Defective Tires

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, maintaining tire pressure, observing tire and load limits, avoiding road hazards, and inspecting tires for cuts, slashes, and other irregularities are the most important things you can do to avoid tire failure such as tread separation or blowout and flat tires.

However, on May 31, 2001, Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. (Firestone) submitted a “request” that NHTSA open a safety defect investigation regarding the handling and control characteristics of Ford Explorer sport utility vehicles (SUV) following a tread separation on a rear tire. The request was filed shortly after Ford Motor Company (Ford) announced on May 22, 2001 that it would provide free replacements for all Firestone Wilderness AT tires on Ford vehicles. It was part of Firestone’s effort to argue that the crashes (many of which involved SUV rollovers) that occurred in Explorers following tread separations of Firestone ATX and Wilderness AT tires were to a large extent due to the design of the Explorer rather than a defect in the tires.

If the testing of the Firestone Wilderness AT (all terrain) and the Firestone ATX proved the tires were defective, this would leave Bridgestone/Firestone liable for a defective product they manufactured and distributed throughout Oklahoma. These potentially deadly defective products that may have been negligently manufactured and distributed spurred a class action based on a product liability that these big business should be held liable for. Firestone has manufactured as many as 48 million Firestone Wilderness AT and Firestone ATX tires. Thousands of these tires have failed causing hundreds if not thousands of accidents many resulting in injuries and death.

The Oklahoma based plaintiff personal injury law firm of Atkins & Markoff is experienced in handling class action law suits resulting from defective tire claims. If you have a question or a defective tire claim in Oklahoma contact us to discuss your product liability claim. Call us toll free or fill out our online contact form.