Goodyear Wrangler Authority Problems (Explained)

Goodyear Wrangler Authority tires are aggressive, all-terrain tires that are exclusive to Walmart.

You can’t purchase them anywhere else. Though there are a pretty intense number of anti-Walmart groups out there that disapprove, these are Goodyear tires first and Walmart exclusives second. 

The main problem with the Goodyear Wrangler Authority is that the sidewalls tend to be weak on sharp turns, allowing the tire to bulge. Secondary concerns revolve around the howling noise they tend to make at speed and the sudden and inexplicable loss of tread. 

You can probably play a game of “pick your tire” and find something wrong with any choice you make, and the Goodyear Wrangler Authority is not an exception to the rule.

These are large tires with a fairly aggressive tread, so they’re not a one-size-fits-all vehicle tire. 

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Prevailing Problems with the Goodyear Wrangler Authority

The Goodyear Wrangler Authority is a rather popular tire, primarily since it is steeply discounted compared to competing tires.

This is predominantly the case because it is exclusive to Walmart tires, and you won’t find it anywhere else. 

Say what you want about Walmart, but cheap tires usually come with issues.

There are reviews out there where the reviewer falls all over themselves, drooling over the wonder and amazingness of this tire.

However, there are five or six forums full of customer complaints for every one of those reviews.

It just goes to show you that while there will always be problems with every tire, as of this writing, there are no major recalls on the Goodyear Wrangler Authority. 

Weak Sidewalls

One of the more common complaints about the Goodyear Wrangler Authority is that they purportedly have weak sidewalls, which is problematic when turning, especially at high speed. 

Obviously, it’s not so bad that it causes a blowout. If that were the case, there would have been safety recalls on the tires a while back.

It mostly boils down to these tires being installed on extremely heavy trucks without a thorough understanding of the functionality of the tire. 

If your sidewall bulges in a turn, it will make for a slightly unstable, wobbly turn. It will certainly be noticeable, especially if it bulges out as much as customers say it does. 

It means that any sidewall damage should be addressed as soon as possible.

Uneven tread wear is a potential side effect of a weak side wall, so if that’s something that you’re dealing with, you’ll notice the wear and tear as time goes on. 

Howling Noise

Of course, this is very common for this kind of tire but some of the complaints about it are centered around the fact that the howling noise is quite loud.

Loud enough to aggravate other drivers nearby as well as in the interior of the cab. 

Some complaints allege that it’s so loud they have to turn up their music inside of the vehicle to tune out the sound.

Tires like the Goodyear Wrangler Authority are typically the kind of tires that make a loud howling sound, especially at higher speeds.

These tires are made with much harder rubber compounds, and the way the tread is designed allows air passage through it that can be pretty loud at times.

There is no flexibility when you are dealing with hard rubber, so the tire doesn’t absorb into the asphalt like normal. 

Air travels through the tread channels more heavily compressed as the tire rolls across the surface.

Imagine filling up a balloon and squeezing it to the point of busting.

When you release it, the air rushing out is much louder than usual. 

The same physics applies here, except the Goodyear Wrangler Authority happens to be a little worse than others. 

Loss of Tread

The number of complaints on tread loss is wide and varied, with some complaints about it coming off in chunks, some stating that the tread simply wears down too fast, and the more uncommon complaint about the entire tread belt separating from the tire. 

The problem with complaints like this is that they may not be conclusively about the tire and could be caused by something else going on with the vehicle itself.

Improper inflation pressure and a tire that is out of alignment are the two most common causes of tread wear, whether it is sudden or is happening rapidly over time. 

Once tire wear starts on any particular side of the tire, it’s difficult to reverse, even if you get your tires aligned and the correct air pressure is achieved.

That’s because once one side wears down a bit, it throws off everything else, even when the tire is back in good working order. 

Goodyear Wrangler Authority Warranty Compared to Similar Tires

Goodyear	Review Rating	Warranty
Wrangler Fortitude HT	4.7 / 5.0	50,000 – 65,000 miles
Wrangler Duratrac	4.5 / 5.0	50,000 miles
Wrangler SR-A	4.6 / 5.0	50,000 miles
Wrangler TrailRunner AT	4.6 / 5.0	55,000 miles
Wrangler UltraTerrain AT	4.6 / 5.0	N/A
Wrangler ST	4.4 / 5.0	Replacement Limited Warranty
Wrangler Authority	4.5 / 5.0 *	N/A

Dealing with “Weak Sidewalls”

The fact of the matter is that the vast majority of these complaints about bulging and flexing sidewalls are probably from those who have these tires installed on heavy vehicles.

It’s not like you’re supposed to have them installed on a Volkswagen Jetta, but they probably shouldn’t go on an F-350 either. 

The Goodyear Wrangler Authority is a large tire with a semi-aggressive tread that is meant for highway and light off-road use.

It shouldn’t extend to anything beyond that. If you need something a little more aggressive for heavy off-road activity, these tires are probably not for you. 

Minimizing the Howling Noise

The number one thing to do when your tires are too loud is to ensure they are properly inflated. With a tire pressure gauge, you can check if your tires have the correct air pressure.

The lower the air pressure, the more the tire’s surface area comes into contact with the hot top. You want to reduce that with proper air pressure.

Otherwise, you will need a compressor if the air pressure is insufficient.

The only other thing you can do is soundproof your vehicle’s interior. Installing these kinds of tires means dealing with the noise that they create.

Soundproofing your vehicle’s interior is not cheap, but you can accomplish it by filling the doors, trunk, and/or wheel arches & installing vibration dampers on the car floor with sound-proofing material.

Kilmat makes suitable materials to shop for if you need a quick fix to soundproof your vehicle. 

Loss of Tread Issues

As we mentioned above, tread loss is most likely an alignment issue or a problem with underinflated tires.

Aside from purchasing these tires according to the type of vehicle you’re driving, you should keep the tire pressure nominal at all times. 

Alignment is problematic as well. This is especially true if you take your ride off-roading a lot.

Bouncing up and down on rough roads, dips, mud, heavy braking, etc, is bound to play havoc on your alignment from time to time. 

Keeping your tires aligned will significantly alleviate the issue and is probably one of the primary culprits behind the loss of tread or tread wear that is lopsided on the inside or outside of the tire. 

All Things Considered

Overall, the Goodyear Wrangler Authority tire is a well-reviewed and well-received tire.

Like most tires, however, there are lists of problems or potential problems with the tire.

Thankfully, many of these complaints are less tire specific and more in terms of outside causes.

Sources

https://www.pirate4x4.com/threads/tire-review-goodyear-wrangler-authority.822986/

https://www.discounttire.com/search?q=&sort=relevance&page=0&text=wrangler

https://www.walmart.com/search?q=wrangler+authority