Bridgestone/Firestone extends tire inspection program to Europe

BRUSSELS (Sept. 20)—Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. has extended to Europe its voluntary free inspection program for several types of Firestone P-metric light truck and LT light truck tires listed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in a Sept. 1 consumer advisory notice. Bridgestone/Firestone Europe S.A. is offering to inspect and replace free of charge any of the affected U.S.-made tires sold in Europe. The NHTSA advisory covered 1.4 million tires. The Bridgestone/Firestone Europe offer covers five of eight types of Firestone tires covered in the advisory. Over the last 10 years, 13,000 units of these types and sizes were imported and sold on the European replacement market. The company estimates that fewer than half of these tires may still be on the road.