“Digg it!”
PHILADELPHIA, May 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — ABC’s 20/20 is about to broadcast its investigation into the common but rarely publicized practice of selling old tires as new equipment. This potentially lethal aspect of tire merchandising has been linked to the 2002 death of Andrew “Andy” Moore, a gifted student and musician from Newtown, Bucks County. The segment, reported by Chief Investigative Reporter Brian Ross, is scheduled to air Friday, May 9, 2008, at 10 p.m. EST. (Read complete Press Release )
I saw a video segment of this report this weekend. Please read and take action on this. It may save your life and the lives of your loved ones. Tell your friends and neighbors, write a letter to the editor, get the word out before more people die.
The report
ABC’s 20/20 news team went undercover to several large retailers in the United States such as Goodyear, Sears and Wal-Mart to buy new tires. The tires sold were anything but new. Some of these tires were 6-12 years old!
Why Sell Older Tires?
If tires do not sell when they first are put in stock, they are not rotated like produce. They remain in stock until some unsuspecting motorist stops by to purchase a tire of that size and rating. As tires age, they dry out and can be very dangerous. A cursory look at the outside of the tire does not reveal this defect.
Some auto manufacturers such as Ford, Chrysler, BMW, Audi and Toyota recommend that tires be replaced six years after they were manufactured.
How Old are Your Tires?
Every tire has a number on it that shows the week and year it was manufactured. The inside wall of tire has a DOT number and usually the size and rating for the tire. At the end of all numbers there will be a two or three-d
igit number. For example, the number 269 means that the tire was made in the 26th week of 1999. If the number is 528, the tire was manufactured in the 52nd week of 1998.
To see these numbers, you are going to need a flashlight and your yard work clothes. You will be looking at the side of the tires that normally face the transmission. You may also take the tire off to view the numbers, but you will probably get just as dirty because you need to check each tire. I am going to run down to my local oil change place and ask them to let me in the pit.
Retailers Know, Yet Sell Old Tires
The report caught employees at some of the nation’s largest tire retailers selling tires that they knew were old. One tire was 12 years old. Retailers say that there is no reason to change their tire policy because there is no data showing that older, unused tires are defective. They also claim that federal and/or state regulations do not require them to take older tires out of their inventory. There needs to be a law.
What about RVers?
Now, RVers know that tires age quickly on our rigs. UV rays are the biggest culprit, but the tires also crack from the pressure of sitting and temperature changes. We always check our travel trailer tires before, during and after our road trips. When we saw one tire had a crack, we replaced all four tires.
However, other than inspecting for wear and checking the tire pressure, I would not expect my truck or van tires to fail because they are only a year old . . . or are they?
Please check your tires. If it has been 6 years old or more since the date of manufacture, take them back where you purchased them. If they will not give you newly manufactured tires at a prorated price, then go elsewhere and replace them at your cost. The price of a set of tires is not worth your life. You may want to consult an attorney if you have been in an accident due to faulty tires.
If the tires are on your RV, then go back to the dealer that sold the RV to you. They are not going to want to take a public relations hit for a set of tires. If they balk, contact the manufacturer direct.
This is an outrage. There is not one governmental entity looking out for the interests of the American consumer. Where is Ralph Nader when you need him? Oh, that’s right, he is running for president.
