calemasters

This is a Camaro bulletin, but these tires come in sizes to fit the GS and Z06. While they are a big improvement over the original F1 Supercar tire, they are not for cold weather use. See bulletin below.

#13-03-10-001: Information on Goodyear F1 Supercar G2 Tire Cold Weather Cracking - (Feb 6, 2013)

Subject: Information on Goodyear F1 Supercar G2 Tire Cold Weather Cracking

Models: 2012-2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
2013 Chevrolet Camaro SS with RPO 1LE

Cold Weather Operation

The Camaro ZL1 and RPO 1LE vehicles come with 285/35ZR20 and/or 305/35ZR20 Goodyear F1 Supercar G2 D.O.T. approved ultra high performance, track capable summer tires as standard equipment.
Goodyear F1 Supercar Performance tires are a summer season tire and are not intended to be driven on snow, ice or road surfaces below -7°C (20°F).
If the ambient temperature in your location is at or below -7°C (20°F), DO NOT MOVE THIS VEHICLE. The rubber used in these tires loses flexibility and may develop surface cracks in the tire tread/shoulder area at colder temperatures. Driving the vehicle, when the temperature is below -7°C (20°F), may result in surface cracks in the tread area of the tire. Surface cracks are cosmetic and will not result in a loss of air.

Tire Surface Cracks


Special tread and compounds used on these performance tires will cause a decrease in performance in cold climates. Driving with ultra high performance summer tires on snow, ice or cold road surfaces may cause loss of control. Refer to the latest version of Corporate Bulletin Number 04-03-10-013: Driving Characteristics of Rear Wheel Drive Vehicles and Available Winter Tires for further information on available replacement winter tires for cold climate operation.
Tire Storage
It is recommended that Goodyear F1 Supercar G2 tires are stored indoors at temperatures above -7°C (20°F) when not in use. If the tires have been subjected to -7°C (20°F) or less, let them warm up in a heated space to at least 5°C (40°F) for 24 hours or more before being installed or driving a vehicle on which they are installed. Inflate the tires only after they have been warmed above 5°C (40°F). Do not place tires near heaters or heating devices used to warm the room where the tires are stored. Do not apply heat or blow heated air directly on the tires. Always inspect tires before use after being stored.

Customer Information
Please share this information with the customer, including a copy of this message.

MisterMidlifeCrisis

Those cracks look more than just "cosmetic".

It is hard to imagine that anyone who lives in a more northerly location and uses their vehicle year round won't encounter cold conditions just as a matter of cause. This is nuts.

LawrenceFromTorrance

This seems like it should be a recall, not a notice. What there're suggesting is not practical for a lot of owners.

z06inVB

So are new owners told not to drive their car when it is cold ? Crazy

grayline

this tire was shown as being a high mileage tire upon burnouts or use will accelerate cracks on street tires of this magnitude

Gearhead Jim

Pretty pathetic in general, and especially after many people have purchased the cars with these tires and had no optional tire available.

From GM's standpoint, the solution is simple: just park your car during the winter, or spend a mere $3,000+ to get a second set of wheels/sensors/tires.

Did GM and Goodyear not do adequate cold weather testing on these tires, or did they simply not want to tell anyone what the tests discovered?

EDIT:
Each winter, we drive our 2009 Coupe from Chicago area to Florida, and return when the weather warms up. Since we are traveling in the "snow belt" for only the first day, I usually put the summer tires on the car at home and leave on a day when the roads are clear, that gives us all our time down south on the summer rubber. Our Michelin PS2 ZP runflats have not had any problems with cold temperatures, except for the reduced grip that any summer tire will experience (and the PS2's seem to lose less than our original Goodyear Supercars).

pewter99

anyone with a brain and more than a years experience driving a car knows that high performance tires and cold weather do not mix...

pewter99

uhh no.....the info is out there

The Eagle F1 Supercar G: 2 (Generation 2) is Goodyear's Extreme Performance Summer tire developed for use as Original Equipment (O.E.) on Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 coupes and convertibles, as well as Ford Shelby GT500 Mustangs optioned with Ford's SVT Performance Package. The Eagle F1 Supercar G: 2 is designed to be street-refined and track-capable by combining an aggressive appearance with awe-inspiring performance. Like all summer tires, it is not intended to be driven in near-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice.

Gearhead Jim

I think there is a big difference between a tire that "is not intended" to be driven in cold weather, and a tire that is actually damaged by being driven in cold weather.

Lots of people in our local club take their C6 out for short drives in the winter, on days when the roads are clear but the temperatures are cold. They seem to drive appropriately, and haven't mentioned any problems. But none of them are running the G2 Supercars.

c54u

Wow, surface cracks....and are only cosmetic and will not result in loss of air.....right.......my two cents is that it will cause catastrophic tire failure and yes there will be loss of air!

Maybe there is more cracking within the tire that you don't see either.

Ken_C8

This is concerning. My '13 GS has these tires (magnetic ride plus manual tranny gets you these tires on a GS, if I'm not mistaken). It's very cold here. I have taken it out and I'm sure the outside temp said 19 or 21. But my garage is about 45-50 and I have not received a notice from GM.

Seadawg

I got my vette new in late January of 2011, and both in 2011 and 2012 we had low 30 degree days in my part of Florida.

When they were new, they stuck like glue, even in the 30 degree temps. BUT a year later, with about 12k on them, they were like rocks (but they never cracked). I was told by engineers that they constant heat cycling would make them become more brittle with age.

It will be interesting to see how this pans out, in the "liability age" that we live in now........

AORoads

it would seem to me that, as suggested by GearheadJ. above, if you live in an area where there may be low temps, you will need a different set of tires. either permanently placed on the car, or an extra set of tires, at the least.

in the "bad old days," we all had tires that either didn't work very well at all, or were "winter" (snow tires, studded snow tires) or for the rest of the year. I recall "wide ovals" not being so great in rain, and not just because of their width.

many years ago, tire manufacturers and the website for tirerack began segmenting tires by their intended purpose. I see that as not only beneficial information, but beneficial tire technology for customers---we can get tires that are more suited for specific uses, than a generic, all-season tire. it doesn't eliminate weather conditions. AND/BUT WE MAY STILL need an all-season tire.

the only way to make this any better is to offer a choice of tires at the dealership level. but I suspect a lot of buyers would make a big mistake and choose the wrong tire for some of their weather conditions and still blame it on someone else.

there is no beating the fact that this is a sports-type car and requires a better, more-optimal tire for most/many/some conditions. that is my opinion and I can see the disagreements already.

(thanks for posting the info, Allen)

LawrenceFromTorrance

Then why does an all year car come with these tires?

phileaglesfan

Goodyear OEM tires in cold weather or wet weather are a safety issue. Michelins don't seem to have this problem. I have Super Sports on my GS. They are even better in extreme cold than when I had the A/S ZPs on my 08. My son and I usually take a few cold weather drives in the winter, was down to 8 last time at 1pm. The A/S ZPs still bounced around too much on bumps (did good otherwise), Goodyears were unsafe. Might be a run flat design issue when driven in the cold.

laconiajack

Okey, but for the other 95% that buy cars off the showroom floors totally ignorant of such things, it seems GM has screwed up big time by not posting warning lables on their G/S, Z06, 427 Convertibles, or ZR1 models that clearly states "this car, because of it's summer performance tires is unsafe to drive at temperatures below 50 degrees F. and in substantial rain."

CaryBob

This is old news.

Maybe some people do not understand that a "summer tire" means "summer tire".

ATC399

nailed it...if its not practical they should have never purchased a car with high performance summer tires...

Mad*Max

that is why they are called Summer tires

Steve_R

True, but the notice in the OP doesn't say not to drive the car, it says "If the ambient temperature in your location is at or below -7°C (20°F), DO NOT MOVE THIS VEHICLE." So, not only can you not drive it, but if it's parked outside and the temp drops below 20* you can't even move it or put it in the garage or the tires will crack? That's beyond stupid for a tire that comes on a car from the factory.

The wife's Shelby has these tires and they truly suck. They're getting replaced by Michelins ASAP.