NHTSA opens inquiry into 100000 Cooper tyres

Findlay, Ohio -- The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) last week opened an inquiry into 101600 Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. Dominator Sport A/T tyres -- a move that Cooper noted was preliminary and involved a small number of its tyres.

The inquiry involves size LT365/75R16 tyre from the 2003-2005 model years, a NHTSA spokesman said.

''[The inquiry] doesn't imply anything, it just means there's enough evidence there for us to want to take a closer look at this particular model,'' he said.

Pat Brown, Cooper vice president of global branding and communications, said there were no reports of injuries or fatalities from the tyre in question, only a property damage claim.

''We do not believe that further evaluation of our data will result in an official NHTSA investigation,'' Cooper said in a statement.

From Rubber & Plastics News (A Crain publication)