DOJ prosecutors target Goodyear for handling of now-recalled tire

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. is being investigated for its response to an out-of-production tire once used primarily on motor homes, the Wall Street Journal and other media reported Wednesday.

The U.S. Justice Department criminal investigation involves the recreational vehicle G159 275/70R22.5 tire that the company stopped manufacturing in 2003.

More:Feds: Goodyear wouldn’t recall RV tires it knew were defective for 20 years

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sought a recall of the tires in February 2022 and Goodyear said last June it would issue a recall of about 173,000 tires. Most, if not all, are no longer in use.

In a June 6 letter from the NHTSA, the agency acknowledged the recall, stating that it “will be conducted pursuant to Federal law for the product(s) listed below.” The letter goes on to detail the product and recall specifics.

The tire has been linked to eight deaths and 69 injuries, according to government investigators.

The WSJ story said federal prosecutors have sought Goodyear records and depositions from a civil lawsuit filed several years ago. The WSJ said it had reviewed a copy of a grand jury subpoena for its story.

The company told Reuters in an emailed statement it had fully cooperated with the NHTSA investigation ended in June 2022. Goodyear told the WSJ the tire line was not defective.

In an emailed response to the Akron Beacon Journal about the Justice Department’s investigation, the company said it initiated the recall in cooperation with the NHTSA.

Here is Goodyear’s full response, which the company said would be its only comment on the matter at this time:

“While there is no safety defect in the G159 275/70R22.5 tire and few, if any, remain on the road, Goodyear — in cooperation with NHTSA — initiated a voluntary recall of the tire to address risks shown to occur when the tire was used in an underinflated or overloaded condition on Class A Motorhomes. This tire hasn’t been made since 2003, it consistently met Goodyear’s demanding safety standards, and we have not received an injury claim related to the tire’s use on a Class A motorhome in more than 14 years. While there is no safety defect in the G159 275/70R22.5 tire and few, if any, remain on the road, Goodyear — in cooperation with NHTSA — initiated a voluntary recall of the tire to address risks shown to occur when the tire was used in an underinflated or overloaded condition on Class A Motorhomes. This tire hasn’t been made since 2003, it consistently met Goodyear’s demanding safety standards, and we have not received an injury claim related to the tire’s use on a Class A motorhome in more than 14 years.”