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China says alleged faulty tires up to U.S. standards, blames misuse for fatal accident (2) |
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15:18, July 18, 2007 |
According to a supplementary and amended safety defect information report submitted by FTS to the NHTSA on July 2, FTS could not determine if the absence of belt edge strips caused or contributed to the accident after examining the van and tires involved in the accident.
FTS noted that the van was equipped with three Westlake tires sized 245/75R 16 and one Michelin tire sized 225/75R 16. A review of the tyre guide indicated that the Michelin tyre was the correct size for that vehicle while the Westlakes, which were produced by the Hangzhou-based company, were not.
The 10-page report also mentioned that the Chinese tires involved in the accident far exceeded the U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).
A technician with the Chinese company said the van owner used two models of tires which differed in diameter by as much as 30 millimeters on one side of the van.
Ma Liangqing, director of China''s tyre quality inspection center, said using different sizes of tires on one vehicle may cause fatal accidents. He said the tires manufactured by different companies differ in specifications and it is not justified to claim a tyre is defective simply by the absence of a gum strip or the thickness of the gum strip.
"We have strict control over the quality of our tires and keep detailed records of our exports," said Shen.
[1] [2] [3]
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