Goodyear has voluntarily recalled more than 170,000 tires, prompting defective tire lawsuits claiming they had caused crashes that killed or injured people.
Several serious accidents prompted the Goodyear tire tread separation recall. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the tires, which were last produced in 2003 and were sold for use on trucks and recreational vehicles, “experienced a high rate of failure on recreational vehicles or RVs when compared to similar tires.”
Goodyear Tire Tread Separation Recall: Dangers
The recall report states that when installed on some motor homes, the tires were prone to tread separations and other failures. Tread separations can lead to loss of vehicle control, resulting in an increased crash risk.
The safety agency said that because the tires were discontinued nearly two decades ago, it is unknown how many remained in circulation.
However, it warned that some RV owners might still have the tires on their vehicle or set aside as spares. NHTSA urges anyone who owns, rents, or uses an RV or truck with 22.5-inch rims to ensure that these tires are not used on their vehicle. Goodyear said in a statement on its website that there was “no safety defect” in the tire.
The recall followed years of legal battles against the tire company, with many documents from those cases sealed. But in 2017, NHTSA opened an investigation into the tire’s failures based on information obtained from that litigation, which claimed that the tires, when installed on some motor homes, had failed, causing deaths or personal injuries.
Between 1998 and 2015, 95 people were either killed or injured in crashes resulting from these faulty tires, according to claims reviewed by NHTSA.
The G159 tire’s specific size was intended for use on inner-city delivery trucks. However, large RVs, which travel for longer periods and on highways at significantly higher speeds, have instead purchased and installed the G159 tire. NHTSA found that the products experienced catastrophic tire tread separations and blowouts in this application.
The agency also stated that Goodyear knew the tires could not tolerate this type of use. On Feb. 22, NHTSA sent a letter to Goodyear requesting it recalls the tire. The company has since carried out the recall, despite rejecting that request on March 8.
Holding the Manufacturer Accountable
Auto safety advocates say the recall is an important first step in holding Goodyear accountable. Let’s say a defective Goodyear tire has caused injury or loss to you or a loved one. In that case, you must seek the counsel of an experienced tire defect lawyer to understand and pursue your legal rights.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/07/business/goodyear-tire-recall.html
