Continental withdrawing 145k tires in major safety recalls

Washington – Continental Tire Americas has recalled nearly 150,000 passenger car tires in the US due to belt separation defects.

In two separate statements 24 Aug, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said Continental is recalling 146,568 ProContact GX AO tires, size 255/35R19; and 462 HDL2 DL+ tires, size 11R24.5 due to safety issues.

The ProContact GX AO tires, said the recall statement, were manufactured between 9 May 2021 and 17 Aug 2024, at Continental’s Korbach manufacturing facility in Germany.

The recall, according to NHTSA, involves the 100% of the products manufactured by Continental.

The passenger car tire mainly sold as an OE fitment for the Audi A4/A5, was designed to allow for higher flexing in the tread shoulder, causing heat build-up.

This, explained the statement, may lead the tire to develop a belt edge separation.

“With continued use, the tires could experience a partial or full tread/belt loss, which could increase the risk of a crash, serious injury, or death,” NHTSA added.

The Continental HDL2 DL+ truck tires, according to NHTSA, “were manufactured with an incorrect rubber compound in the shoulder area.”

The affected tires can develop a belt edge/shoulder separation, which with continued use could extend into the sidewall, resulting in a sudden loss of air pressure and potential risk of serious injury or death.

Produced at Continental’s plant in Bolton, Mississippi, the tires were made with an “incorrect compound” in the shoulder pad extrusion “for a portion of the process,” NHTSA added.