Defective tires are dangerous tires

There’s trouble where the rubber meets the road in America, and defective tires on streets and highways are a major problem. Countless drivers are in danger because they have no idea that dangerous tires on their vehicles can fail suddenly. That also imperils other drivers in the vicinity of blow outs caused by defects in the manufacture or design of tires.   

In June 2007, 450,000 tires made in China were recalled. In May 2008, a U.S. television network found that old tires were being sold as new tires in major cities around the country. And, while some American made tires have been subject to big recalls, many owners are not aware of it. The problems add up to a sad fact. Careful drivers could be betrayed by a set of wheels they should not have trusted.

The federal government steps in

The problem is important enough that the National Highway Safety Transportation Administration has devoted an entire section on its web site www.safercars.gov to tire safety.  Drivers can quickly learn about proper tire inflation, tread wear, balance and alignment. The old trick of pushing a nickel between a tire’s tread to check for wear is a quick way to see if new tires are needed, the government site advises. If the top of Lincoln’s head is visible, it’s time to replace the tires.

Tread separation in defective tires

According to www.smartmotorist.com, most drivers are not aware that tires can fail long before they wear out. Tread separation is the issue here. Most tires manufactured today are steel belted radials. But rubber will not stick to steel, so bonding agents are necessary. The 450,000 Chinese tires recalled by the U.S. government in 2007, lacked “gum strips,” essential for holding tires together. When tread strips off a tire and it blows apart at a high rate of speed - especially when the vehicle has a high center of gravity like an SUV - a roll over is likely. That type of accident often causes death or catastrophic injury. “Tread separation is the same defect that led to the recall of millions of Firestone tires in 2000. At the time, tire failure was linked to increased risk of rollover of light trucks and S.U.V’s.”

News media investigates old tires sold as new

A May 2008 investigation by ABC News revealed that some of America’s largest tire manufacturers are putting new tire labels on old tires. Tires manufactured in 2001 were found with new labels in Houston. Others dating from 1999 and 2002 were found in San Francisco, Indianapolis and Wachtung, New Jersey. The network contends that old tires can dry out and become potentially dangerous. But The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has not yet ruled against the practice.  

New federal program offers protection in recalls