Recalls
Kumho Tire U.S.A., Inc. has recalled a number of its Solus passenger car tyres due to a sidewall cracking issue. According to the company’s submission to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administrion (NHTSA), certain 225/45 R17 Kumho Solus KH25 produced 21 August 2011 through 23 June 2012 have an issue which could develop into cracking in the sidewall, which could result in air loss and in turn in a potential tyre failure.
Michelin has instigated a large-scale recall in the US; the tyre maker has announced it is voluntarily recalling approximately 841,000 BFGoodrich and Uniroyal-branded van and light truck tyres sold in the US, Canada and Mexico. The reason given for the recall is that 0.017 per cent of tyres sold have been returned by customers, who have experienced tread loss and/or rapid air loss, resulting from tread belt separation. Michelin says that no deaths or injuries have been reported in connection with the recalled tyres.
The US National Highway Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released a recall notice from North American truck manufacturer Navistar. According to the company, the problem is that “over time, due to corrosion and fatigue, the wheels may crack, resulting in possible wheel separation from the vehicle.”
Ralph Sutton could be the longest serving member of the tyre business in the UK, perhaps even the world. Having just completed 54 years associated with the round black things we all know and love, he is still going strong and rapidly approaching six decades in the business. Sutton’s career started at the beginning of April 1958 and those 54 years certainly represent uncommon loyalty to tyres, but how many more can claim to have been serving the industry almost as long as Queen Elizabeth II has been sat on the throne? And has anyone been serving longer?
Although De Klok Banden has only been headquartered at its current site for seven years, organic growth and partnership deals in recent times mean space within the wholesaler’s warehouse in Oud-Beijerland, the Netherlands is already at a premium. When Tyres & Accessories met with company director Wim van der Heiden in late February, he shared that De Klok is planning to move some time soon.
GTC North America, US importer of the Advance tyre brand produced by Guizhou Tyre in China, is recalling almost 12,300 Advance Extra Grip AR215 light truck radials produced between September 2008 and 2009. The company says this recall applies to size P235/75R15 tyres and pertains to blistering or bubbles appearing on the tyre’s sidewall. A recall notice lodged with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that these blisters or bubbles may, with extended use, lead to tread chunking on the tyre with belt edge exposure and possible loss of inflation.
Recently Kumho announced the recall of more than 300,000 tyres in China; now it is Hankook Tire’s turn, albeit on a far smaller scale. The Korean manufacturer has recalled 246 Chinese manufactured tyres after national safety authority, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, discovered a fault on June 10. It was found that due to a design or manufacturing fault steel cord protruded through the seams of a number of inspected tyres – a defect that increases the risk of rupturing.
In every area of achievement, a passion for what you are doing is an important ingredient for success. This even applies to the humble automotive exhaust and was the case in 1984 when Howard Warren and Charles Cotton established CES (UK) Ltd. The two men’s love of cars and motor racing helped drive CES (UK) on to become a significant presence first in the British exhaust aftermarket and then as a supplier of an enviable range of aftermarket vehicle components. Tyres & Accessories recently spoke to CES (UK) managing director Steve McCann, who shared how this original passion is still propelling the company on the course of continued growth.
Vehicle manufacturers in China are set to recall up to 75,000 cars fitted with Kumho tyres as original equipment. According to various sources, Beijing Hyundai will recall around 63,500 cars built between June 4, 2008 and January 13, 2011, while some 7,200 Kia Rio and Cerato vehicles and almost 4,700 cars manufactured by Great Wall Motor will be recalled.
A safety recall covering a number of Toyo and Nitto brand products has been announced by Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas Inc. The tyre maker says approximately 4,891 tyres are subject to this recall, of which approximately 588 were produced using a rubber chemical mixture that does not meet the company's specification. “As a consequence, sections of the tread may become detached, potentially causing loss of vehicle control and a crash, which could result in death or injury,” Toyo states in a press release.
JK Tyre & Industries has been a pioneer of radialisation in the Indian tyre market for some 35 years now and the country’s third largest tyre manufacturer, with its “JK Tyre”, “Vikrant” and “Tornel” brands, is considered a technological leader. While investment in the development and production of radial passenger car tyres during the mid 1970s has paid off and radialisation within this sector of the Indian market has grown to 97 per cent, JK Tyre & Industries has now once again positioned itself on the cutting edge of radialisation by investing a sizable sum in the local truck tyre market. And although this investment will initially serve Indian customers, the manufacturer plans the parallel expansion of its export activity and is focusing on the European market, particularly the passenger car tyre segment. Vice chairman and managing director Dr. Raghupati Singhania explained the background to this in an exclusive interview with Tyres & Accessories.
A flaw that could potentially lead to tyre deflation has prompted Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations to recall 4,097 bus tyres. The recall applies to Bridgestone R192 275/70R22.5 Load Range J (18 ply) tyres used primarily on intra-city transit buses in the US and Canada.
Michelin Australia has initiated a voluntary recall of some 1,900 Spanish manufactured truck tyres after identifying an issue that may lead to a rapid loss of pressure. The 305/70 R22.5 XZE2+ TL 152/148L tyres were sold between December 2008 and May 2010 and bear the identification DOT HA 3M BJC X followed by the number (for the week and year) 4508 to 1510.
Pirelli Group’s board of directors has agreed to change the name of Pirelli Real Estate (the wing it recently decided to spin off) to Prelios. The change will take effect when the separation of Pirelli RE from Pirelli & C, is finalised. During the same announcement Pirelli also revealed that Enrico Parazzini has been appointed as the firm’s new managing director finance. This appointment follows the resignation of Claudio De Conto, who held the same position.
Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations has notified the US National Highway Transport Safety Organisation that it intends to recall a total of some 768 non-compliant tyres imported from Japan between 2006 and February 2010. The offending items, Potenza RE050A, B390 and Turanza ER30 products, were manufactured for use on North American built vehicles intended for export markets and thus do not feature the DOT symbol and other labelling information legally required in the United States.
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