Firestone Rejects Broader Tire Recall

Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. said a wider recall of Firestone tires isn’t needed, after the New York Times reported that Ford Motor Co. may demand that the tire maker take more of its products off the road. The Bridgestone Corp. unit said it’s “extremely concerned by Ford’s decision to raise allegations about our tires.” Ford may seek a recall of more types of Firestone tires as a result of the auto maker’s review of data on many tire brands on several kinds of vehicle, the paper said, citing three people close to the review. The auto maker continues “to work very closely with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on its investigation of Firestone tires,” Ford spokesman Ken Zino said. U.S. regulators are investigating Firestone tires in connection with at least 174 highway deaths, primarily involving Ford Explorer sport-utility vehicles.