Goodyear to replace up to 400 000 tyres voluntarily

Akron, Ohio -- Goodyear will replace up to 400 000 Kelly, associate and private brand label tyres as part of a customer satisfaction campaign.

The Akron-based tyre maker said the tyres-size P215/70R14-were sold in the US and Canada and made from 2003 to 2006. The tyres were made at Goodyear´s plant in Uitenhage, South Africa, according to the DOT codes listed for the affected tyres.

The tyres were sold under 23 names, including Kelly, Douglas, Mohave, Republic and others. A full list of tyres involved is available on Goodyear's Web site (see link below).

The replacement tyres were sold through a variety of locations. They were manufactured primarily for older model compact pickup trucks and minivans made in the mid-1990s, the company said.

“This precautionary campaign is in response to our internal analysis and review of early warning data we monitor on our tyres,” said Sam Ford, manager of Goodyear's government and customer compliance. “The company has determined some of these tyres have experienced adverse service conditions that have led to a tread separation, and in the interest of customer satisfaction has decided to replace qualifying tyres. After an exhaustive analysis, no design or manufacturing defect was found in the tyre.”

A Goodyear spokesman told ERJ that Goodyear has reports of a “small number” of injuries and one fatality related to the tyres in question. In the case of the fatality, he said, the company believes the tyre was run underinflated for some time, and it had a tread separation.

He noted that since no defect was found in the tyres being replaced, the replacement program is not considered a recall. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), however, has been involved in the firm's plans, the spokesman added.

Goodyear will replace the tyres with Goodyear Regatta II tyres.

From Tire Business (A Crain publication)

List of affected tyres from Goodyear