NHTSA looks into run-flat wear complaints

Washington, DC -- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is looking into complaints that run-flat tyres on Toyota Sienna all-wheel-drive vehicles, model year 2004 and beyond, wear out prematurely, a NHTSA spokeswoman said.

The agency hasn't begun a formal investigation and won't decide whether to do so until it has had a chance to study the complaints thoroughly, said the spokeswoman, who didn't know offhand how many complaints there have been so far. Two San Francisco TV stations have reported of some Sienna owners saying the treads on their Bridgestone and Dunlop OE run-flat tyres lasted only 10,000 to 20,000 miles.

A Bridgestone/Firestone spokesman said the company knows of no instance where a run-flat tyre on a Toyota Sienna actually failed. "We´re getting plenty of good feedback that the tyres perform well when their owners properly rotate and inflate them," he said.

A Dunlop Tire & Rubber Co. spokesman said his company too is getting good feedback on the run-flats, but urged motorists to call the Dunlop Customer Assistance Center at (800) 321-2136 if they are dissatisfied with their Dunlop tires´ performance.

From Rubber & Plastics News (A Crain publication)