This article was published today (27-aug-2004) regarding Bridgestone tires. Although the defective tires are truck/SUV tires, the reliability history of Birdge-/Fire-stone makes me want to replace my Z's RE040.


NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Bridgestone Firestone offered Thursday to replace 27,000 tires sold in North America over concerns that a belt in the tires may detach, possibly causing wrecks.

The company said less than 15 injuries have been substantiated that involved vehicles equipped with the tires.

The offer involves Bridgestone's Dueler A/T tires in size LT285/75R16 LR D that were manufactured in Japan between 1998 and 2002 and sold in the United States and Canada.

The Nashville-based company said internal data suggest "that a small percentage of these tires may experience belt detachment," especially if the tires were inflated above or below recommended pressures.

Such a problem could cause loss of vehicle control and possibly a crash, the company said.

The voluntary replacement campaign comes six months after Bridgestone Firestone recalled about 490,000 Steeltex tires linked to sports utility vehicle crashes that killed five people.

Four years ago, the company recalled 17 million ATX, ATX II and Wilderness AT tires. More than 200 people were reported killed and hundreds more injured in rollover crashes after the tread on those tires separated. The company has spent an estimated $1.5 billion on that recall, including the settlement of dozens of lawsuits.


(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)