Ford to recall up to 13 million tires

WASHINGTON – Ford Motor Co. plans to replace 10 million to 13 million Firestone tires, far surpassing the already huge recall ordered last summer by Bridgestone/Firestone Inc., auto industry sources told The Associated Press on Monday.

Ford CEO Jacques Nasser will fly to Washington on Tuesday morning to brief lawmakers on the plan, then make an announcement later in the day at Ford headquarters in Dearborn, Mich., the sources said.

Ford officials issued a statement from Nasser saying he would make an announcement Tuesday about “actions to address” issues involving Firestone Wilderness AT tires.

Earlier Monday, Bridgestone/Firestone said it no longer would sell tires to Ford, ending a 95-year relationship that began with the Model T but unraveled with last summer’s recall of 6.5 million Firestone tires amid reports that the tires would suddenly fail.

The tires, standard equipment on the Ford Explorer, the world’s best-selling sport utility vehicle, have been linked to at least 174 U.S. traffic deaths.

The companies have blamed each other for the recall and the public relations problems related to it.

“Business relationships, like personal ones, are built upon trust and mutual respect,” Bridgestone/Firestone chief executive and President John Lampe wrote in a letter to Nasser. “We have come to the conclusion that we can no longer supply tires to Ford since the basic foundation of our relationship has been seriously eroded.”

Lampe wrote the letter after meeting with Ford researchers at the tire maker’s Nashville, Tenn., headquarters. He said they could not agree on analyses of the problem leading to the recall.

The decision ends a relationship that began in 1906 when Henry Ford was standardizing his Model T and ordered 8,000 tires from friend Harvey Firestone. Ford and Firestone later became family when their grandchildren – William Clay Ford and Martha Parke Firestone – married in 1947. Current Ford Chairman William Clay Ford Jr. is a descendant of both men.

“We are deeply disappointed … that Firestone decided not to work together for the safety of our shared customers, which is the only issue that matters,” Nasser said in a statement that faulted Firestone tires for the safety problems. Lampe would not discuss the value of Ford’s business with Bridgestone/Firestone, but said it represented 5 percent of the tire maker’s total revenue. Last year, Bridgestone/Firestone had $18.6 billion in sales. Last August, Bridgestone/Firestone recalled 6.5 million ATX, ATX II and Wilderness AT tires. Federal investigators have collected more than 6,000 accident reports linked to blowouts, tread separations and other problems with the tires.

Most of the recalled tires were sold as original equipment on the Ford Explorer. Most deaths occurred when a tire failed and the Explorer rolled over.

Both companies analyzed the tire failure and concluded it was a problem with the design and a unique manufacturing process at Bridgestone/Firestone’s plant in Decatur, Ill.

However, Bridgestone/Firestone officials said the Explorer’s design and Ford’s decision to recommend an inflation level lower than what the tire maker suggested also played a role. Both companies, which face hundreds of lawsuits over the accidents, said they thought the recall was adequate to cover all defective tires. But last week Ford officials told federal investigators they are concerned Wilderness ATs not included in the recall might pose safety problems.

Lampe sent Nasser a letter Friday saying he was outraged to learn of the meeting through the media.

“This is not a decision we make lightly after almost 100 years of history,” Lampe wrote. “But, we must look to the future and the best interests of our company, our employees and our other customers.”

He said Ford has not cooperated with Bridgestone/Firestone since the recall, despite a public pledge to share information and work together.

“Ford simply is not willing to do that,” Lampe said. “We believe they are attempting to divert scrutiny of their vehicle by casting doubt on the quality of Firestone tires.” He said customers file 10 times more claims against the Explorer than the Ford Ranger, which were equipped with the same Firestone tires. Lampe said Bridgestone/Firestone believes that shows the problem is with the Explorer, not the tires.

Ford has said its costs relating to the tire recall totaled about $500 million. Lampe has said Bridgestone/Firestone spent at least $450 million on the recall and recently began a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign to assure the public its tires are safe.