A multistate working group of attorneys general on Monday urged consumers to take advantage of a Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. program to replace, at no charge, 1.4 million tires beyond the 6.5 million in its voluntary recall.
The group, composed of attorneys general from 48 states and territories, is pursuing its own investigation into Firestone tires.
Firestone in early September offered to replace the additional tires at customers’ requests under a “customer satisfaction program,” the attorneys general noted.
Firestone said the covered tires are listed on the company’s Web site, www.firestone.com.
The tires were the subject of a consumer advisory issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Sept. 1 after Firestone refused to expand its recall.
NHTSA officials said the tires, mostly older, replacement tires, showed even greater tread separation defects than those covered under the recall.
Firestone spokeswoman Christine Karbowiak said the program “was not an expansion of the voluntary recall” that covers P235/75R15 Radial ATX, ATXII and Wilderness AT tires produced at Firestone’s Decatur, Ill., plant.
Under the program, which Firestone announced Sept. 12, the tiremaker said that it would replace the tires of any customer who was concerned, using competitors’ products if necessary.
