Costco is one of the most popular wholesale stores in the US with a huge array of products including an excellent selection of tires from brands such as:
- Bridgestone
- Michelin
- BFGoodrich and
- Firestone
If you’ve purchased tires from Costco but you’re looking to make a return; perhaps they came defective, have developed a fault or you’ve simply changed your mind, you’ll need to get up to speed with Costco’s return policy.
To help you there, we’ll cover how long you’ll get to return your tires, how to exchange/get a refund, what their warranty covers, and much more.
Keep reading to find out…
What is Costco’s Tire Return Policy? The Short Answer
In short, Costco allows you to receive a refund for your tire order if it’s been shipped to your local Costco by either stopping by your local Costco and requesting the refund or by contacting them online at Costco.com to submit the refund for you. Costco tires also come with a 5-year warranty which we’ll cover below.
Costco doesn’t specify a time limit for you to do this but they do state that they are unable to cancel your order once it’s been shipped and is in transit so you will need to either go along to your local Costco or contact them for the refund once they’ve arrived at your local Costco warehouse.
There is some information on the internet that states you can try your tires for 30 days and seek a refund/exchange if you’re not happy with them during that period. However, this is not stipulated on Costco’s website but seems to be commonly accepted, including by Costco employees we’ve spoken to.
Therefore, we would advise that if you are returning tires you do it as soon as possible and on or before 30 days have expired.
Can I exchange Costco Tires?
Costco stipulates that they’re unable to process tire exchanges on their website so the best thing to do is to request a refund when the tires arrive at your local Costco warehouse and then re-order the tires you would like in their place.
What is Costco’s Tire Warranty?
If your tires develop a fault after purchase then it’s important to note that Costco provides a 5-year warranty or until the tire measures 1.6mm in depth or less for “road hazard failures” in passenger, performance, and light truck tires.
You can utilize the warranty if you’re still within the 5 years and your tire depth is above 1.6mm if they become unserviceable due to unrepairable punctures, impact damage, or cuts.
However, you should note that the warranty does not automatically mean a full refund will be offered
It is calculated by looking at the amount of usable tread left at the time the tire becomes unserviceable.
They calculate it by looking at the original tread depth and taking off 1.6mm.
The figure for the depth that is left is then multiplied by the original price of the tire, net of any discounts that applied at the time of purchase.
However, to rely on the warranty you must ensure that you:
- Were the original purchaser of the tires and purchased them from Costco
- Have the original receipt (check your inbox if you ordered online or in your online account under the orders section)
- Keep the mechanical parts of the tire in good working order
- Balance and rotate your tires according to the vehicle’s requirements
- Keep the tire(s) inflated to the required pressure as outlined by the vehicle manufacturer
The warranty will also not apply if there are signs of:
- Damage due to an accident
- Damage due to vandalism
- Damage through commercial use
- Damage due to off-road use
- Damage due to racing
- Damage due to snow chains or studs
- Damage due to the vehicle not being maintained or adjusted appropriately
- Where tires have been transferred onto another vehicle
- Damage because of irregular or rapid wear
Related Article:
Costco Shoe Returns Policy
How Long Will It Take to Get a Refund or Exchange?
Costco says to allow between 3 – 4 business days to receive a refund. The quickest way to get a refund is to head down to your Costco tire shop when your tires arrive. Your refund will then be processed there and then.
The refund will be credited back to your original account within that period.
However, it may be slightly longer depending on your bank account or card issuer.
How Does Costco’s Returns Policy and Warranty Compare to the Competition?
If you’re thinking of taking the tires you’ve purchased back to Costco and shopping somewhere else or if you’re still shopping around then it might be worth having a look at how the competition stacks up.
To help you there we’ve taken a look at some of the competition’s returns policies:
| Competitor | Returns Policy/Warranty |
| TireRack | 30 days / Warranty depending on the manufacturer |
| BigOTires | 3-year warranty |
| Discount Tire | No time limit / Warranty depending on the manufacturer |
| Simple Tire | 30 days/Warranty depending on the manufacturer |
Final Thoughts
Costco’s 5-year warranty and 30-day returns policy are as good, if not better than most of the competition.
However, it’s important to remember that in most cases the 5-year warranty will only partially cover you and you won’t necessarily receive a full refund.
