NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. will offer more warranties and money-back guarantees to try to regain consumer confidence lost in the furor over fatal accidents linked to Firestone tires.
Currently, 53 lines of tires are covered by the company's limited warranty program and 30-day money-back guarantee.
That number will be increased to 97, covering almost all Bridgestone and Firestone passenger and light truck tires sold in stores, the company said Thursday.
The Nashville-based company recalled 6.5 million ATX, ATXII and Wilderness AT tires in August because of problems with tread separation cited in numerous accidents, mostly on Ford Explorers. According to federal investigators, at least 119 people have died in accidents and some 500 have been injured.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a consumer advisory on an additional 1.4 million tires, and the company has agreed to replace them for free at a customer's request.
Under the warranty program, the company will replace tires that become unusable ''for any reason attributed to workmanship or factory defect'' for the first three years of ownership, the first four years after manufacture or until the tire tread depth is worn to 1/16 of an inch - whichever comes first.
Under the money-back guarantee, unsatisfied customers can return the tires for up to 30 days and get a refund.
''Customers want to know their tire investment is protected,'' and John Gamauf, vice president of consumer dealer tire sales.
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On the Net:
http://www.bridgestone-firestone.com
http://www.nhtsa.org
