Goodyear recalls 173K tires due to tread separation

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Goodyear tires recall overview:

• Who: Goodyear recalled 173,000 of its recreational vehicle tires.
• Why: Safety investigators found the tires’ failure caused crashes that killed eight people and injured 69 others from 1998 through 2009.
• Where: The recall is nationwide.

Goodyear has agreed to recall 173,000 of its recreational vehicle tires — nearly two decades after the last one was made — after investigators found their failure caused crashes that killed eight people and injured 69 others from 1998 through 2009.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) posted documents June 7 showing Goodyear agreed to recall about 173,000 of the problem tires, which have been out of production since 2003.

Goodyear only agreed to the recall after the NHTSA applied pressure to the company over a period of months, the Associated Press reports. The administration sent a letter to the company in February asking for a recall of the 22.5-inch-diameter G159 tires.

Goodyear initially refused. It only appeared to agree to the recall after the NHTSA threatened a public hearing and court action, according to NHTSA documents.

The NHTSA letter says the company should have recalled the tires within five working days of becoming aware of a defect, which it apparently knew of as early as 2002.

“The safety-related defect is a clear, identified failure that leads to a loss of vehicle control, causing crashes and potentially catastrophic consequences such as death and serious injury,” the NHTSA writes.

Goodyear tire tread can separate from body of tire, NHTSA says

NHTSA documents say the tire tread can separate from the body, causing drivers to lose control and increasing the risk of a crash. 

In one case, the front tire on an RV failed as a man and his family returned from a vacation. 

The driver heard a loud pop and lost control of the 40-foot-long RV, which crossed the median and hit an embankment, the NHTSA letter says. The driver was paralyzed, and three other passengers suffered broken spine and pelvic bones.

In its response letter to NHTSA, Goodyear argued that the tires were rigorously tested and fully qualified to operate at highway speeds. 

“No subject tire inspected by Goodyear engineers ever revealed or even suggested a defect of any kind,” it says. 

NHTSA issued a statement Tuesday urging anyone who owns, rents or uses an RV or truck to make sure that 22.5-inch G159 tires are not on the vehicles. 

“If their vehicle has these tires, they should have this recall completed as soon as possible,” the agency says.

Goodyear has been the target of litigation in the past.

In 2019, Goodyear faced asbestos litigation filed by a carpenter and home renovation worker who since died from mesothelioma he alleged was caused by asbestos exposure.

What do you think of Goodyear’s actions in regards to the recalled tires? Let us know in the comments. 

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