22T017 – Incomplete Curing of the Tread Base Rubber – Falken Pro G5 CSV Tires

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September 14, 2022 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 22T017000

Incomplete Curing of the Tread Base Rubber

Inadequate curing may lead to tread separating from the tire, causing vehicle instability, and increasing the risk of a crash.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 22T017

Manufacturer Sumitomo Rubber USA, LLC

Components TIRES

Potential Number of Units Affected 5,814

 

Summary

Sumitomo Rubber USA, LLC (Sumitomo) is recalling certain Falken Pro G5 CSV tires, size 235/65R17 104V, 235/65R18 106V, 245/50R20 102V, and 265/50R20 111V. An inadequate sulfur level in the tread base compound prevented proper curing of the tread base rubber.

 

Remedy

Dealers will replace the tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 4, 2022. Owners may contact Falken Tire’s customer service at 1-877-763-0416.

 

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

 


NHTSA Recall No. 22T-017

September 23, 2022

 

IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL

To:  Discount Tire Co., Inc. From:  Sumitomo Rubber USA, LLC

 

This notice is being sent to Discount Tire Co., Inc. (DTC) in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Safety Act).

Sumitomo Rubber USA, LLC (SRUSA) has decided that certain Falken brand Pro G5 CSV passenger-car tires contain inadequate sulfur levels in the tread-base compound, which prevented proper curing of the tread-base rubber. SRUSA has initiated a voluntary safety recall of these tires. The specific tires subject to the recall are listed in the attached affected tire list.

DTC is receiving this notice because SRUSA’s records indicate DTC received tires that may be subject to this recall. Further, SRUSA is required to advise DTC of certain tire dealer obligations, which are detailed in this notice.

Effective immediately, a stop sale is required for Falken brand Pro G5 CSV tires identified in the attached affected tire list.

The affected tires that are in DTC dealer inventory, or may be arriving at DTC dealerships, must be returned to any of Sumitomo Rubber North America, Inc.’s (SRNA) three (3) warranty centers in accordance with the instructions in the section of this letter titled ACTIONS REQUIRED BY DTC.

Affected tires that must be returned are those listed in the attached affected-tire list by pattern and size, to include specific manufactured date ranges. For example, if an affected pattern and size tire is listed as showing the manufactured dates are ‘0922’, then under this example, DTC should return all tires showing ‘0922’ as the manufactured date.

The tire’s manufacture date is listed in the complete DOT numbers on one side of the tire with the last four numbers being the week and year manufactured, as shown circled in red below.

 

What’s the Issue?

SRUSA has learned that inadequate sulfur levels in certain Pro G5 CSV tires prevented proper curing.  The inadequate curing may lead to tread chunking or tread separation from the affected tires.

 

What SRUSA is Doing:

Consistent with SRUSA’s longstanding commitment to safety and customer satisfaction and service, owners of any affected tires that match the size, line, and the Department of Transportation (DOT) tire identification number (TIN) including the four-digit production period in the affected-tire list are urged to contact a DTC retailer location to arrange verification and replacement at no charge through April 18, 2023.

Any tire subject to this recall will be replaced with a comparable Falken Pro G5 CSV tire. In the event that a Falken brand Pro G5 CSV tire is not currently available, a suitable competitive product may be used as a replacement.

 

Upon receipt of this notice, however, DTC is prohibited under Federal law from continuing to sell any affected tires that remain in their inventory.

 

ACTIONS REQUIRED BY DTC 

As a result of this safety recall and federal law, DTC is required to take the following actions. Returning Inventory (New/Never Mounted) Recalled Tires. Examine DTC tire inventory. Any tires that meet the above description are subject to this recall and cannot be sold. To determine if DTC received tires that are included in this recall, please check the DOT TIN found on the sidewall of the tire as explained above. If DTC has tires that meet the above description, immediately stop the sale. Immediately count DTC’s inventory of affected tires and record specific DOT TINs. Provide this information to SRNA’s Quality Assurance department at 1-800-723-2553, option 2.

Promptly return all recalled tires from DTC inventory to SRNA as per company directions. DTC will be compensated for all recalled (new) tires that DTC returns from inventory. All tires removed from inventory under this recall campaign must be rendered permanently unserviceable. To render the tire unserviceable, please utilize one of the following three options:

 

Option 1: Drill a 1” nominal (plus or minus ¼” tolerance) hole through the sidewall using the 1” hole saw. Rotate the recalled tire approximately 180 degrees and drill a second hole through the sidewall. Drilling additional holes beyond the two specified is not necessary. Drilling holes in the other sidewall is not necessary.

Option 2: Cut between body cords in the sidewall area of the tire. The cut shall be a minimum of 3-inches long. Making more than one continuous 3-inch minimum length cut or cutting more than one sidewall is not necessary.   Option 3: Use a “Bead Notching” machine to permanently remove a section of the bead from the tire. It is not necessary to remove more than one section of bead or to remove a section of bead from more than one side of the tire.

Please do not alter the DOT TIN in any way as we will check it to validate that the returned tire meets the recall criteria.

 

Provide SRUSA the List of Owners of Recalled Tires

Please check DTC’s sales records to identify Falken Pro G5 CSV tires sold that are covered under this recall.  Please send the following information for each customer to SRUSA so that the customer can be added to the voluntary safety recall mailing list:

Customer Name:
Address

(street, city, state, ZIP code):

Date of Sale/Mounting:
Quantity Sold/Mounted:

Please send the customer information by email to Warranty@srnatire.com. For email, please use the subject line: “Recall No. 22T-017 Customer Information.”

 

Alternatively, you may mail the customer information to:

Sumitomo Rubber USA, LLC
PO Box 1109
Buffalo, NY 14240
Attention: Quality Assurance Manager

Customers who are identified as potential purchasers of the affected tires will be issued a letter requesting that the owner check their tires to determine if they are subject to the voluntary safety recall. If the customer is unable to determine whether the tires are part of this recall, the customer will be instructed to contact Falken tire’s customer service at 1-877-763-0416.

 

Replacement of Mounted Tires

Customers who visit a DTC retail location in connection with this recall must have all tires inspected in order to determine whether the DOT TIN is an exact match as indicated above. Please make sure to check each tire closely. If the DOT TIN does not exactly match the description above, the tire is not part of the recall. Any tire with the DOT TIN described in the affected-tire list must be replaced immediately without charge (including mounting and balancing) to the customer. DTC will be reimbursed $35 for mounting and balancing for each tire replaced in service.

Please do NOT alter the DOT TIN in any way as we will check it to validate that the returned tire meets the recall criteria. DTC must secure the recalled tires. All tires removed from service under this recall must be rendered permanently unserviceable. To render the tire unserviceable, please utilize one of the following three options:

 

Option 1: Drill a 1” nominal (plus or minus ¼” tolerance) hole through the sidewall using the 1” hole saw. Rotate the recalled tire approximately 180 degrees and drill a second hole through the sidewall. Drilling additional holes beyond the two specified is not necessary. Drilling holes in the other sidewall is not necessary.

Option 2: Cut between body cords in the sidewall area of the tire. The cut shall be a minimum of 3-inches long. Making more than one continuous 3-inch minimum length cut or cutting more than one sidewall is not necessary. Option 3: Use a “Bead Notching” machine to permanently remove a section of the bead from the tire. It is not necessary to remove more than one section of bead or to remove a section of bead from more than one side of the tire.

If you have any questions, please contact Falken tire’s customer service at 1-877763-0416.

All new or used affected tires must be returned following the instructions listed below:

All affected tires are to be listed on a separate Falken Adjustment Claim Form.

Mark “New Recall” on new (never mounted) tires and “Used Recall” on tires removed from service on the sidewall as well as the claim form. Tires are to be rendered unserviceable as described earlier in this letter.

After the Falken claim form is completed, please ship freight collect using either of the following carriers:

 

Knight Logistics – 602-606-6276 or Christopher.Smith@KnightTrans.com

ArcBest Freight – 888-897-1319 or Customersupport04@arcb.com

 

Ship tires along with a copy of the claim form to your normal warranty servicing location.

For any questions on this procedure, please call Falken tire’s customer service at 1-877-763-0416.

 

Disposition of Tires Subject to a Safety-Related Recall

SRUSA is required to advise you of the following information:

IT IS A VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW FOR A DEALER TO SELL, LEASE, REUSE, OR RESELL A RECALLED TIRE.

If a dealer knowingly sells or leases new or used recalled tires, the sale must be reported to the Associate Administrator for Safety Assurance, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. Washington, DC 20590 or call the toll-free Auto Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153); or go to www.nhtsa.gov within five working days of such a release to report the following information:

 

1) A statement that a report is being submitted pursuant to 49 CFR 573.10(a);

2) The name, address, and phone number of the person who purchased or leased the tire;

3) The name of the manufacturer of the tire;

4) The tire’s brand name, model name, and size;

5) The tire DOT identification number and press identification number;

6) The date of the sale or lease; and

7) The name, address, and telephone number of the seller or lessor.

 

These notifications and instructions must be communicated to all employees of this dealership who are involved in the inspection and removal of recalled tires.

*           *           *

 

While we regret any inconvenience this may cause, SRUSA is determined to maintain a high level of tire quality and customer satisfaction.

 

Please refer all customer inquiries to the Falken tire’s customer service at 1-877763-0416.

 

Sincerely,

 

Sumitomo Rubber USA, LLC

 

Attachment:  Affected tire list.

13 Digit Tire Identification Number (TIN)
FTC # DTC # Brand Tire Line & Size Plant ID Size Code Opt Code DOT Week
28658085 37726 Falken 235/65 R17 104V Pro G5 CSV 1DA L8 4MCR 0922
28658603 37721 Falken 235/65 R18 106V Pro G5 CSV 1DA VK 4MCR 0922
28658591 37728 Falken 245/50 R20 102V Pro G5 CSV 1DA KH 4MCR 0922
28653367 37743 Falken 265/50 R20 111V Pro G5 CSV 1DA 7E 4MCR 0922

 


Chronology :

Aug. 8, 2022: Sumitomo Rubber North America, Inc. (“SRNA”) learned of a consumer complaint alleging tread-rubber
chunks came off four new Falken Pro G5 CSV tires (235/65R18 106V). SRNA distributes the Falken Pro G5 line of tires exclusively to Discount Tire Company (“DTC”). SRNA notified SRUSA of this consumer complaint.

Aug. 8 – Aug. 22, 2022: SRUSA and SRNA began investigating the complaint. SRUSA obtained and analyzed the tires involved in the consumer complaint. SRUSA determined that the suspect tires were manufactured the 9th week of 2022. SRNA initiated an inventory freeze of certain Falken Pro G5 CSV tires manufactured the 9th week of 2022, while SRUSA continued to investigate the issue. SRNA requested that DTC freeze its inventory of potentially affected Falken Pro G5 CSV tires manufactured the 9th week of 2022. Following the inventory freezes, SRNA learned of an additional consumer complaint alleging the same issue with the same size Pro G5 CSV tires.

Aug. 22 – Sep. 1, 2022: SRUSA’s investigation discovered a potential manufacturing issue that resulted in low sulfur levels in the tread compound used in a population of Falken Pro G5 CSV tires manufactured during the 9th week of 2022. On Aug. 26th, SRNA learned of an additional consumer complaint involving the same size Falken Pro G5 CSV tires. SRUSA escalated the issue to its parent company Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. (“SRI”) to review the potential safety impact of the quality issue.

Sep. 7, 2022: Based on the consumer complaints and its internal investigation, SRI’s Quality Assurance Department determined that inadequate sulfur levels in the tread compound prevented proper curing of certain Falken Pro G5 CSV tires manufactured the 9th week of 2022 and, further, that this issue constitutes a safety-related defect in the affected tires.

As of the date of this filing, there have been no reports of injuries related to this condition.

 


4 Affected Products

Tires

BRAND TIRE LINE/SIZE PRODUCTION DATES
FALKEN PRO G5 CSV/235/65 R18 106V
FALKEN PRO G5 CSV/245/50 R20 102V
FALKEN PRO G5 CSV/265/50 R20 111V
FALKEN PRO G5 CSV/235/65 R17 104V

 


9 Associated Documents

Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-22T017-1969.PDF 245.049KB

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Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-22T017-7947.pdf 734.613KB

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Recall 573 Report – September 27, 2022

RCLRPT-22T017-4431.PDF 216.556KB

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Sumitomo Rubber USA – Dealer Letter to DTC – September 2022

RCMN-22T017-0210.pdf 224.057KB

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Part 577 Owner Notification Envelope

RONE-22T017-3080.pdf 132.322KB

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ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-22T017-4787.pdf 422.262KB

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ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-22T017-3160.pdf 545.146KB

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Recall 573 Report – October 26, 2022

RCLRPT-22T017-4554.PDF 216.571KB

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Recall 573 Report – February 15, 2023

RCLRPT-22T017-5830.PDF 216.577KB

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Latest Recalls Documents

For the Latest and Most Recent Recalls Information Visit the link below…

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/documentList.xhtml?docId=22T017&docType=RCL

 


 

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