WASHINGTON—Continental Tire the Americas L.L.C. is recalling nearly 94,000 Continental-, General- and Barum-brand light truck and SUV tires that it suspects were overcured, making them susceptible to potential in-service failure.
The tires being recalled cover 78 separate brand/line designations that were sold both in the replacement market and used as OE fitments, Continental said in a notice published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The tires were produced at Conti's plant in Mount Vernon, Ill., dating back as far as late 2017.
Overcured tires may develop a break in the sidewall, Continental said, resulting in sudden air loss or a belt-edge separation that could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Conti said the tires' condition first came to light last summer when it was notified by an OE customer that two of the suspect tires had "experienced rapid air loss" while being handled at the customer's assembly plant.
Subsequent investigations led the company to the discovery of other tires that showed signs of being overcured and eventually to this recall.
Continental said as of mid-February it was not aware of any claims of property damage, personal injury, or death involving these tires.
The tires being recalled are in a variety of sizes covering 16- to 20-inch rim diameters in both passenger and light truck designations. The brands/models affected include:
- Barum: Bravuris
- Continental: 4X4 Contact; ContiProContact; ContiProContact SSR; ContiSportContract; Contitrac; ControlContact Tour A/S; CrossContact LX, LX Sport, LX20 and LX 25; SureContact; and Terrain Contact
- General: Altimax RT43; Ameritrac TR; Exclaim HPX A/S; Grabber A/TX, APT, AT2, HD, HTS, HTS60, STX, STX2 and X3; and Reliatrek HT
For the full list, go to: static.nhtsa.gov.
Continental said it will notify those who purchased the tires as replacement equipment, starting April 5. Various vehicle manufacturers that mounted the tires OE will conduct recalls for vehicles equipped with these tires at the time of purchase.
Tires will be inspected to verify that they are affected and will be replaced as necessary, free of charge, Conti said.
Owners may contact Continental Tire customer service at 888-799-2168, or the NHTSA Hotline at 888-327-4236.
