Ford Motor Company is to be investigated as part of the Firestone tyre recall, says the UK` s Financial Times (25/8/00).
A team of investigators will be sent by the US House Commerce Committee on Friday (25/8/00) to establish whether there is a link between the tyres and at least 62 deaths. A number of the controversial tyres were fitted to Ford`s Explorer sports-utility-vehicle (SUV).
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According to the FT, Virginia Congressman and Committee Chairman Tom Bliley said in a letter to Ford Chief Executive Jacques Nasser, that he would be sending four staff attorneys, two Republicans and two Democrats, to meet Ford executives and to inspect relevant documents related to the tyre recall.
Criticism has been levelled at both Ford and Bridgestone/Firestone, the US subsidiary of Japan`s Bridgestone Group, by consumer groups for their slow response to the tyre defects.
The behaviour of the companies has also been called into question by Senator John McCain, Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, alongside the actions of federal regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Senator McCain sent a letter to US Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater last week, reports the UK newspaper, calling the recall inadequate. The Senator criticised the NHTSA`s reaction time to the tyre accidents, saying that legal actions involving the tyres began as far back as 1992.
