Tires are critical to the safety of your vehicle. Defective tires have caused injuries and deaths from the accidents that they cause. The government requires consumers to register tires; registered tire owners are privy to product recall notices. Unfortunately, many consumers don't register their tires and might miss out on important recall information. There are other ways to find out tire recall information; several government organizations post tire recall information on the Internet.
Check for recalled tires on Recall.gov. This government-run website lists all recalled product information, including tires, from all manufacturers. To check tire recall, select the "Motor Vehicles" tab, then choose "Tire Recalls." Select "Tire," and find the brand name for the tire in the list. Select the tire line when prompted. Then hit "Retrieve Recalls." All recalls, recall date and tire size for that brand's tire line are displayed.
Register your tires with the manufacturer. Registered owners will receive recalled information for registered tires through email. To register your tires, complete the dealer registry card that came with the tires when you purchased them, or register the tires on the manufacturer's website. For registration, you will be required to enter the DOT code. This code is found in the inner or outer sidewall of the tire or on the registration card.
Check for recalls on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's SaferCar website. You can search for tire recall information by brand, and search for any tire complaints made by consumers. Also any currently open and closed defective tire investigations are listed in the organization's monthly investigation reports, which are accessible online.
