Pirelli P Zero Summer Tires driven in cold - Can I have your attention please?

[Rudy@Tirerack]

We had a case where a customer stored his car for the winter in his garage. However to use the garage he pushed the car out into the cold each day and brought it back each evening. He had compound cracking and was not even driving the car. This may be a rare case but tire damage can occur when using these tires in the cold. I have not heard of any issues where a car is stored in a garage and never moved having an issue.

This is not something new. The Goodyear tires that come on the Camaro Zl1 have the same issue.

Summer tires were never intended to be driven in the cold or snow.

Lots of cars come with summer tires from the factory for better dry grip and stopping power. Ford Focus ST, Miata's, Subaru WRX/STI, Mustangs, most BMW, Porsche just to name a few. If you plan on driving these cars in the cold you need to either go all season or get winter tires.

I just want you guys to know the facts. Neither myself or Tire Rack decide what tires come on a car from the factory. The Pirelli P Zero are an excellent summer tire. They rated at the top of a leading consumer magazine for summer tires. They have always tested well in our testing. You just need the right tires for the conditions.

[The Stig]

Originally Posted by GMTool

I have driven in single digit temps on my pzero's. They have less grip but they have less grip in the rain also. I drive accordingly. No signs of cracking. I can't find any warning in the owners manual about driving in the cold on these tires. Snow and ice, different story. I guess warranty and all that is gone if an issue occurs in the cold. Kind of funny that I bought a car with a good hot heater, heated seats, rear window defroster but I can't drive it in the cold unless I change tires. I'm looking forward to replacing these tires with a good quality performance all season.
Got 23K on them and the backs are getting thin and the fronts are wearing on the outsides. New tires coming soon with an alignment check.

There's this TSB for the ZL1/1LE tires:

Originally Posted by The Stig

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187045


Here you go

[FY_Ivan]

Not sure how people can argue with the original post... summer tire are for summer and warm temps, simple as that. Just because you have driven with the pirellis in winter or snow doesn't mean thats a good thing or you've proven the tires work in the cold. Nothing to be proud about. You risk your life and others by reducing your ability to properly control your vehicle with a rear wheel drive car too! It will only take 1 occurance where your tires slip and you slide in ice or snow to destroy your car (and hopefully change your mind about summer tires). Then you will think, hey i should have spent the extra 1-2k to buy a winter tire set, or at least not taken receipt of the car until the dealer puts all-seasons on them if I can't afford the extra cash.

What bothers me is that some people don't think about anyone else but themselves on the road. Just like when people drive with a half fallen bumper on the highway and think that its a cosmetic issue and since they don't care how their car looks its ok to drive like that.

/rant

[MyRideIsHere]

When I purchased my SS in the middle of January here in Northern Indiana I became an "enthusiast". I did not consciously mean to do that, but that is what happened. My SS came equipped with high performance summer-only tires. My trip home from the dealer convinced me of that fact. Enthu$iast!

I was perfectly happy not to drive my new SS in the winter but what is "winter"? Where I live "winter", IN MY MIND, is snow covered, icy roads. NOT bare pavement below freezing temperature roads. Consequently, I replaced my P-zeros with a THREE season tire. IN MY MIND, there are winter tires, 3 season tires (AKA all-season tires) and summer tires. As a budding "enthusiast", I actually didn't even know there was such a thing as SUMMER tires; I thought there were just "winter" and "3 season" tires. Go figure...

Now on another note: in my state the alcohol limit for driving is .08. If you are pulled over at .04 you can be on your merry way with just a stern "be careful" and a ticket for whatever got you pulled over in the first place... Assuming it wasn't wildly reckless driving... However, if you are driving at .04 and are tragically in an accident where someone is injured don't think that your .04 will be overlooked. Your "LEGAL" BAC will be a factor in the accident investigation.

Now imagine for a moment that you bust up your ride by sliding out of control on your P-Zeros on a sub-freezing day in Northern Indiana. Well, if the loss is totally yours, it's a lesson learned. If someone other than yourself is harmed, however, it will be a factor in the investigation that may end up being an even harder lesson learned. Not to mention that you have HURT someone unnecessarily.

An out-of-control CAMARO, is automatically a crime in some jurisdictions, EVEN WITHOUT P-Zeros...

This is what is IN MY MIND...

Your Mind May Vary...

[Baldman]

So what we have here is hundreds of thousands of ticking time bombs on the road!

[myold88]

Originally Posted by Chevy_cowboy

I understand they're not meant to be driven in cold temps, but are you saying even storing/parking Pzero's or other max summer tires in sub freezing temps can damage them? What about those of us with unheated garages?

Rudy- I'm still waiting for an answer to this question. I store my P/Zeros on extra wheels, inflated on extra
wheels in my shed, where the temperature can reach 0 at times. IN YOUR OPINION can they be damaged
by the cold alone ?
Thanks.

[JimE]

Originally Posted by myold88

Rudy- I'm still waiting for an answer to this question. I store my P/Zeros on extra wheels, inflated on extra
wheels in my shed, where the temperature can reach 0 at times. IN YOUR OPINION can they be damaged
by the cold alone ?
Thanks.

Rudy and I answered you.

Damage is typically caused by movement. However, yes, temperature alone could damage the tires. It's been documented here on the forum.

[Rudy@Tirerack]

Originally Posted by myold88

Rudy- I'm still waiting for an answer to this question. I store my P/Zeros on extra wheels, inflated on extra
wheels in my shed, where the temperature can reach 0 at times. IN YOUR OPINION can they be damaged
by the cold alone ?
Thanks.

It's possible. I would feel better if they were in an attached garage or basement. There has not been a case exactly like your's where i have heard tires being damaged. The case I am aware of the guy parked in his garage but rolled the car outside each day and then rolled in back in at night. We have also seen Race Compound tires become damaged just from being in a very cold UPS truck for shipment.

[myold88]

Originally Posted by Rudy@Tirerack

It's possible. I would feel better if they were in an attached garage or basement. There has not been a case exactly like your's where i have heard tires being damaged. The case I am aware of the guy parked in his garage but rolled the car outside each day and then rolled in back in at night. We have also seen Race Compound tires become damaged just from being in a very cold UPS truck for shipment.

Thanks Rudy. I the future, just to be safe, I'll store them in my unheated attached garage where
the temperature never goes much below 30......... I appreciate your professional opinion.

[RJT2SSRS]

I don't post often but this one absolving the tire manufacturer or GM from any responsibility caught my eye. I picked up my RJT CAMARO on December 9th
2010.It was already cold and I am pretty sure it was cold the day it was
shipped from the factory. I was lucky enough to be in the showroom when my
car was delivered to the dealer. I picked the car up that afternoon. So by the
warranty, was i not covered because I drove my brand new car home from the dealer (in Woodhaven,Michigan)? Seems like a catch 22 situation in the making. Had a 1/8" snowfall the next day and could not make it up my drive way. PIRELLI
Scorpions went on that afternoon:-).

[MWR0707]

This may be a tread issue more than a cold issue as i have 15k on my orginal Pirellis. But i need to vent. I've done alot of mods and never noticed it too much until the other day. What was supposed to be a 45 degree March day in the Northeast turned into 10 degrees @ 7am. Was on the highway in morning rush hour, went to pass a semi on the left from the right hand lane. next thing i know the rear end flies out, no control, (TC on) i fly across two lanes somehow managing to not kill myself, nor anyone else. No damage. Lucky asshole i am. so long story short f those pos tires. rant. over.

[73duster]

Originally Posted by JimE

And as noted, stated plainly in the warranty: http://www.pirelli.com/tire/us/en/ca...res.html?tab=7

"What is not covered": Summer tires used at or below 45F (7C) ambient temperature.


Storage shouldn't be an issue. Damage typically occurs during use.

I agree. It's pretty stupid to say you aren't covered for STORAGE. These tires suck in my opinion. They don't grip well even in moderate temps. They have to be very hot to get ANY type of grip.

[Rudy@Tirerack]

GM bulletin #13-03-10-001A: "Information on Tire Cold Weather Cracking" – (Jan 30, 2014) advises “avoid driving, moving, or test-driving vehicles equipped with high-performance summer-only tires below 20º F as operating at these temperatures can cause damage to the tires.” The car models affected include:

2012-2014 Buick Regal GS
2014 Cadillac CTS Vsport
2012-2014 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and Z/28
2014-2014Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE
2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and Stingray Z51
2014 SS

These cars use different model tires. This is not a Pirelli issue. It's a using summer tires in the winter issue.

[Steve2150]

Originally Posted by Rudy@Tirerack

GM bulletin #13-03-10-001A: "Information on Tire Cold Weather Cracking" – (Jan 30, 2014) advises “avoid driving, moving, or test-driving vehicles equipped with high-performance summer-only tires below 20º F as operating at these temperatures can cause damage to the tires.” The car models affected include:

2012-2014 Buick Regal GS
2014 Cadillac CTS Vsport
2012-2014 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and Z/28
2014-2014Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE
2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and Stingray Z51
2014 SS

These cars use different model tires. This is not a Pirelli issue. It's a using summer tires in the winter issue.

Doesn't the 2013 SS/RS use the same tires as the 2014 SS?