WASHINGTON—Potential belt or tread separation issues with tires made in China has prompted a recall of an undetermined number of light-duty truck tires by Hercules Tire Rubber Co., according to a federal agency.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the private brander is recalling Hercules All Trac A/T 10-ply Load Range E tires made for it by Shandong Yongsheng Rubber Group Co. Ltd. from a Yongsheng design, Hercules said in a Feb. 8 letter to NHTSA.
Because of a design or manufacturing issue, some of the tires may develop belt or tread separations in service, according to Hercules. These separations generally occur in warmer climates, after the tires have been in service for between one and two years, the company said.
In September 2012, Hercules was sued over an alleged defect in a Hercules tire that caused a collision, Hercules said. After obtaining images of the tire, Hercules determined it was probably an All Trac tire. An internal investigation showed that the tires designed and manufactured by Yongsheng had a higher-than-usual adjustment rate, the company said.
Hercules is notifying owners of the All Trac tires now, and will replace the tires free of charge.