Michelin North America Inc. has notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Transport Canada that it is recalling approximately 6,500 Michelin Pilot Sport 255/35ZR20 97Y Extra Load tires in the United States and Canada.
This recall involves these specific tires only and has no impact on any other Michelin tires.
This decision was taken after Michelin's internal quality control system indicated that the tires do not meet its quality standards. "In an affected tire, the condition is ordinarily noticeable as a blister on the sidewall of the tire," says the company. "The blister may produce a noticeable tire vibration, which a driver might detect. The condition may result in a rapid loss of air pressure, which could potentially lead to a loss of control and potential vehicle crash."
To date, there have been no accidents or injuries reported in North America, according to Michelin. The majority of the approximately 6,500 tires affected by the recall were distributed in the U.S.; fewer than 400 were distributed in Canada. Related actions are under way in other countries.
The recalled tires were fitted as original equipment on some trim levels of Jaguar XJ8 vehicles, and also were available in the replacement market. The affected tires' DOT markings begin with FHPNEFMX and end with 00, 01, 02, 03 or 05.
The company says it will replace all potentially affected tires "in a comprehensive commitment to retrieve from the market any tire that does not meet Michelin quality standards." Replacement tires are available at no cost (including mounting and balancing) to consumers through Michelin tire dealers.
Any consumer in the U.S. or Canada who believes he or she is affected by the recall should not wait to receive notification but should call Michelin Consumer Relations at (800) 847-3435 in the U.S. and (888) 871-4444 in Canada. They also can return to their servicing tire dealer for a free inspection and replacement of the affected tires.
