Tire Recalls For Tread Separation Nonetheless Plague Automotive Sector

Jun 11, 2012 by BoemigGorbet

Firestone had to undertake a massive tire recall back in 2000 involving tires created for SUVs. Out of some 14 million sold, the approximately 6.five million still on the road were recalled.

The story, highlighted by numerous rollover deaths, remained in the news for months, and had a serious impact on the manufacturer. Amongst other issues, angry shoppers usually had been told that replacement tires were not in stock. The recall did not go smoothly. Congressional investigations followed, and new tire safety legislation was enacted.

Reminiscent of those days are two current tire recalls involving the identical defect that prompted the 2000 recall, namely tread separation and high failure rates, risking unsafe blowouts. The danger is exacerbated in hot summer months.

Now, as if there are not enough woes with recalls of Chinese items, you can to the list of tire recalls some 450,000 tires imported from China. This recall is specially troublesome as will turn out to be evident from the story.

The existing problem arises out of situations of tread separation of truck tires sold to U.S. distributors. The tires are light truck radials imported from the Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co. positioned in Hangzhou, China. The issue is compounded by the reality that the recall does not involve a manufacturer that has a huge U.S presence like Firestone.

In reality, the importer is a tiny New Jersey business with only six employees which lacks the funds to implement a recall. It doesn’t even have a warehouse. Apparently the tires are drop shipped from the manufacturer straight to U.S. distributors. The Chinese company is not being cooperative according to the National Highway Visitors Security Administration (NHTSA). There allegedly have been two rollover deaths attributable to the tires.

The NHTSA has received some criticism based on indications that it was informed of the difficulty as early as 2005 and took no action.

An additional recall just occurred (in 2007) involving the Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. Yet again, the hazard is tread separation dangers with about 92,000 light truck tires. Cooper denies that there is any defect, but is cooperating in doing a recall. Cooper had previously imported tires from the Hangzhou manufacturer, but ceased in 2005. The tires recalled in 2007 were created in the U.S. Cooper is the second largest U.S. tire manufacturer.

Whilst it really is comforting to know the these defects are becoming identified, it seems that from a consumer viewpoint, the enormous recall in 2000, coupled with subsequent federal legislation, ought to have eliminated tread separation issues. Evidently this is not the situation. Clearly, consumers must not be complacent about tire safety concerns which continue to plague the tire market in the form of tread separation dangers.

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