WASHINGTON—The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association has developed an online lookup tool to help consumers determine if a tire is subject to a recall conducted by a USTMA member company.
In announcing the development of this tool, the USTMA noted that the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act—in effect since December 2015—requires the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to develop a tire recall lookup tool based upon Tire Identification Numbers to enable consumers and tire sellers to determine whether a tire is subject to a recall.
The USTMA said it strongly supports implementation of this pro-consumer, pro-safety provision.
The NHTSA requirement would apply to all tire manufacturers that sell products in the U.S., not just those that have a U.S. manufacturing presence, so the USMTA tool alone would not satisfy the FAST Act's requirement.
All tire recalls are required by law to be reported to NHTSA, but the agency does not maintain an easy, consumer-friendly database to search for tire recall information.
A searchable system for automobile recalls using the Vehicle Identification Number is available on NHTSA's web site, and USTMA is working with NHTSA to consider whether the USTMA TIN-lookup tool can be a good model for the database NHTSA is required to implement under the FAST Act.
The USTMA membership comprises 11 companies: Bridgestone Americas Inc.; Continental Tire the Americas L.L.C.; Cooper Tire & Rubber Co.; Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.; Hankook Tire America Corp.; Kumho Tire U.S.A. Inc.; Michelin North America Inc.; Pirelli Tire North America, Sumitomo Rubber North America Inc.; Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas Inc; and Yokohama Tire Corp.
Other tire makers with U.S. production that are not members of the USTMA include: Carlstar Group L.L.C.; Giti Tire (USA) Ltd.; Specialty Tires of America Inc.; Titan International Inc.; and Trelleborg Wheel Systems Americas.