Bridgestone/Firestone issues 8,000-tire recall

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Jan. 2)—Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. is initiating a voluntary recall of approximately 8,000 tires produced during the week of April 23, 2000, at its Cuernavaca, Mexico, plant. The recall of the P265/70R16 Wilderness LE tires is being undertaken in order to ensure the recovery of about 150 tires made on April 24 that unintentionally were made with a small portion of non-specified rubber material in the No. 1 stabilizer belt (the steel belt closest to the inside of the tire). The production anomoly results in lower adhesion in the belt area rubber, Bridgestone/Firestone said. A thorough assessment of a significant sample of tires manufactured during the week of April 23, 2000, and the weeks before and after showed that the problem was confined to a small batch of tires produced in the Cuernavaca plant on April 24. The company is not aware of any claims for property damage or injury caused by the recalled tires. The recalled tires are identified by DOT No. V672WL11700 (black sidewall) and DOT No. V672WL21700 (raised white letters). The recalled tires may have been used as original equipment on up to 4,700 model year 2000 GMC Yukon XL 1500 series and as an optional tire choice on 2000 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 series vehicles assembled in Silao, Mexico, during late April and early May 2000.