Findlay, Ohio-based Hercules Tire & Rubber Company has issued a recall for a number of its light-duty truck tires sold in the United States and Canada because there is a possibility that the tires “can experience in-service belt and tread separations.” This is a technical way of saying the treat and/or belt can separate from the rest of tire creating an extremely dangerous condition.
According to documents the company sent to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the separation of the belt from the tread could result in a truck driver losing the ability to control the vehicle. To date, at least one crash has been confirmed and reported, but the company has refused to elaborate on whether the problem has led to any other crashes or injuries, or even if the reported crash had resulted in any injuries. The company is in the process of trying to determine exactly how many tires are involved in the recall.
According to , the recall covers10-ply Load Range E tires in Hercules Tire’s All Trac line; specifically, the recalled tires are 16 or 17 inches in diameter, and they are used mainly on commercial trucks. The specific tires being recalled are the following:
- LT215/85R16 115/112S, DOT Serial Numbers JEHMECL5008-4010
- LT235/85R16 120/116S, DOT Serial Numbers JEKMECL4708-4010
- LT245/75R16 120/116S DOT Serial Numbers JEJKECL4608-4010
- LT265/75R16 123/120S, DOT Serial Numbers JENKECL4808-4010
- LT265/70R17 121/118S, DOT Serial Numbers JENJFCL5108-4010
- LT245/75R17 121/118S, DOT Serial Numbers JELKFCL5008-4010
- LT225/75R16 115/112S, DOT Serial Numbers JEJKECL5108-4010
These tires were manufactured in China and sold by Hercules. The company is currently trying to identify customers who may have purchased the affected tires, after which they will send a formal notification of the recall from the company in accordance with NHTSA and Transport Canada requirements.
This is actually the second recall of Hercules tires in less than a year. Last August, the company recalled more than 1,200 medium truck radial tires due to concerns that the inner liner of the tires was of insufficient thickness, because of an “improperly working machine.” The lack of thickness was believed to be dangerous because it could result in “the formation of voids (U crack) which could result in early life sidewall separations, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.”
If you own these tires, follow this recall and have them changed out immediately. If you or a loved one has been injured or killed by an accident involving a failed tire, please have them contact our automotive defect attorneys at the Hill Law Firm. It is important to act quickly so evidence, such as the tire carcass, tread, and tread pieces, is preserved and protected as quickly as possible.