Judge Denies Injunction to Expand Tire Recall

A federal judge in Indianapolis has refused to issue an emergency injunction against Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. that would have expanded the company’s tire recall by millions.

U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker, who is presiding over the consolidation of 200 cases filed by motorists against the tire maker and Ford Motor Co., also ruled against a recall of certain Ford Explorers equipped with Bridgestone/Firestone tires.

At least 203 deaths and more than 700 injuries have been linked to Firestone tire failures in the United States. Many involved rollovers of the popular Ford Explorer, which used the tires as standard equipment.

The tire manufacturer already has recalled 6.5 million Firestone ATX and Wilderness AT tires, but the injunction proposed by the plaintiffs could have expanded that recall by as many as 3 million tires. In May, Ford recalled an additional 13 million tires, saying it was concerned about the tires’ safety.

Bridgestone/Firestone has said it believes the tires are safe and Ford’s action was unnecessary.