More than 500,000 tires have been affected—here's why.
Thousands of Michelin Tires Have Been Recalled
Depending on where you live, winter can bring heaps of snow to remove, illnesses galore and, of course, icy roads. In fact, many will go out of their way to buy snow tires in anticipation of slippery roads when driving in winter. Even with the best practices for winter driving, navigating icy roads isn’t so easy, especially if your tires don’t have enough traction. And for those who have purchased a certain type of Michelin tire, a nationwide recall means they’ll need to get their tires checked.
What Michelin Products Were Recalled?
Nearly 550,000 light truck Michelin tires have been recalled. More specifically, Agilis CrossClimate C-Metric tires with DOT numbers 0117 through 1423 have been affected. The affected tires feature the Alpine Symbol, marking them as snow tires—however, these do not fit the classification for the symbol. The company clarifies that “the Alpine Symbol is depicted by a snowflake inside a three peaked mountain outline.”
The tires are typically found on Ford Transit, RAM ProMaster, Volkswagen Crafter, Nissan NV200, Chevrolet City Express and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vehicles.
Why Were Michelin Tires Recalled?
According to Michelin, the tires don’t meet U.S. safety standards. The reason why is due to initial tire testing done with the wrong tire pressure. Only after further testing was the issue revealed.
In their voluntary recall, Michelin states that the recalled products “do not meet the traction requirements for snow tires” and, thus, “fail to comply” with federal regulations.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also explains that “the tires are labeled as snow tires, but do not have sufficient traction to perform in all snow weather conditions.”
How Do I Know if I Have Recalled Tires?
If you have Michelin snow tires with the Alpine Symbol on one of the car models listed above with DOT numbers 0117 through 1423, your tires might be affected by the recall. If you can confirm that you have Agilis CrossClimate C-Metric tires with those DOT numbers, they’re likely included in the recall.
According to Michelin, owners of these tires will receive a notification letter, so keep an eye out. The letters will be sent starting June 12 and will contain more information on solutions.
What Should I Do if I Have a Recalled Tire?
If you know that you have any affected tires, consumers can receive a free tire replacement. However, consumers will need to wait for a letter notifying them that the replacement tires are ready.
For any additional questions and concerns, consumers can call Michelin Consumer Care at 1-888-971-3801.
