Kansas AG Morrison Warns Consumers About Questionable Tires, Joins Multistate Inquiry

August 2, 2007 -- Kansas Attorney General Paul Morrison warns consumers about some potentially dangerous tires that may experience tread separation. Morrison joined a multi-state working group of Attorneys General created to investigate the concerns and gain more consumer information.

The tires that Foreign Tire Sales, Inc. (“FTS”) have identified as potentially dangerous tires were made by Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co. Ltd. (HZ) in China and distributed in the United States under the names Westlake, Compass and YKS. The tires were sold between 2002 to 2006 for light trucks, sports utility vehicles (SUVs), and vans.

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“To protect yourself and your family, I urge consumers to check their vehicles’ tires to determine if there are any signs of tread separation,” Morrison said.

FTS filed a report with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) claiming that at least 270,000 of these imported tires are missing “gum strips,” an important part of a tire related to the prevention of tread separation. Other brands manufactured by HZ include Vesta, Goodride, Milestone, and Telluride.

Consumers should check the sidewalls of their tires for the brand name, size, model, and U.S. “DOT” identification number. If the DOT number contains “FTS” and the tire size starts with “LT”, the tire may be subject to a future recall. Tires in question contain DOT numbers starting with “7D” and ending in either “02,” “03,” “04,” or “05.” Further information can be obtained from FTS’s Web site at www.foreigntire.com.

If you have any of the tires described above, you should immediately contact the place of purchase. Do not overload your vehicle or drive them for long distances on hot roads. If the tire dealer is more than 50 miles away, contact another dealer and ask them to inspect your tires. In the interest of public safety, we ask all tire dealers not to charge for such an inspection.

If an inspection indicates that your tires may be unsafe, Kansans should immediately report the problem to the Kansas Attorney General’s Office of Consumer Protection at 1-800-432-2310. Consumers should also report the tires to Foreign Tire Sales, Inc., www.foreigntire.com.

At this time, NHTSA has not called for a recall of any of these tires, and no replacement tire program has been instituted. However, an official recall of at least some of these tires may begin in early August. Once those details are available, the Attorney General’s Office will issue a release with any recall information. Tire dealers will also receive this information.

Specific tire numbers and sizes being investigated:

LT235/75R-15 CR861 CR857
LT245/75R-16 CR860 CR861 CR857
LT225/75R-16 CR861
LT265/75R-16 CR860 CR861 CR857
LT235/85R-16 CR860 CR861 CR857
LT31X10.5R-15 CR861 CR857

Tire Safety Tips:

Attorney General Morrison reminds consumers to follow a few safety tips to keep their tires performing properly:

• At least once a month and before every long trip, inspect tires for patterns of uneven wear. Check tire inflation pressure in accordance with manufacturer recommendations. Also check for any separation between the tire threads and the body of the tire.

• Do not overload your vehicle. Excess weight can place extra stress on your tires. Check your tire placard or vehicle owner’s manual for the maximum amount of weight your vehicle can safely carry.

• Develop safe driving habits. Observe speed limits and avoid fast stops, starts, and turns. Avoid contact with potholes, object, and curbs when driving or parking your vehicle.

• Keep your vehicle properly maintained. Rotate tires regularly, get wheels balanced, and get a front-end alignment as necessary.

• Use the proper tires for your vehicle. Check the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations before replacing a tire with a different size and/or construction.

• Be aware of how the outside temperature affects your tires. Hot weather can be especially hard on tires, causing them to expand. As the outside temperature drops 10 degrees, tire pressure drops about one or two pounds per square inch.

• Have any tire problems checked out by professionals. If you find that one of your tire is losing pressure, take it to a tire expert for a complete internal inspection.

• Be careful buying used tires. Some used tire dealers may try to capitalize on this situation by re-selling these questionable tires. Check used tire numbers, and do not buy any that are specified in this inquiry.

Source: Kansas Attorney General