Ford OKs Settlement in 6 Tire-Related Cases

Ford Motor Co. agreed to settle six suits brought on behalf of people hurt or killed when Explorer sport-utility vehicles rolled after tire-tread failures, lawyers for the company and accident victims said. Bruce Kaster, the lawyer for the plaintiffs, and Joel Smith, a lawyer for Ford, wouldn’t say how much Ford will pay to settle the cases. More than 100 similar suits have been brought nationwide against the No. 2 auto maker and Bridgestone/Firestone Inc., which supplied the AT tires faulted in most of the crashes. The tire maker was not involved in the settlement. Ford could not be reached for comment. Of the six cases settled, four had been filed in court and two claims were about to be filed, Smith said. All but one of the cases that were settled involved ATX tires, which Bridgestone/Firestone recalled Aug. 9 in the midst of a federal safety investigation. Ford shares closed at $24, up $1.19 in New York Stock Exchange trading.