Ford to offer tire warranties

DEARBORN, Mich. (Jan. 2)—Ford Motor Co. will warranty the tires on its 2001 and subsequent Ford, Lincoln and Mercury cars and light trucks effective Jan. 1 as a way to increase customer satisfaction and gain direct access to warranty data. The move, which comes after months of embroilment in the Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. tire recall, brings the tires on the vehicles under Ford´s bumper-to-bumper warranty. To date, General Motors Corp. has been the only vehicle manufacturer to include tires under its warranty. Other vehicle manufacturers said in mid-December they´d likely consider covering the tires if Ford joined GM in doing so.