AKRON (July 7, 2008) — Goodyear voluntarily is recalling 5,300 Dunlop-brand tires because they don't conform to U.S. strength requirements for “extra load” labeled tires, the company said in a notice to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Goodyear said 4,950 Winter Sport 3D tires in size 225/50R17 98H and 350 Winter Sport M3 tires in size 275/35R18 99V — manufactured between Sept. 4, 2005, and May 17, 2008 — could be susceptible to failure after impact with road hazards. The tires fail to meet the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109 plunger energy test for new pneumatic tires, the report said.
Goodyear said the tires were designed to meet extra load requirements in European and other countries using the industry standards published by the European Tire & Rim Technical Organization and certified by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. They were inadvertently imported for sale in the U.S.
Goodyear said it will notify owners and replace the tires free of charge. All owners will be notified by Aug. 1, with replacement tires available by Aug. 30.
Goodyear also recently petitioned NHTSA for a finding of inconsequential noncompliance for 82,636 mislabeled Dunlop SP Sport Signature passenger tires manufactured from 2007 to March 2008. The tire sidewall markings read “Tread 3 Polyester + 2 Steel” instead of the correct “Tread 2 Polyester + 2 Steel + 2 Polyester.”
Goodyear said the mislabeling is inconsequential to safety, and it is asking NHTSA not to require a formal recall of the tires.