After at least 95 people were injured or killed in RV accidents, Goodyear finally recalled about 173,000 G159 tires due to a high risk of blowouts and tread separations, often at highway speeds.
Need a Texas Goodyear RV Tire Lawyer? Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged. If you or a loved one was injured or died in an RV accident when a Goodyear G159 tire failed, you should contact our lawyers immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit.
Goodyear Recalls RV Tires After 95 Injuries & Deaths Reported
In June 2022, Goodyear agreed to recall about 173,000 G159 tires that were manufactured between 1996 and 2003. The problem is that G159 tires “experience a high rate of failure on RVs when compared to similar tires,” according to the warning from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
What is the Problem?
From 1998 through 2015, at least 95 people were injured or died in RV accidents when their Goodyear G159 tires failed due to tread separation or a blowout. These catastrophic accidents often occurred at highway speeds, causing the RV to suddenly swerve off the road, into guardrails, oncoming traffic, or other cars.
Lawsuits Call It The “Tire From Hell”
Goodyear G159 Tire Fails on 10% of RVs
G159 tires failed on as many as 10% of motor homes, according to court records. That failure rate is higher than the infamously defective Firestone tires of the 1990s that caused a nationwide scandal for Ford.
What Tires Were Recalled?
The recall involves Goodyear G159 tires with 22.5-inch-diameter rims (size 275/70R22.5), manufactured from 1996 to 2003. They have DOT date codes 046 through 0403.
Goodyear G159 tires were installed as original equipment on thousands of RVs, such as Fleetwood, American Tradition, and other motor homes from the 1990s and early 2000s.
These tires are no longer being produced, but some RV owners may still have the tires on their RV or truck, or set aside as a spare, and do not know. The tires may also be for sale online.
Lawsuits Allege Goodyear Knew G159 Tires Could Fail on RVs
Goodyear introduced the G159 tire in 1996 for stop-and-go city delivery trucks. The tire was rated for a maximum speed of 65-mph. It was never designed or intended for big motor homes or long-distance highway travel.
Unlike delivery trucks, RVs are heavy vehicles that travel at high speeds for hours at a time. During this type of travel, the tires get very hot, which increases the risk of a blowout.
Soon after it was introduced, RV companies began installing Goodyear G159 tires on thousands of motor homes — and Goodyear began receiving reports of injuries and deaths when the tires failed.
In August 1996, Goodyear’s own engineers discovered that G159 tires could get dangerously hot at speeds above 50 mph. No recall was issued, and even today, Goodyear insists that there is no safety defect and the responsibility is with RV companies who sold the tires to unsuspecting consumers.
Goodyear was hit with numerous lawsuits involving G159 tire accidents, but the company successfully fought the recall and hid the problem by settling cases and getting judges to seal records.
It was not until December 2017 that the NHTSA finally opened an investigation into Goodyear’s G159. In February 2022, Goodyear again refused to recall the tires, so the NHTSA threatened to hold a public hearing and court action. Goodyear finally agreed to recall G159 tires in June 2022, but still denies that the tires are defective.
Need a Goodyear RV Tire Lawyer in Texas?
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