Pirelli recalls some P Zero Trofeo tires
Pirelli Tire is recalling certain P Zero Trofeo tires in size 225/50RR15 91Y.
The tires were manufactured between April 1 through to April 7, 2015, and may not be marked with a date code. As such, those tires fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 139, “New Pneumatic Radial Tires for Light Vehicles.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says, “a missing date code could render the tire difficult to identify in the event of a safety-related issue, possibly causing them not to be removed from service. This will increase the risk of crash.”
“Pirelli will notify owners, and dealers will replace the tires missing the date code, free of charge.”
The Trofeo is a Department of Transportation compliant state-of-the-art track tire for driving enthusiasts. Because of their design and specialized usage, they have a relatively short useful life.
Error in manufacturing at Turkish plant
Pirelli said the error occurred during manufacturing at its Kartepe plant in Turkey when a code insert fell out of place after the tire mold was placed in service.
The manufacturer first became aware of the problem in March when one of its dealers reported they had received four 225/50ZR15 91Y P Zero Trofeo tires with missing date codes. Pirelli immediately quarantined the entire inventory in their U.S. warehouses and began an inspection to verify the presence of the date code. Shipping and sales records were reviewed, indicating there were potentially 42 tires with missing date codes shipped to U.S. customers and either remaining with dealers or sold on to customers.
The NHTSA said: “We note that, due to the nature of this tire type and application, it is likely that many of the subject tires are no longer in use, due to the intended usage of the tires and their expected short life.”
The recall is expected to begin during May 2016. Here are the full details. Owners should contact Pirelli customer service at 1-800-747-3554.
