Firestone Recalls Nearly 500,000 Tires
POSTED: 5:59 p.m. EST February 26, 2004
Bridgestone/Firestone is recalling about 490,000 Steeltex tires linked to SUV crashes that have killed five people.
The tires were made in Canada for use on Ford Excursions made in the 2000 through 2003 model years.
The recall covers the Steeltex A/T and Steeltex Radial A/T tires. They are size LT-265/75-R-16 and listed as load range "D" tires.
Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire said it learned two months ago that there were 14 crashes involving SUVs with the tires.
It reported the information to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as required, and Thursday announced the voluntary recall of the tires.
Firestone says about 297,000 of the recalled tires are still on the vehicles in the United States, and another 20,000 are used internationally.
The company said it no longer makes the tires, and will replace them for free with other models, all of which have a load rating of E. Firestone retailers and Ford dealerships will be authorized to make the replacements.
The action comes three-and-a-half years after the company began a recall of 17 million tires, mostly used on Ford Explorers.
More than 200 people were reported killed and hundreds more injured in rollover crashes after the tire tread separated.
No specific problem was cited in an online information page, which also points out that not all Steeltex tires are affected by the recall.
Those who need more information on the recall can call Firestone at (800) 465-1904.
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