Hercules Roadtour 455 Sport Tire Belt Separation

August 27, 2021 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 21T015000

Tire Belt Separation

Belt separation could lead to loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 21T015

Manufacturer Cooper Tire & Rubber Co.

Components TIRES

Potential Number of Units Affected 370

 

Summary

Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. (Cooper Tire) is recalling certain Hercules Roadtour 455 Sport 225/50R17 tires with DOT code 0721. Due to a manufacturing issue, the tire may experience a belt separation.

 

Remedy

Cooper Tire will replace the tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning September 10, 2021. Owners may contact Cooper Tire customer service at 1-800-854-6288. Cooper Tire’s number for this recall is 181.

 

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.

 

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IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL

 

August 30, 2021

 

Dear Dealer:

 

This notice is sent to you in accordance with the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

 

Hercules Tire & Rubber Company has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in all tires identified as follows:

Product Name	Size	DOT Serial Number	Brand
Roadtour 455 Sport	225/50R17	U9 40 H3T 0721	HERCULES

 

The DOT identification number is molded into each tire, and is composed of a DOT sequence, followed by a four-digit DOT date code. As an example, the following illustration shows what this number would look like for one of the affected tires in the chart above (Hercules Roadtour 455 Sport, Size 225/50R17). For this tire, the DOT sequence begins with U940H3T —- and ends with a date code (2-digit week and 2-digit year), which is 0721, inclusive, see the example below.

 

Hercules Tire, upon consultation with the tire manufacturer, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company has determined the affected tires as manufactured may have an incorrect sidewall component that may develop an in-service slow loss of air pressure, in-service audible noise, unsatisfactory ride condition, belt separation, or distortion in the tread area that if undetected may ultimately result in a tire failure leading to the loss of vehicle control and increase the risk of a crash.  Driving at high speeds may cause this condition to occur and should be avoided until the tires have been inspected and replaced, if they fall within the identification numbers shown above.

 

Hercules Tire & Rubber Company is recalling all of the tires with the identification number(s) above. Check your inventory for these specific identification numbers. Effective immediately, you must not sell any of the tires listed and described above.

 

“YOU ARE PROHIBITED BY FEDERAL LAW FROM SELLING OR LEASING NEW OR USED TIRES COVERED BY THIS NOTIFICATION.”

If a dealer knowingly sells or leases new or used recalled tires, that sale must be reported to the Associate Administrator for Enforcement, NHTSA, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE, Washington, DC 20590, within five working days after a person to whom the sale or lease has been made has taken possession of that tire. The required contents for such report are provided in NHTSA’s regulation at 49 C.F.R. § 573.10.

 

You should also comply with the following instructions regarding the return of new and used recall tires at no charge in accordance with such provisions.

 

PROCEDURE FOR RETURN AND CREDIT OF RECALLED TIRES

 

NEW TIRES:

All recalled new tires existing in your inventory, or in your sub-dealers’ inventories, should be returned immediately in one shipment, by contacting your servicing ATD/NTD location to schedule a RMA return to stock. To assure proper handling, these tires should be listed on the standard Hercules Protection Policy Claim Form.  In order to expedite the sorting and crediting process, please use a crayon and write the words, “New Recall” on the sidewall of the tire and on the Claim Form in the Removal Reason section.

 

Upon verification by Hercules Tire that the tires returned are within the recall group, we will issue credit to you based upon your last invoice price of the tires.

 

USED TIRES:

Hercules Tire’s registration records are being searched and consumers who have purchased tires with the subject identification number(s) are being notified of the RECALL.  Attached for your information is a copy of the notification being sent to such consumers.  Tires removed from consumer vehicles as a result of this RECALL should be replaced with tires of like size and construction bearing identification numbers other than those listed above.

 

We have advised the consumer to return his recalled tire(s) and this letter to you.  If your inspection verifies that the consumer has a tire(s) with the suspect identification number, the tire(s) should be replaced, mounted and balanced at no charge, if presented for remedy within one-hundred and eighty (180) days after (i) receipt of this letter or (ii) notice that a replacement tire(s) is available (if not available at the time of the inspection).  It is expected that replacement tire(s) will be available at the time of inspection.  Please ensure that you have the correct replacement tires in inventory. However, if the tires are not available at the time of inspection, they will be available within twenty-one (21) days. After expiration of the one-hundred and eighty (180) days, tires will be replaced under our normal adjustment policy.

 

We have advised the consumer that it will take approximately thirty (30) minutes each to replace the recalled tires.  For any tires removed from consumer vehicles during such one-hundred and eighty (180) day period, Hercules Tire will authorize an allowance of $17.50 per tire to cover mounting and balancing.

 

Tires removed from consumer vehicles must be listed on the standard Hercules Protection Policy Claim Form. The Claim Form must be properly completed and signed by the consumer and the consumer’s copy of the recall letter attached.

 

For the purpose of the RECALL, the Claim Form must include RECALL tires only. The word “RECALL” must be printed directly in the Removal Reason section. Also, please write the words, “Used Recall” on the sidewall of the tire.

 

Any tire covered by this recall should be promptly and permanently rendered unsuitable for resale for installation on motor vehicles.  Examples of this includes but are not limited to: cut one or two beads completely through in two places 180 degrees apart; or make one or more 6” (minimum length) circumferential cut in one sidewall or shoulder completely through the carcass.

 

Upon verification by Hercules Tire, credit will be issued to you on a no charge replacement basis if replaced by you and returned to ATD/NTD on or before two hundred and ten (210) days after notice of this RECALL.

 

You should return in one shipment all used tires by contacting your servicing ATD/NTD location to schedule a WRMA warranty return. (RECALL) Any tires returned after the designated time will be handled under our regular tire adjustment procedures.

 

Hercules Tire requests that you advise it of those customers of yours, if any, who have purchased any of the tires described above for which registration forms have not previously been submitted so that such customers can be advised of the recall and the replacement of their recalled tires can be scheduled.

 

We certainly apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you.  If you have any questions pertaining to the implementation of this RECALL or need assistance, please contact the Hercules Tire Consumer Relations Department at 844-708-7291.

 

Sincerely,

Jesse Seibold

Product Adjustment Analyst

 

Attachments:

Hercules Tire Consumer Letter

 

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IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL

 

September 10, 2021

 

NHTSA Recall No. – 21T015

 

Dear Customer:

 

This notice is sent to you in accordance with the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

 

Hercules Tire & Rubber Company has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in a certain Hercules tire, as identified in the table below.

Product Name	Size	DOT Serial Number	Brand
Roadtour 455 Sport	225/50R17	U9 40 H3T 0721	HERCULES

 

The DOT identification number is molded into each tire, and is composed of a DOT sequence, followed by a four-digit DOT date code. As an example, the following illustration shows what this number would look like for one of the affected tires.  For this tire, the DOT sequence begins with U940H3T —- and ends with a date code (2-digit week and 2-digit year), which is 0721, inclusive, see the example below.

 

You are receiving this letter because our records indicate that you may have purchased one or more of the recalled tires.  The affected tires may lead to a crash.  An incorrect sidewall component may result in an in-service slow loss of air pressure, in-service audible noise, unsatisfactory ride condition, belt separation, or distortion in the tread area that if undetected may ultimately result in a tire failure leading to the loss of vehicle control.  Driving at high speeds may cause this condition to occur and should be avoided until the tires have been inspected and replaced, if they fall within the identification numbers shown above.

 

Hercules Tire, in cooperation with the tire manufacturer, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company is recalling all of the tires with the identification number(s) in the table above.  To ensure your safety and satisfaction with our product, we request that you return the recalled tire(s) to your dealer.  If the inspection verifies that you have a tire or tires with the suspect identification number, they will be replaced with the same or substantially similar tires, for FREE, if you have presented them for remedy within one-hundred and eighty (180) days after (i) receipt of this letter or (ii) notice that a replacement tire is available (if not available at the time of inspection).  It is expected that replacement tires will be available at the time of the inspection.  However, if the tires are not available at the time of inspection, they will be available within twenty-one (21) days.  After expiration of the one-hundred and eighty (180) day period, tires will be replaced under our normal adjustment policy.

 

The time required to determine if the tire is subject to recall is only a few minutes and approximately thirty (30) minutes per tire if replacement is required.

 

Should any questions or problems arise while your tires are being inspected or replaced, please call the Cooper Tire Consumer Relations Department at 800-854-6288.  We will attempt to be of service to you.  In the event you believe we have failed to or are unable to replace your tire(s) without charge to you, as described above, you may submit a complaint to the Secretary of Transportation at the following address:  Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590, or phone NHTSA’s toll-free Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1800-424-9153; or go to https://www.safercar.gov).

 

If you’ve had your tires replaced before you received this letter, you may be eligible to receive reimbursement for the cost of obtaining a pre-notification remedy of the problem associated with this recall.  For more information, contact the Cooper Tire Consumer Relations Department at 800-854-6288.

 

We regret this inconvenience, but are sure that you understand our interest in your safety and satisfaction with your tires.  Please see your dealer immediately for free replacement of the recalled tires.

 

Sincerely,

 

William N. G. Geaman, Jr.

Manager, Consumer Quality Systems

 

TO BE COMPLETED BY DEALER

 

Tire(s) inspected and replaced ______________________________ (date)

Dealer stamp or name and address

 

Dealer:  Please complete the above, attach letter to the standard Warranty Return Form and return with the recalled tire(s).

 

HERC1810821

 

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1 Affected Product

Tire

BRAND	TIRE LINE/SIZE	PRODUCTION DATES
HERCULES	ROADTOUR 455 SPORT/225/50R17

 

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5 Associated Documents

Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)

RCMN-21T015-5875.pdf 65.834KB

 

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Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-21T015-1418.pdf 645.111KB

 

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Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-21T015-9549.PDF 215.085KB

 

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Part 577 Owner Notification Envelope

RONE-21T015-0792.pdf 44.344KB

 

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ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-21T015-2239.pdf 69.343KB

 

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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=21T015&docType=RCL

 

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