USA: General Motors’ Statement Regarding Firestone Tires Found on Some GM Vehicles

The following is General Motors' (NYSE: GM) statement regarding Firestone tires found on some GM vehicles. It can be attributed to Brook Lindbert, Director, GM Tire and Wheel Systems: Almost ten years ago, General Motors equipped fewer than 10,000 Chevrolet Blazers in the 1991 model year -- a fraction of our total production -- with Firestone ATX tires. Since model year 1991, Firestone tires have not been used as original equipment on Chevrolet Blazers. As the NHTSA itself notes, since many of these tires were manufactured many years ago, it is likely that far fewer are currently on the road. In fact, using even a conservative estimate of 10,000 miles driven per year, it would be highly unusual that any of the original Firestone tires on 1991 model year Blazers would be in use. Nevertheless, the real world performance of these tires has been outstanding. According to the database compiled by the NHTSA, there are only two entries involving 1991 Chevrolet Blazers out of a total of nearly 1,500 complaints.