacked rubber strips, an indispensable component for keeping the steering attached to the tired frame. Furthermore, they lack the marketing oversight and foresight needed to design products that meet international safety standards.
While major manufacturers have all their tires tested before leaving the factory and the test results are publicly documented, many manufacturers wish to cut costs by using inferior quality materials and not testing their tires internally.
It should be known that these somewhat worst tires to buy have frequently appeared on dangerous tire lists after being tested by industry experts and tire technicians.
Furthermore, disreputable tire manufacturers are subject to various defective product lawsuits, filed by customers who claim that, after purchasing the tires, they are too dangerous to use and have resulted in individual injuries and wrongful deaths.
Many brands, including the 9 brands mentioned above, have either been investigated or recalled. Therefore, not only car owners but also tire technicians and automotive professionals consider these companies the worst tire brands.
Ultimately, there are surely many reliable and high-quality tires made in China or the USA, but you should avoid the brands above because there are many good options to choose from.
If you are looking for tires with exceptional performance and longevity with excellent value for money, take a look at quality manufacturers such as Cooper Tires, Goodyear, BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Dunlop, Firestone, Kumho, Michelin, Toyo, Sumitomo, Uniroyal, and Yokohama.
These companies offer high-quality tires at reasonable prices that will serve you well for many years.
Factors That Affect Tire Performance You Should Opt For
After going through the worst tire brands to avoid ending up with their drawbacks, let’s revisit some tire performances you should choose to find the ideal tire for each of your journeys.
There are things drivers should know and understand about tire performance to distinguish the good from the bad, making the purchasing process easier than ever. Here are the factors that contribute to a good tire, regardless of the brand you are aiming for.
- The grip capability to perform in wet and dry conditions: find out about the tire’s performance on wet surfaces and how it handles water.
- Braking distance: Without ABS, a good tire will brake quickly. A faulty system will trigger the ABS much more frequently, making you uncomfortable.
- Mud vs. snow performance: notice the M+S sign on the tire sidewall (essential for winter tires)
- Wear rate: be careful and wary of brands selling tires that are too soft for cars.
Watch this video from The Engineers Post to understand how different types of tires can affect your driving performance.
These are the most effective ways to learn the worst brands to avoid among quality ones. However, not all tires are built equally. Some may perform very well in this aspect, but poorly in another.
That’s why you need to delve deeper into each factor by reading or grasping reviews and learn to differentiate them through your experiences and learning.
FAQ on Tire Brands
- How important are tire brands?
When it comes to buying tires, the brand name is not the most essential consideration, but it comes close. Although generalizations are impossible given the wide range of tires offered by each manufacturer, the truth is that the more you pay for a tire, the better its performance.
- Is tire quality important?
Your automobile may have the greatest tire brand in the world, but if they are not used for what they were designed for, their quality is meaningless. Overall, a high-quality tire has the following characteristics: It enhances your driving safety by making driving more stable.
- Is it bad to have tires from different brands?
Specifically, you should avoid mixing different tire manufacturers and different tread models. Although there are a few exceptions for allowed mixed tire setups, manufacturers do not suggest mixing tires in general.
- Which tires are the most important to change?
Rear tires provide stability to the vehicle, and if they have insufficient tread, stability is lost. According to experts, even if new front tires disperse water and maintain grip, old rear tires can cause aquaplaning and make the car spin out.
Conclusion
When it comes to the worst tire brands to avoid, you must be aware to avoid those mentioned above that we listed previously. Regardless of the type of brand you choose, whether typical or luxury, it is also important to be able to identify the good and bad sides.