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:
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.
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.
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.
