- Joined
- July 18, 1999
- Messages
- 8,839
- Reaction score
- 1
- City, State
- Annapolis, MD
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- '97 Limited
WASHINGTON, Dec 6 (Reuters) - U.S. highway safety regulators on Wednesday reported another 29 deaths linked to the failure of Firestone tires, bringing to 148 the number of fatalities connected to tread separations and blowouts.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said five of the newly reported deaths involved additional models of Firestone tires not covered by the company's Aug. 9 recall but subject to a Sept 1. NHTSA consumer warning.
Four deaths occurred after Firestone had announced its recall, NHTSA said.
Bridgestone/Firestone Inc., a unit of Japan's Bridgestone Corp. <5108.T>, said it had now replaced 85 percent of the 6.5 million 15-inch ATX and Wilderness tires that it had voluntarily recalled.
"Even so, we know that there are tires still out there on the road," NHTSA Administrator Sue Bailey told reporters at a child seat safety event. "So, unfortunately that may mean there can be additional crashes."
NHTSA continues to investigate whether additional tires have problems but advised consumers in September to consider replacing another 1.4 million Firestone tires going under 24 different names and sizes.
Bailey would not say whether NHTSA would mandate a wider recall.
NHTSA said injuries linked to Firestone tires had risen to more than 525 from more than 500 when it last updated its numbers on Oct. 17.
Total Firestone complaints now stand at more than 4,300, up from more than 3,500. A NHTSA spokesman cautioned, however, that there could be duplicates in the injury and total complaint numbers.
Bridgestone/Firestone said it took seriously each and every incident reported to NHTSA.
"We continue to work diligently toward completion of the recall and to determine the root cause or causes of the problems related to a small percentage of our tires," the company said in a statement.
Most of the tires subject to recall were fitted to Ford Motor Co.'s popular Explorer sport utility vehicle.
Consumer groups, along with auto safety researchers advising lawyers suing Firestone and Ford, have urged NHTSA to expand the recall to include other models of Firestone tires.
Public Citizen President Joan Claybrook, herself a former NHTSA administrator, said Firestone needed to act on these additional tires. "The public is at risk, the number of deaths, -- as we see here -- continues to go up," Claybrook said.
Bridgestone on Tuesday said it would set aside $450 million this year to settle claims against Firestone tires but rejected an estimate by a plaintiffs' lawyer that court-awarded damages could total $50 billion, bankrupting its U.S. unit.
NHTSA last month expanded its tire inquiries to include another manufacturer, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
Under investigation are failures of certain light-truck load range "E" tires made by Goodyear that have been linked to 15 deaths and 129 injuries.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said five of the newly reported deaths involved additional models of Firestone tires not covered by the company's Aug. 9 recall but subject to a Sept 1. NHTSA consumer warning.
Four deaths occurred after Firestone had announced its recall, NHTSA said.
Bridgestone/Firestone Inc., a unit of Japan's Bridgestone Corp. <5108.T>, said it had now replaced 85 percent of the 6.5 million 15-inch ATX and Wilderness tires that it had voluntarily recalled.
"Even so, we know that there are tires still out there on the road," NHTSA Administrator Sue Bailey told reporters at a child seat safety event. "So, unfortunately that may mean there can be additional crashes."
NHTSA continues to investigate whether additional tires have problems but advised consumers in September to consider replacing another 1.4 million Firestone tires going under 24 different names and sizes.
Bailey would not say whether NHTSA would mandate a wider recall.
NHTSA said injuries linked to Firestone tires had risen to more than 525 from more than 500 when it last updated its numbers on Oct. 17.
Total Firestone complaints now stand at more than 4,300, up from more than 3,500. A NHTSA spokesman cautioned, however, that there could be duplicates in the injury and total complaint numbers.
Bridgestone/Firestone said it took seriously each and every incident reported to NHTSA.
"We continue to work diligently toward completion of the recall and to determine the root cause or causes of the problems related to a small percentage of our tires," the company said in a statement.
Most of the tires subject to recall were fitted to Ford Motor Co.'s popular Explorer sport utility vehicle.
Consumer groups, along with auto safety researchers advising lawyers suing Firestone and Ford, have urged NHTSA to expand the recall to include other models of Firestone tires.
Public Citizen President Joan Claybrook, herself a former NHTSA administrator, said Firestone needed to act on these additional tires. "The public is at risk, the number of deaths, -- as we see here -- continues to go up," Claybrook said.
Bridgestone on Tuesday said it would set aside $450 million this year to settle claims against Firestone tires but rejected an estimate by a plaintiffs' lawyer that court-awarded damages could total $50 billion, bankrupting its U.S. unit.
NHTSA last month expanded its tire inquiries to include another manufacturer, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
Under investigation are failures of certain light-truck load range "E" tires made by Goodyear that have been linked to 15 deaths and 129 injuries.
