Florida Drivers, Check Your Tires: Bridgestone Recalls Firestone and LeMans Brand Tires
Florida drivers might want to check their tires. Years after the initial recall of millions of defective tires blamed in SUV rollovers and other deadly vehicle accidents, Bridgestone Firestone tires are back in the news. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported a new recall of defective tires manufactured by Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire.
Firestone brand tires produced between June 4, 2006 and Sept. 8, 2007, and LeMans Champion SE tires made between June 4, 2006 and Sept. 2, 2006, may have "insufficient tread base gauge." The defect could cause tire tread distortion or tread separation, which could lead to loss of vehicle control and auto accidents.
Bridgestone Firestone announced the voluntary recall on Oct. 29, 2008, of approximately 135,000 Firestone FR380 P235/75 R15 tires and 27,000 LeMans Champion SE P235/75 R15 tires. The company stated in a news release that although there have been no reports of personal injury or property damage due to the affected tires, the products "fail to meet the companies' internal standards." The tires were manufactured by Bridgestone Firestone de Costa Rica in its San Jose facility. Bridgestone Firestone will contact customers affected by the tire recall and will replace the faulty tires free of charge.
Chalik & Chalik has handled car accident cases involving defective tires since this traffic safety issue first made headlines years ago. Florida drivers should check the Bridgestone Firestone website (see link below) for information on how to identify the recalled tires and where to get them replaced.
Readers may remember that in 2000, millions of Bridgestone Firestone tires were recalled after numerous reports of SUV rollover accidents made the news. Ford Explorers with Wilderness AT tires were involved in many serious and sometimes deadly accidents, particularly when the tires were under inflated.
Concerns Still Exist Over Tires Separating, Causing Accidents WFTV.com 9, Nov. 5, 2008
Recall Alert: Bridgestone Firestone Tires Cars.com Nov. 3, 2008
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