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I got brand new tires in April. In July they started growing unsightly brown stains. Even after I wash them the stains reappear within hours. Kind of annoyed because they were hella expensive and they are really unattractive.

So 3 questions:

  • why?
  • is it possible to get rid of them?
  • is this something I could take up with the manufacturer to get them replaced?
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  • Have you tried tire dressing?
    – Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2 ♦
    Oct 15, 2015 at 2:26
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    @Paulster2 I haven't, I really don't like the shiny used-car-sales-lot look they give.
    – purpleACR
    Oct 15, 2015 at 2:36
  • I would take them back, for all you know, the rubber could be deteriorating. The tire company are the ones most likely to have seen it before.
    – HandyHowie
    Oct 15, 2015 at 7:14

3 Answers 3

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In my specific case, I called the distributor (Tire Rack - not sure if mentioning them is allowed, but it's a positive experience and I'm not affiliated)

They saw that the brown stain was in the same pattern on every tire and "deduced" that it was something on the tire, not a problem with the tire itself. They recommended using "Goof Off" to spray on the tires. I got the "Heavy Duty Spray" strength, mentioning this because there were about 20 strengths to choose from. I actually couldn't find it at an auto parts store as it's more of a home improvement item.

I tested on a small section and it seems like the brown has finally permanently been removed. It's been black for 2 days and actually the rest of the tire which was "black" before looks brownish by comparison. I plan to apply it to all 4 tires and will follow up if this changes.

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This sounds like tire blooming.

Why

Tire rubber usually contain an anti-ozonant which prevents UV damage to the tire (like you might see on a windshield wiper blade, it starts cracking). The anti-ozonant, when exposed to air, turns brown. Since the anti-ozonant is part of the tire's rubber, it continues to rise to the surface of the tire.

is it possible to get rid of them?

Usually you want to use a gentle cleaner. Using something too harsh may result in exposing more the the anti-ozonant to the air. Once it's cleaned off, dress the tire in a protectant.

is this something I could take up with the manufacturer to get them replaced?

Perhaps. If it is tire blooming then might tell you its completely normal and expected. It might be the result of a manufacturing issue, returning "within hours" is a bit unusual, I would at least make an inquiry to the manufacturer.

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  • Thanks. I've called the distributor and will follow up with their response. Not even hours, they show up again in less than an hour. Also I'd understand if they were a $400 set, or 2 years old or something. But a $1500 set after just 4 months is unacceptable to me!
    – purpleACR
    Oct 16, 2015 at 0:17
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    Well this is embarrassing, it seems like it was just some grease on the tire. In my defense I did wash them repeatedly, but with the right product it seems to be coming off permanently.
    – purpleACR
    Oct 19, 2015 at 16:44
  • Good thing you called and asked!
    – vcsjones
    Oct 19, 2015 at 20:06
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You said you don't want that really glossy look for your tire, perhaps a low gloss tire protectant spray might be the best alternative to help your tire bloom issue if you are unable to otherwise fix the issue with simple cleanings.

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