NHTSA complaint #11739753

Owner complaint summary

Component/system: Rear tires — traction and wet-weather grip performance. Tires are available for inspection upon request. Tire size: 265/70R16 Four BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A 265/70R16 112T all-season tires were purchased new and professionally installed at a retail warehouse tire center in August 2025. The vehicle is a 2022 Toyota Tacoma. Approximately nine months after installation, both rear tires began exhibiting severely degraded traction during heavy rain conditions on paved roads. On at least one occasion, the rear of the vehicle broke loose during a normal turn at low to moderate speed in heavy rain, resulting in a near-loss-of-vehicle-control incident. The front tires, from the same set and installation, did not exhibit the same level of traction loss during the same conditions, suggesting the failure is concentrated in the rear axle tires. Safety risk: The rear tire traction failure created a sudden and unexpected vehicle handling instability on a public road. The near-loss-of-vehicle-control incident posed a direct risk of collision to the driver and other road users. Dealer/service confirmation: The problem has not yet been confirmed by a dealer or service center — a tire center inspection appointment is scheduled. Results will be available following that appointment. Manufacturer/police/insurance inspection: The vehicle and tires have not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. Warning symptoms prior to failure: No warning lamps, messages, or audible warnings appeared prior to or during the traction loss event. The failure occurred without any prior indication of a problem. Tread wear appeared visually normal at the time of the incident. Assessment: The BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A is marketed and sold as an all-season tire suitable for wet road conditions. The tire's performance in heavy rain is inconsistent with that representation and appears to constitute a safety defect. Multiple independent tire testing sou