Bridgestone/Firestone Faces Expanded Investigation for Steeltex Tire Safety Defects

Strategic Insights -

An investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) into possible safety defects in Steeltex tires, a new population of Firestone light truck tires, has been opened due to an influx of complaints following a recall of 14.4 million tires in August. The new investigation is linked to two deaths and 12 serious injuries in eight crashes, in addition to 101 deaths and about 400 serious injuries linked to Firestone tires already under recall and investigation. The investigation also comes after a federal judge in East St. Louis, Illinois, agreed to consider expanding the recall to include 16-inch ATX, ATX II, and Wilderness AT tires, an estimated 1.4 million more tires.

Key Takeaways:

  • The NHTSA has opened a preliminary evaluation into Steeltex tires, a new population of Firestone light truck tires, due to 169 consumer complaints, with 167 of those received since the initial recall of 15-inch ATX, ATX II, and Wilderness AT tires.
  • The new investigation is linked to two deaths and 12 serious injuries in eight crashes, in addition to 101 deaths and about 400 serious injuries linked to Firestone tires already under recall and investigation.
  • A federal judge in East St. Louis, Illinois, has agreed to consider expanding the recall to include 16-inch ATX, ATX II, and Wilderness AT tires, an estimated 1.4 million more tires.
  • The Steeltex tires under investigation are radial tires, the R4S is a mud and snow tire, and the A/T is an all-terrain tire, both of which come in 15-, 16-, and 16.5-inch sizes.
  • The recalled Firestone tires were original equipment on Ford Explorers, while the Steeltex tires came on Ford's F-250 and F-350, F-450 and F-550 pickup trucks, its Excursion sport-utility vehicle, and General Motors Corp.'s Suburban sport-utility and its GMC Savana and Chevrolet Express full-size vans.
  • A lawsuit against Ford and Firestone seeks to represent all people who own or have owned Firestone ATX, ATX II, Wilderness, and all other similarly designed tires, with a hearing scheduled for October 16 to decide whether to grant the case class-action status.
  • Automotive analysts say NHTSA's move may be motivated by criticism of the agency for being slow to act on complaints that led to the initial recall.

Statistics:

  • 169 consumer complaints received by NHTSA related to Steeltex tires, with 167 of those received since the initial recall of 15-inch ATX, ATX II, and Wilderness AT tires.
  • 2 deaths and 12 serious injuries linked to Steeltex tires in eight crashes.
  • 101 deaths and about 400 serious injuries linked to Firestone tires already under recall and investigation.
  • 1.4 million estimated number of 16-inch ATX, ATX II, and Wilderness AT tires that may be included in the expanded recall.
  • 93 suits filed against Ford and Firestone, with 34 involving 16-inch tires not in the recall.
  • NHTSA receives 60 to 80 preliminary evaluations a year, with only about 20 being upgraded to an engineering analysis.

Sources:

  • "NHTSA Opens Investigation into Steeltex Tires" by Detroit Free Press
  • "NHTSA Investigating Steeltex Tires" by Detroit Free Press
  • "Ford Recalls 14.4 Million Firestone Tires" by Detroit Free Press
  • "Firestone Tires Probed by NHTSA" by Detroit Free Press
  • Safetyforum.com
  • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)