Hercules recalling Chinese-sourced truck tyres

ERJ staff report (TB)

Findlay, Ohio -- Hercules Tire & Rubber Co. is voluntarily recalling 1,222 H502 radial medium tubeless truck tyres, size 315/80R22.5, because of the possiblity of their having been made with insufficient liner thickness. The details can be tracked under NHTSA Campaign ID Number: 12T021.

The affected tyres, Load Range J heavy-duty steer tyres, were manufactured in China by Sailun Tire Corp. during the last week of 2011 through the 21 st week of 2012, according to information released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The presence of an insufficient inner liner could lead to the formation of voids, which could result in early life sidewall separations, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash, NHTSA said. It is unknown at this time, but under investigation, whether there have been any specific crashes or other incidents related to this defect, the agency added.

Hercules indicated the manufacturing anomoly was due to an improperly working tyre-building machine at Sailun's plant in Qingdao, China, according to NHTSA. The plant's Department of Transportation identification number is 53.

Hercules Tire imports the tyres and sells them to various distributors or through its own distributors, who in turn sell the tyres to the end-user for use on their vehicles, NHTSA said. Hercules said it has identified many of the tyres are still in its inventory in various locations. In addition, 132 of the potentially affected units were sold, or were to be sold, in Canada.

In carrying out the recall Hercules Tire will replace tyres verified as coming from the “potentially affected population,” mount the new tyres and balance them on the vehicle, if needed. Tyres not yet mounted to vehicles will be replaced and destroyed.

Hercules already has notified notified its Tire Distribution Warehouses to hold all potentially affected tyres and should contact their associate dealers for tyre removal, quarantine and return to the local TDW location.

From Tire Business (A Crain publication)

Campaign ID: 12T021 at NHTSA