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Tire Tread Separation Prompts Bridgestone-Firestone Recall

By Admin on February 09, 2016 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Tires are important to the functioning of your car. Although they remain relatively basic, compared to the other kinds of changes in automobile design -- like autopilot! -- you just can't drive without a full set of tires, with treads, that all have air.

That is why Bridgestone-Firestone last Friday announced that it will recall tens of thousands of tires that are susceptible to a very disconcerting defect, according to the Associated Press. The treads separate from the body of the tire and cause the tires to deflate and separate from the vehicle.

Very Few Details

Although there appears to be little detail reported on the tire tread defect, Bridgestone-Firestone did announce last week that it is recalling more than 36,000 tires that have a tendency to separate from the treads and lead to trouble. According to the company, the treads separate from the tires and cause the tires themselves to deflate and separate from vehicles. Obviously, this is particularly problematic.

The recall covers 22.5-inch Firestone FS561 replacement tires made from January 25, 2015 to January 27, 2016. The company's recall documents, filed with the government, explain that the tread separation can cause sudden loss of air pressure and increase the risk of a crash as tires separate.

Truck Drivers Beware

According to the Associated Press, The company says that no one has been injured as a result of the tread issue but that it noticed a disproportionate number of warranty returns and began investigating in October of last year. Bridgestone-Firestone says it is continuing the investigation and does not yet know the source of the tire trouble. It will, however, replace affected tires at no cost to customers.

The affected tires are used on truck trailers. There is no indication that this issue impacts other types of tires at this time. But if you do drive a truck, take a minute to check your tires. It could save your life.

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