Goodyear recalls 41,000 tyres over safety concerns

Goodyear, the internationally acclaimed tyre manufacture company, has recalled 41,000 units of the ‘Wrangler Silent Armor’ tyre which was in production during 2009. The tyres have been recalled over concerns that the tyres’ tread may separate from the rest of the tyre under “severe conditions”, possibly leading to accidents that can cause major injuries, damage to the vehicle and even loss of lives. 

The company first realised a problem in the tyres following an increase in warranty claims during the year 2010. In 2011, a rollover accident in America’s Texas state took the lives of a couple, which was travelling in a vehicle shod with Goodyear tyres, further prompting the company to consider a recall. The company said the tyre had sustained external damage prior to the incident, and in most cases of failure, the tyres were either under-inflated, overloaded or had suffered impact damage. 

While 27,000 of the tyres are believed to be still in service, Goodyear decided to initiate a recall on February 16, 2011. Owners will be notified of the campaign by March 22, 2011, and the company will replace the tyres free of charge. Goodyear’s Wrangler Silent Armor tyres are mostly used in SUVs, picks-ups and other off-roaders. The 41,000 tyres scheduled for replacement comprise those units produced between March to May 2009.