US Distributor Recalls 6 Million Defective Tyre Valves

A distributor in the US is recalling around six million Chinese sourced tyre valve stems after it became apparent a number of them were improperly manufactured and could increase the risk of accidents. According to Ohio based distributor Tech International, the recall will go ahead even though only an estimated 8,600 of the six million valves are defective.

The valve in question is a replacement snap-in tyre valve, model TR413, manufactured between July and November 2006. The products are said to have been manufactured by manufacturer Shanghai Baolong Industries Co. in China. According to the details of the recall, the valve’s rubber component may crack after some six months of use, causing a gradual loss of tyre pressure. According to Tech International, the defect was identified after “a small number” of faulty valves were reported by customers and one distributor.

Defective samples were shipped to China and Baolong concluded that some valves could be defective. “The cause of the defect is likely improper mixing of the rubber compound in the manufacturer’s facility,” Tech International wrote in a letter to the transportation safety authority. The company told the NHTSA it doesn’t have records of the final purchasers of the valve stems.