WASHINGTON (July 24, 2001)—The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a preliminary evaluation of possible defects in the General Ameri*550 radial tire, size P235/70R16.
Chosen by Ford Motor Co. to help replace 13 million recalled Firestone Wilderness AT tires in May, the Ameri*550 was one of 11 tire models identified by the House Energy and Commerce Committee as having a higher tread separation claims rate than Ford's benchmark figure of five per million.
The Ameri*550, at 124 per million, had the highest claims rate of any tire on Ford´s approved replacement list. Officials of Continental Tire North America couldn't immediately be reached for comment.