Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. has recalled 69,000 tires because of a defect in the sidewalls that may make them crack.
http://toyotires.com/recall-campaign
The tire model is the Toyo Extensa A/S, which was manufactured in the company’s plant in Georgia from 2009 to 2010.
The tires can be identified on the sidewall by the “Made in U.S.A.” mark and the last four digits of the Tire Identification Number (TIN) ranging from 3809 to 4410. The TIN can be found after the letters “DOT” on the tire sidewall.
Toyo Tires made before or after this period aren’t being recalled, nor are tires with the “Made in Japan” or “Made in China” mark.
According to Toyo’s website, “Some of these recalled tires may have been produced with a kink in the bead area. Under certain circumstances, the kink may eventually lead to a crack in the bead area, which is near the rim. If a crack develops and is left undetected, the tire may fail, potentially causing loss of vehicle control and a crash, which could result in injury or death.”
Toyo told consumers that if they own a recalled tire, they should contact the dealer they bought it from, or an authorized Toyo dealer, to schedule an appointment to replace it. The recalled tire will be replaced for free, including the mounting, balancing and taxes, as long as it is returned by May 31.
Toyo has also set up a consumer hotline, 800-442-8696, for questions on the recalled tire.
Consumers were also told that if Toyo can’t get them the necessary replacement free of charge within a reasonable time, they should contact Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE, Washington, D.C., 20590.
According to The New York Times, Toyo received its first complaint about a cracked sidewall in July 2010. Toyo checked into the matter, but found that the tires were “within specifications.”
But Toyo had a number of warranty claims last year, The Times reported, and started another probe. Toyo found that some of the tires had a thinner sidewall that was permitted by its production standards, and issued a recall.
