How Consumers Should Respond to Bridgestone’s Recall of Firestone ATX, ATX II or Wilderness AT Tires

August 9, 2000
By Alex Frew McMillan

NEW YORK – What should consumers do if they have ATX, ATX II or Wilderness AT tires? First, bear in mind that not all the tires have been recalled.

But there are millions of tires out there affected by the recall. An estimated 6.5 million of them, in fact, according to the company that made them.

In all, 14.4 million affected tires were produced, and Bridgestone estimates just under half are still on the road.

Is your tire affected?

Consumers should easily be able to tell if their tires are among those recalled by looking at them closely.

The recall only covers all North American Firestone tires called ATX or ATX II that are size P235/75R15. But that is the most popular tire size for sport/utility vehicles.

The recall also covers Wilderness AT tires of the same size, but only if they were made at the company’s Decatur, Ill., plant.

Bridgestone Corp. today announced it was recalling the tires because they have a higher-than-normal failure rate that could lead to blowouts. Regulators have received complaints linking the tires to 46 deaths.

Tire size and brand are clearly visible on the tire itself.

The size is clearly visible on the tires, which carry the name “Firestone” and also have the size stamped on the sidewall.

Consumers can tell if their Wilderness AT tires were made at the Decatur plant by looking for the letters “VD” at the start of a long series of identifying letters on the tire.

SOURCE: CNNfn