Michelin XZA Truck Tires under NHTSA Investigation

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is now investigating a Michelin truck tire line after having received six complaints. In all cases, Michelin XZA heavy duty truck tires failed and subsequently caused a crash.

The NHTSA also received a police report about one of the crashes. No injuries or deaths have yet been reported.

Michelin Tires under Investigation

The tires being inspected under this preliminary investigation are Michelin’s 2014 XZA 295/60/R22.5 tires. There are approximately 10,000 of these tires in production.

All of the accidents involving these tires that have been reported thus far involve trucks or tractor-trailers that are configured as auto haulers. A single fleet submitted five of the six complaints. Each of the reports states that there was a loss of vehicle control which resulted in an accident. In one police accident report submitted, the officer suspected that a defect in the tire caused the crash.

Are the Michelin tires under recall?

The Michelin tires are not yet under recall. The tires are only under preliminary investigation as the NHTSA performs necessary review. 

• Gathering information
• Assessing reports
• Determining the scope of any safety defects

The company is reportedly cooperating. In an interview, a Michelin representative told TruckingInfo.com staff that the company “is aware of a preliminary evaluation by NHTSA regarding several complaints about a tire identified as a 2014 Michelin XZA 295/60/R22.5 tire used on auto-haulers. Michelin is cooperating fully with the agency.”

To stay up-to-date on the latest recalls, visit the NHTSA Safercar.gov website and search for the specific tire brand and model.  Also, you can call the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 855-529-0269 for information about recent recalls or updates on the investigation.

If you are a commercial carrier and want to purchase any available documentation the NHTSA has regarding the tires under investigation, you can order them from the Safercar.gov website. If you have experienced problems with defective Michelin XZA tires (or any other tire), you can file a complaint on the Safercar.gov site.

What Truckers Can Do If the Tires are Recalled 

If the NHTSA finds sufficient evidence that the tires are defective, the agency could mandate Michelin to recall the tires. Michelin also has the option of issuing a voluntary recall if its internal investigations reveal the tire is, in fact, defective.

If the company does issue a recall, tire owners will be notified by the company via mail. Recall notification letters will usually contain the following information.

• Which tires are being recalled
• The reason for the recall
• The remedy the company is offering.

Generally speaking, if they find a defect, they will have to repair or replace the tire, free of charge.

Faulty Tire Accident Attorneys in Florida

If you, your employee, or your loved one was injured as a result of a faulty-tire related accident in Florida, contact our defective tire lawyers at Chalik & Chalik Law Offices. Contact us today at 855-529-0269 to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.