Michelin recalls 1.2 million tires

[Bruce B]

Anyone hear of any Michelins disintegrating? This will be interesting....
Bruce

[dznf0g]

There's only been like 20 reports....Michelin is being very proactive here.

[Road Ruler]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

There's only been like 20 reports....Michelin is being very proactive here.

Yes, that is impressive compared to some of the train wrecks other tire companies are putting out and doing nothing about it.

[dznf0g]

Apparently their good name and reputation is worth more than 1.2 million tires X $125 (????) = $150,000,000-ish. What a novel concept.

[Phoenix]

There's another thread on this same topic. Is there any way to merge these two threads?

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f438...ml#post1391930

[rodsterinfl]

read separation..LTX M/S 225/75/16

Glad I have the MS/2 225/75/16. I noted the other recall listed on the M/S 2 but they are 18 and 20 inch tires.

[ventport]

Glad I went with 15" Michelins.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by rodsterinfl

Glad I have the MS/2 225/75/16. I noted the other recall listed on the M/S 2 but they are 18 and 20 inch tires.

Why? I might get brand new, zero mile, two year newer tires at no charge. That delays my next tire expenditure for two years. Have to go to the lot and check "born on" date.

[boondockdad]

When you do get them replaced, be prepared to give them step by step instructions and watch them like a hawk.

I replaced the OEM 15" with the new balanced 16" myself, after last incident with my local tire house.

Pulled in to get a tread separation replaced (yeah, GYM).
Give the guy very specific instructions on how to jack trailer.
Get down on my hands and knees, and show him diamond point.
Confirm with him. He says "OK"

Go in to pay. Come back out. He's got a 4x4 block balanced on the top of his floor jack, under the C-channel between the tires, jacking away.
Just as I'm blowing a gasket, the 4x4 tilts right into the tank cover, putting a nice big dent in it.

Nothing their insurance didn't cover, but it's a hassle that could have been easily avoided by not taking my eyes off them for a second.

[dznf0g]

Questions....

Is the date code only stamped on the white letter side? I have my tires blackwall out and the snow was too deep to crawl under the AS. I couldn't find it on the blackwall side.

Does the DOT TIN lettering contain the plant code?

I don't think mine are involved. I Had "DOT B3JH DBVX" on mine and the bulletin says only "DOT B3JH AKEX are involved. I suspect the last four are the plant code???

[dznf0g]

EDIT: I guess I should do my due diligence before posting...

First two letters are plant code - B3 = Bridgewater, Nova Scotia (the affected plant)

next 2 letters are Size code - JH = LT225/75R16 (the affected size)

Next 4 letters are optional (DOT) manufacturer codes. I couldn't find any chart specific to Michelin, but I SUSPECT they would identify, perhaps, a line and shift maybe...or a specific mold, or "plant traceability" identifier.

DOT only requires the date code on one side, so I guess it is on the whitewall side.

[boondockdad]

Originally Posted by AnnArborBob

Good catch Boondockdad! These are indeed the model of tire that Airstream provided on our new Eddie Bauer model. The unit is still at the dealer until spring so I have asked them to follow up.

Thanks. I get the auto-email from US DOT NHTSA whenever there are recalls. Here's the link to sign up: Recall Notification by Email | Safercar.gov | NHTSA

US DOT NHTSA <donotreplyodi@dot.gov>
Dec 14 (2 days ago)

to me
You are receiving this message because you have requested to be notified if there is a safety recall regarding Tires from NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Please click on the following NHTSA Campaign ID links to view the recall information.
NHTSA Campaign ID Number : 13T012
Synopsis : Michelin North America, Inc., (Michelin) is recalling certain Michelin LTX M/S tires, size LT225/75R16 115/112R LRE, manufactured from January 10, 2010, through June 23, 2012, and supplied for use as original equipment on certain Ford vehicles, and as replacement equipment on various brand commercial light trucks, full-sized heavy duty vans, small RVs and some large pickup trucks. These tires could experience tread separation. Tread separation can lead to rapid air loss, which may result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash. Michelin will notify owners and Michelin dealers will replace the tires free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on January 6, 2014. Owners may call Michelin Consumer Care Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST, or Saturday and Sunday from 8:30am to 4:30pm EST at the following numbers: USA: 1-800-231-5893 (language options: English and Spanish)
Thank you,

Recalls Subscription Team
Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)

Please follow one of these links to update your profile or unsubscribe.
To file a vehicle safety-related complaint, please go online to our File a Complaint web page, or call us toll-free at 1-888-327-4236.

To find out more about NHTSA, please go to the Safercar.gov website or call our Vehicle Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-327-4236.

Our Privacy Policy can be found at this web page.

If you have questions regarding these e-mails, please go to the NHTSA Contact web page.

This is a system-generated e-mail. Do NOT respond to the sender of this e-mail.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by boondockdad

When you do get them replaced, be prepared to give them step by step instructions and watch them like a hawk.

I replaced the OEM 15" with the new balanced 16" myself, after last incident with my local tire house.

Pulled in to get a tread separation replaced (yeah, GYM).
Give the guy very specific instructions on how to jack trailer.
Get down on my hands and knees, and show him diamond point.
Confirm with him. He says "OK"

Go in to pay. Come back out. He's got a 4x4 block balanced on the top of his floor jack, under the C-channel between the tires, jacking away.
Just as I'm blowing a gasket, the 4x4 tilts right into the tank cover, putting a nice big dent in it.

Nothing their insurance didn't cover, but it's a hassle that could have been easily avoided by not taking my eyes off them for a second.

DDD,

Leave the block out, go to the front of the plate....it's the safest place to jack.


Bob

[CapriRacer]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

EDIT: I guess I should do my due diligence before posting...

First two letters are plant code - B3 = Bridgewater, Nova Scotia (the affected plant)

next 2 letters are Size code - JH = LT225/75R16 (the affected size)

Next 4 letters are optional (DOT) manufacturer codes. I couldn't find any chart specific to Michelin, but I SUSPECT they would identify, perhaps, a line and shift maybe...or a specific mold, or "plant traceability" identifier.

DOT only requires the date code on one side, so I guess it is on the whitewall side.

Good job on the DOT coding, except:

The 4 digit optional manufacturer code would identify the tire as a Michelin LTX M/S and the particular version of that. It would NOT identify a production line or a shift or a mold. If the tire has a bar code, THAT would tell you those 3 bits of info - although the mold is usually stamped somewhere else on the sidewall in a code that you would need a decoder for.

Here, maybe this will help:

Barry's Tire Tech

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by CapriRacer

Good job on the DOT coding, except:

The 4 digit optional manufacturer code would identify the tire as a Michelin LTX M/S and the particular version of that. It would NOT identify a production line or a shift or a mold. If the tire has a bar code, THAT would tell you those 3 bits of info - although the mold is usually stamped somewhere else on the sidewall in a code that you would need a decoder for.

Here, maybe this will help:

Barry's Tire Tech

Thanks, Typical Govt redundancy.....I guess the fact that "Michelin LTX M/S" molded in right above the DOT code means nothing.

[Skater]

The date code is normally stamped on only one side of the tire, and the people mounting them usually don't (in my experience) make sure that side is facing out. So, you might have to remove the wheel or crawl underneath and be prepared to rotate it. Fun times.

The good news is that if it's completely random, the odds are pretty good that at least one of your tires will have the date code facing out, and it only goes up as you have more axles. I was bored so I worked out the probabilities: 0.75 for a single axle, 0.94 for a double axle, and 0.98 for a triple axle. Of course that relies on all of your tires having the same date code, too.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by Skater

. Of course that relies on all of your tires having the same date code, too.

There is no guarantee that the date codes are the same. They are a couple months apart on my tow vehicle, even though I bought the tires at the same time.

[Wingeezer]

I guess my new Michelin tires are not involved in the latest recall as they are MS 2 - maybe my turn is still to come!

But in any case, I just checked my spare which happens to be still in the back of our truck. (seemed a shame to stick that nice shiny new alum. wheel under the trailer, and in any case, I think I would need to modify the rack under the trailer for it to fit.)

But what I did find is that my tires are blackwall both sides, and the DOT info is included on both sides of the tire, not just one.

Brian.

[Zigidachs]

Three of my four "shoes" qualify for replacement. When I purchased the tires ….shipped from JC with the new trailer in 2/11…they shipped a tire that was more than a year older than the other three???!!!

[Al - K4GLU]

I have on the ground 1 1311 and 3 1411. Haven't checked the spare yet. Guess that puts me right in the middle of the recall. Date is on the outside on my tires.
Bought these from Airstream in May 2011.