NHTSA Asked to Probe Firestone Spare Tyres

(Akron/Tire Review) Sean E. Kane, president of Safety Research & Strategies, is calling for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to investigate the effectiveness of Firestone ATX and Wilderness AT consumer replacement programs in 2000 and 2001 and launch another consumer notification programme.

Kane wants NHTSA to work with Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire (BFNAT) and Ford to launch another consumer notification program specifically targeting defective Firestone ATX and Wilderness AT spare tyres.

Reports filed by BFNAT and Ford to NHTSA indicate that approximately 12 million of the more than 20 million tyres that remained in use were captured by the recalls. Spare tires were forgotten in the drive to replace in-service tires, according to Kane.

“Even though millions of defective tyres were collected, there were potentially millions of tires that weren’t – and these campaigns were so huge, the number of uncaptured tyres is bigger than the number of tires retrieved in most recalls,” said Kane. “While we don’t know how many spares are out there, the number is potentially significant.

“A re-notification to consumers as well as tyre and repair shops is needed to prevent these tyres being used unknowingly,” Kane said.