More than half (67%) of the complaints received by the NHTSA involve non-recalled Firestone tires. Among the incidents involving Wilderness tires where the tire size, model and plant of origin were identifiable, tread separation and blowouts were reported 86% of the time, six times more than the recalled Wilderness tires.
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Passenger and light truck tire tread separations are an unfortunate by-product of steel-belted radial tire technology. Due to the difficulty in obtaining adhesion of steel to rubber there is a potential for tread separation of all steel-belted radial tires. This is true especially at high speeds in hot weather. Recent examples of this have included the Firestone ATX and Wilderness tires on Ford Explorers, Continental General tires on Lincoln Navigators, the Firestone Steeltex tires on Ford Excursions, and the Goodyear Load Range E tires on 15-passenger vans.
The results of tread separation can be catastrophic. Tread belt separation frequently causes tire blowouts. Even when the tire does not lose pressure the driver may nevertheless lose control of the vehicle when the tread and belt separate. Rollover accidents caused by tread separation and tire blowouts have resulted in thousands of serious injury accidents and fatalities over the years. To learn more about tire defects, tire blowouts, tread separation and tire lawsuits please read on.
Most people are familiar with the Ford/Firestone tire-debacle, one of the largest tire recalls in history. By 2000, Ford Motor Company had installed more than 14.4 million Bridgestone/Firestone ATX, ATX II, and Wilderness AT tires on the Ford Explorer and other vehicles. Reports of crashes and fatalities prompted an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTS), which uncovered a defect in the Firestone tires. At the time, more than 300 crashes and collisions were attributed to Firestone tires. The defect in the tires caused tread separation that, in turn, caused many rollover accidents involving Ford Explorers. Ford announced a recall of all 14.4 million tires.
The litigation following the recalls received widespread publicity for many reasons. Beyond the huge scope of the recall, the media found many issues newsworthy, including the money involved, the many ensuing class action suits, and the end of a decades-old relationship between Ford and Firestone due to each party blaming the other for the tire failures.
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One of the most common vehicle defect issues faced by the public is that of safety recalls of a motor vehicle. Safety recalls are usually instigated by either the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or the vehicle manufacturers themselves, in response to a discovered defect in a vehicle or a component of that vehicle. So it is important to understand the procedure that is followed in vehicle recalls, and the respective responsibilities of those involved.
Litigation against tire manufacturers is complex. However, it is increasingly clear that many accidents and rollovers caused by a tire blow out are due to a design defect in the tire. Accordingly, an attorney with experience in tire defect litigation should review the accident facts for a possible product liability claim against a tire manufacturer.
The most importance evidence in an auto or tire defect case is the vehicle that was in the accident. Without it, an automotive defect case is difficult if not impossible to establish. It takes time and the assistance of people who have expertise in accident reconstruction, forensics, or biomechanical analysis to identify if a defect in a tire contributed to the accident.
Ford Motor Company and Bridgestone/Firestone enjoyed a long-term business relationship for more than a century until 2001 when the relationship ended as each organization blamed each other for the Ford/Firestone tire recall debacle. Having already recalled millions of Firestone tires installed on Ford vehicles, in 2001 Ford ended the relationship by publicly blaming Firestone for manufacturing defective tires, Ford stated it had lost faith in the safety of Firestone's Wilderness AT brand tires designed specifically for Ford vehicles. Firestone responded by claiming Ford was trying to divert attention away from the flaws in the Ford Explorer and that Firestone would no longer sell tries to Ford due to a loss of "mutual trust and respect." Acrimony between the two companies continues today as each fights class action suits as well as each other in court.
Proper maintenance helps prevent tire failures. In some cases, however, tire failures are hard to detect because of a manufacturing or design flaw. By knowing what to look for you may be able to prevent unnecessary injuries. The following tips may help you avoid being involved in a vehicle accident caused by a defective tire.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) A highly informative resource containing tire recalls, tire ratings, child passenger safety information, crash statistics, crash test information, and much more. NHTSA is the road safety arm of the federal Department of Transportation.
Office of Defects Investigation A division of the NHTSA, this federal agency provides comprehensive information that includes defect investigations, recalls, service bulletins, consumer complaints, and other personal safety information concerning motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment.
National Transportation Library An online resource from the federal Department of Transportation with frequently asked questions related to tire safety and recalls and other transportation safety topics.
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Q: When is a tire recall necessary?
A: If the tire does not comply with a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard or there is a safety-related defect present in the tire than a tire recall like Continental's recent tire recall. There are minimum performance levels for tires that have been set by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to protect drivers and passengers from death or serious injury.