July 23, 2007

Michelin Tire Recall

Power Pilot 2CT Tires Made in France Recalled

    Michelin has recalled their new Power Pilot 2CT tire. The initial recall is limited to Made in France models. Michelin claims that they have no reports of accidents, and that failure modes are limited to abnormal speed conditions.

    This is a version of the new and highly touted tire with different tread compounds in the center and on the sides. The idea is that the tire is softer where necessary for cornering, and harder for longer mileage in the center.

    Not surprisingly, I have already begun to hear about this failure from motorcyclists who have crashed using the tire. However, it is premature to dispute Michelin's version of the facts, because it is possible for a tire to fail for reasons unrelated to the recall defect. Of course, it is also possible for a crash to occur, thus damaging or dislodging a tire.

    Lastly, faulty installation can be a factor in a tire failure.

    These facts are the basis of the arguments the tire companies use to defend tires, even when they acknowledge a particular model tire to be defective. In other words, the company will argue that, although the tire is defective in certain ways, whatever the defect is, it did not cause the particular crash involved in the particular lawsuit.

    Because of this, defective tire litigation is always tough. It is expensive to find good tire experts, and the tire companies will spend whatever it takes to defend these cases. As a result, unless the injuries are quite significant, it is not economically feasible to go after the tire companies for a single crash. However, when the injuries justify it, juries can be persuaded to hold the tire companies responsible.

Topic Tags: crash, expert tire, lawsuit, litigation, Michelin, motorcycle, Power Pilot 2CT

by Michael Padway

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