23T001 Incorrect Tire Identification Number – General Altimax RT43 Tires

February 16, 2023 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 23T001000

Incorrect Tire Identification Number/FMVSS 574

Missing TIN information can make it difficult for tire owners to identify the tire in the event of a recall, increasing the risk of driving with a recalled tire which could result in a crash.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 23T001

Manufacturer Continental Tire the Americas, LLC

Components TIRES

Potential Number of Units Affected 3

 

Summary

Continental Tire the Americas, LLC (Continental Tire) is recalling certain General Altimax RT43, size 175/65R14 82T tires. The tires contain a tire identification number (TIN) that is missing the 3-digit plant code and the 6-symbol manufacturer’s identification mark. As such, these tires fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 574, “Tire Identification & Recordkeeping.”

 

Remedy

Dealers will replace the tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 3. 2023. Owners may contact Continental Tire’s customer service at 1-888-799-2168.

 

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.

 


IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL NOTICE

Continental Product Service Information Bulletin PSIB 03_2023

Continental Tire the Americas, LLC – Voluntary Tire Recall

To: Continental Authorized Tire Distributors and Dealers

Continental Tire the Americas, LLC (“CTA”) announced a voluntary recall involving three (3) passenger tires after discovering these tires were sold into the USA market with a partially missing DOT number.

The noncompliance is due to a mold error in which the subject tires contain a tire identification number (TIN) that omits the 3-digit plant code as well as the 6-symbol manufacturer’s identification mark as required by paragraph S5.5.1(b) of FMVSS No. 139 and 49 CFR 574.5(b).  Specifically, the tires should have been labeled as “DOT 036 0F934V 1020” on the outboard sidewall and “DOT 036 0F934V” on the inboard sidewall.  Instead, the tires were incorrectly labeled as “DOT 1020” on the outboard sidewall and “DOT” on the inboard sidewall.

Tires have been sold as replacement tires or are still in dealer inventories. Please read this notice carefully and follow the steps outlined in the instructions below. CTA requests your assistance in:

1. Identifying
2. Removing and Replacing
3. Returning
4. Miscellaneous

 

The following instructions will outline the details of this program.

 

1. Identifying Tires by MADE IN THAILAND, DOT Symbol, Blank Space, and DOT Week

1.1. Identification of Subject Tires

The product affected is 175/65R14 82T Altimax RT43, tires must match MADE IN THAILAND, DOT Symbol, blank space, and DOT Week 1020 on the serial side, and on the opposite serial side DOT Symbol and blank space, in order to be part of the recall:

 

Note: No other tire sizes, production periods or product lines are affected.

 

Tires made for use in the United States are required to have the DOT serial number with production week and year on one sidewall of the tire near the rim. The following sample shows a tire manufactured during the 33rd. week of 2020.

 

Example of DOT Serial Number Identification:

The General 175/65R14 82T Altimax RT43 is identified as follows: 

Product Line: 175/65R14 82T Altimax RT43
DOT TIN: 036 0F 934V 3320
Article No.: 15494800000

 

036  0F 934V 33  20 

Week of Manufacture

Tire Type Code

Tire Size Code

Manufacturer’s Plant Code

 

1.2. End Consumers

CTA estimated that deliveries to our direct customers occurred between November 2020 to March 2021. CTA request dealers help to identify potential tire owners. With the help of the dealer’s sales records, CTA will notify end consumers who potentially purchased affected tires. These end consumers will be directed to contact the dealer where they purchased their tire to schedule an appointment for having a replacement tire installed on their vehicle. In case you are contacted, we request your assistance in verifying that the tire is included in this program and removing, replacing, and returning all identified tires.

We ask distributors to forward this information to all their locations and to their dealers.

We request that dealers research their sales records for end consumers who may have purchased one of the subject tires. If end consumers are identified, call CTA Customer Relations toll-free number 1-888-799-2168 or email to gt@custhelp.com with the following consumer information:

  • End consumer name, address, and phone number.
  • Quantity of subject tires sold to that end consumer.
  • Tire line, size and Full DOT serial number (if available).
  • Date of tire(s) sale.

 

CTA will then notify these end consumers with the program information.

 

2. Removing and Replacing Affected Tires

2.1. Removing Recall Tires

You are requested to remove from use all recall tires which you identify as included in this recall program.

 

2.2. Replacing Recall Tires

If you remove one or more affected tires, we request you to replace the full set of tires, with replacement tires of the same size and service description as those originally fitted. We intend to replace the affected tires with new General Tires.

In order to be part of the recall at least one of the four tires must match the following criteria on the serial side:

a) MADE IN THAILAND
b) DOT Symbol
c) blank space
d) DOT Week 1020
* Tires with skived DOTs are not acceptable.

 

CTA authorized dealers should order replacement General tires through their CTA Inside Sales Representative at 1-800-831-0181.

 

3. Tire Return and Disposal

All tires that are identified as included in this program must be returned to CTA for disposal. Credit will only be issued once the recall tires have been received, inspected, and verified.

 

3.1. Direct Customer and Distributor Procedure

CTA estimated that deliveries to our direct customers occurred between November 2020 to March 2021. If you believe that your inventory could contain any of these subject tires, please check your on hand, new tire inventory and return these tires and any affected tires in service to CTA.

Please follow the special instructions below:

The direct customer or distributor returning tires subject to this recall program are to ship these tires with a separate pickup or segregated on different pallets from their normal warranty returns. (Note: for normal warranty returns continue to follow all current procedures). Attach a copy of the CTA Limited Warranty Claim Form (2469V) to each tire or complete the claim electronically using the online warranty system available on Contilink found at www.contilink.com. (National Account Car Dealers use www.conticarlink.com) You must indicate “Safety Campaign” from the Dropdown Menu in the Reason for Removal field. For clear identification write “RECALL” on Tread, and “RECALL COMPANION” on Tread for companion tires.

  • The direct customer or distributor returning tires from inventory are to ship the tires weekly.

a) The preferred shipping method is in quantities of seven or more tires. When shipping with this method, call 1-800-357-9199 (USA only) to schedule a pickup, reference code “RECALL”. CTA will be billed for the freight charges. Please remember to verify the tire count before signing the Bill of Lading (BOL).

b) Quantities of six or less, call 1-888-799-2168 and request a pre-paid shipping label.

 

Ship tires to:
Continental Tire the Americas, LLC.
Ref. Code: RECALL
854 Paragon Way
Rock Hill, SC 29730

 

3.2. Indirect Customers and Dealer Procedure

Each dealer should return all subject tires following their normal warranty and credit return process.

 

3.3. Returns of Tires from Outside the Continental US

Dealers in Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico, or any other tire dealer needing additional assistance should call 1-888-799-2168 regarding return of a tire.

 

4. Miscellaneous

4.1. Credit

CTA will provide credit for the replacement tires after returns having been received, inspected, and verified. You will receive full credit for dealer acquisition price of the approved replacement tires plus the standard $10.00 per tire handling commission on all returns submitted electronically and $30.00 credit to be granted to dealer for mounting and balancing.

Tires not meeting the MADE IN THAILAND, DOT Symbol, blank space, and DOT Week 1020 are NOT eligible for credit, unless submitted as a companion tire.

 

4.2. Sale of Affected Tires

Continental Tire is required to advise you of the following information and obligations of the Dealer:

Be advised that pursuant to 49 CFR 573.11 and 573.12 you are prohibited from selling any new or used noncompliant tires that are subject to the recall program described in this notice.

Be advised that pursuant to 49 CFR 573.10 you are further required to notify NHTSA of the sale of any new or used noncompliant tires subject to the recall program described in this notice to:

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.safercar.gov

 

We greatly appreciate your assistance in this matter and CTA would like to thank you.

 

Sincerely,

Continental Tire the Americas, LLC.
1830 MacMillan Park Drive
Ft. Mill, SC 29707

 


Chronology :

01/07/2021: CTA was made aware of a field complaint for three (3) tires with missing tire identification numbers (TIN)

01/07/2021 – 04/13/2021: CTA immediately issued a quality hold and sorting action on all remaining inventory of this tire SKU. An internal investigation was initiated to determine the root cause and to determine if other noncompliant tires may have been sold into the market. The investigation revealed that the tires were produced as pre-serial production in the Rayong, Thailand manufacturing plant. A total of six tires were shipped to the USA and sold, three have been returned, three are believed to be in the market.

04/14/2021: CTA’s Product Integrity Committee convened. A decision was made that the three (3) remaining tires with the noncompliance must be reported to the NHTSA.

04/20/2021: CTA submitted a Noncompliance Information Report to the NHTSA

05/13/2021: CTA submitted a petition seeking exemption from the notice and remedy requirements of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 30118(d) and § 30120(h) and 49 CFR Part 556, on the basis that the noncompliance is inconsequential to motor vehicle safety.

02/10/2023: NHTSA advised CTA that the inconsequential petition from 05/13/2021 was denied and therefore CTA is submitting this 573 notification.

 


1 Affected Product

Tire

BRAND TIRE LINE/SIZE PRODUCTION DATES
GENERAL TIRE ALTIMAX RT43/175/65R14 82T

 


4 Associated Documents

Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-23T001-3287.pdf 646KB

RCAK-23T001-3287

 


Noncompliance Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-23T001-1658.PDF 214.968KB

RCLRPT-23T001-1658

 


Recall 573 Report – March 2, 2023

RCLRPT-23T001-6232.PDF 215.034KB

RCLRPT-23T001-6232

 


Continental – Dealer Notification Letter – March 2023

RCMN-23T001-9123.pdf 328.259KB

RCMN-23T001-9123

 


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=23T001&docType=RCL

 


 

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