Toyo recalls 14k tires on use of 'wrong mould' at Serbian factory

Washington – Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas has recalled nearly 14,200 tires due to potential defects that could result in the tread or tire sidewall detaching.

In a statement provided to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Toyo said the recall followed “detailed analysis” of production records for all tires from its Serbia factory.

The analysis, said the Japanese tire maker, identified 101 instances where a green tire was cured in the wrong mould.

Overall, Toyo said there were 20 models of suspect tires manufactured during different times of the year, between January and April.

“A small number of green tires are suspected of having been cured into the wrong mould, potentially resulting in incorrect component dimensions, compounds, and cord tension,” it added.

If the condition remains undetected, Toyo stated, “we cannot rule out the possibility that, due to this production error, sections of the tread or sidewall may become detached."

This, it added, "could lead to a loss of inflation pressure, and an increased risk of a vehicle crash.”

Further elaborating on the incident, Toyo said there was a period of time when the curing presses were being manually loaded at the plant.

At that stage, the factory control software did not prohibit press function if an incorrect green tire barcode was scanned.

This allowed a small number of incorrectly loaded tires to proceed through the curing process undetected, explained the tire maker, noting that software to prevent this from occurring had since been implemented.