NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Dec. 11, 2000) — Contrary to a USA Today report, representatives of Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. aren´t meeting Dec. 11 with officials of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to discuss conclusions over root problems with 6.5 million recalled ATX and Wilderness AT tires, according to a BFS spokesman.
"I can´t speak for Ford—they might meet with NHTSA today—and I can´t comment on what Ford might tell NHTSA. But we won´t meet with them until later in the week," he said. This week´s meeting—one of a series the spokesman described as "consistent and rather routine"—will review the latest information BFS has gathered on the tires, including field and technical laboratory testing, data from the recalled and failed tires and computer modeling.
"We´re not at a point to reach conclusions," the spokesman said, adding that the USA Today report erred when it referred to adhesives used in making the tires. "We don´t use adhesives on those tires," he said. "We are investigating the adhesion between the belts, not adhesives."
Ford officials couldn´t be reached for comment, and a NHTSA spokesman said he wasn´t at liberty to speak on the matter.