Goodyear Recalls 41,000 Wrangler Silent Armor Tires

[MuffyBee]

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/recalls/results.cfm?rcl_id=12T003&searchtype=quicksearch&summary=true&refurl=email
Report Date :    February 28, 2012 at 09:28 PM
NHTSA Campaign ID number :    12T003000
   
Tire Brand Name / Tire Line / Tire Size:           Production Dates:
    GOODYEAR / WRANGLER SILENT ARMOR / LT235/80R17 LRE           MAR 01, 2009 - MAY 31, 2009
    GOODYEAR / WRANGLER SILENT ARMOR / LT245/75R17 LRE           MAR 01, 2009 - MAY 31, 2009
    GOODYEAR / WRANGLER SILENT ARMOR / LT265/70R17 LRE           MAR 01, 2009 - MAY 31, 2009
    GOODYEAR / WRANGLER SILENT ARMOR / LT275/70R18 LRE           MAR 01, 2009 - MAY 31, 2009
    GOODYEAR / WRANGLER SILENT ARMOR / LT285/70R17 LRD           MAR 01, 2009 - MAY 31, 2009
    GOODYEAR / WRANGLER SILENT ARMOR / LT325/60R18 LRE           MAR 01, 2009 - MAY 31, 2009
Manufacturer: GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY    Mfr's Report Date: FEB 22, 2012
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 12T003000    NHTSA Action Number: N/A
Component: TIRES:TREAD/BELT
Potential Number of Units Affected: 40,915
Summary:
GOODYEAR IS RECALLING CERTAIN WRANGLER SILENT ARMOR TIRES, SIZES LT235/80R17 LRE, LT325/60R18 LRE, LT275/70R18 LRE, LT265/70R17 LRE, LT245/75R17 LRE, AND LT285/70R17 LRD, PRODUCED FROM THE 9TH WEEK OF 2009, THROUGH THE 22ND WEEK OF 2009 (MARCH 31ST THROUGH MAY 31ST). THESE TIRES MAY EXPERIENCE A PARTIAL TREAD AREA SEPARATION UNDER CERTAIN SEVERE USAGE CONDITIONS.
Consequence:
PARTIAL TREAD SEPARATION COULD LEAD TO VEHICLE DAMAGE WHEN THE SEPARATED TREAD STRIKES THE VEHICLE. A TREAD SEPARATION COULD ALSO CAUSE A TIRE FAILURE THAT COULD RESULT INA MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy:
GOODYEAR WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE TIRES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE MARCH 22, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GOODYEAR AT 1-800-592-3267.
Notes:
OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO http://HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .

[MuffyBee]

http://www.khou.com/news/ITeamGoodyeartirerecall-140635033.html
Fatal Texas car crash leads to recall of 41,000 Goodyear tires
by Jeremy Rogalski / KHOU 11 News
February 27, 2012

HOUSTON -- A rollover accident that killed two young Texans last August has sparked Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. to recall 41,000 tires used on vans, SUVs and pickup trucks.

Goodyear said it would recall about 41,000 of its Wrangler Silent Armor tires produced in 2009 over concerns that a small number could tear, leading to crashes.

Matthew Smith, 21, and 18-year-old Kerrybeth Hall, both of Port Lavaca, Texas, died while heading back to Sul Ross State University. According to crash investigators, the tread came apart on the front right tire of Smith’s Ford F-150 truck. It caused the pickup to go into a side-skid, then overturn.

Goodyear said in a letter to federal safety regulators that it first saw an increase in warranty and property damage claims during a review in May 2010.
 ::snipping2::
According to a February 22 letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Goodyear said "a small number of tires within this population may experience a partial tread area separation under certain severe usage conditions."

"Use of these tires in severe conditions could result in partial tread separation which could lead to vehicle damage or a motor vehicle crash."

Goodyear said it inspected in December the tire involved in last year's fatal crash in West Texas and found it had sustained damage from external causes, the company said in the letter to NHTSA.

Still, based on an analysis of the warranty and damage claims, and discussion with safety regulators, Goodyear decided on February 16 to recall the tires, it said. It plans to send notices to customers by March 22.

Ammons questioned whether the scope of the recall is sufficient, covering only six sizes of tires made between March and June 2009.
 ::snipping2::
The tires affected under the recall have the following Department of Transportation serial codes, also known as tire identification numbers found on the sidewall:

PJ0UY5HV0909 through PJ0UY5HV2209
PJAB35HV0909 through PJAB35HV2209
PJ4335HV0909 through PJ4335HV2209
PJ1535HV0909 through PJ1535HV2209
PJAH35HV0909 through PJAH35HV2209
PJLHL6HV0909 through PJLHL6HV2209