The largest tire recall in recent memory

As the only component that directly contacts the ground, any damage to the tire can significantly affect vehicle performance, safety, and even fuel efficiency. Tires must provide proper traction, stability, and durability, even when not driving over rough terrain.

That’s why every tire should meet industry standards before it’s released and sold. Considering the number of tires that different tire companies regularly produce, such as Michelin, Goodyear, and Kumho, it’s nearly impossible to ensure impeccable output every time.

As a result, car owners receive notifications about tire recalls from time to time. If ignored, tires can become a serious safety hazard. Recalls ensure that defective tires are repaired, replaced, or removed from the market before widespread harm is caused.

There have been several major tire recalls involving millions of vehicles in history, sometimes only after accidents and injuries have been reported. From design flaws to tread separation issues, the following recalls show the ongoing challenges of tire manufacturing and the importance of proactive safety measures.

01 Toyo recalls 14,194 Open Country and Extensa tires
Toyo Tire recalled 14,194 Open Country and Extensa tires in October 2023. According to NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), the recall was due to concerns about the safety of the tires because incorrect molds were used during the production process. As a result, they are at risk of tread or tire sidewall separation. The company also issued a voluntary recall notice urging distributors and dealers to immediately stop selling the affected products.

Toyo disclosed in the letter that the defective tires were not manufactured at its US plant, but at its plant in Ingia, Serbia, which opened in 2022. Incorrect molds caused the affected tires to have the wrong size, compound, and cord tension. The production error means that driving with the recalled tires may increase the chance of a vehicle collision.

To address this issue, Toyo is offering car owners free replacement tires after inspection at registered dealers and sending letters to notify customers by December 2023. The free tire replacement remedy program lasts until June 15, 2024. Dealers and distributors are instructed to return the recalled tires in exchange for replacement tires and credits.

02 Pulin Chengshan recalls 541,632 Prinx, Fortune tires
In December 2024, Pulin Chengshan notified NHTSA about the safety recall of 541,632 Prinx, Fortune tires sold as replacement tires.

All affected products are marked as snow tires. However, upon inspection, they do not provide adequate traction when driving in snowy weather conditions. According to NHTSA, snow tires that do not provide adequate traction present a safety hazard because they have a high risk of causing a car accident.

03 Tesla recalls Cybertruck, Model 3 and Model Y 2777216 tires
The recall, announced by Tesla in December 2024, involves 694,304 vehicles or 2,777,216 tires.

The affected vehicles are some Model 3 midsize sedans, Model Y compact SUVs and Cybertruck company's all-electric pickup truck. According to the safety recall report released by NHTSA, the problem stems from a software version that causes the tire pressure monitoring system warning light on the affected vehicles to "not stay illuminated between driving cycles."

As a result, drivers may not know when their tire pressure is low. The agency said driving a vehicle with poorly inflated tires could lead to a crash. Tesla worked on the problem even before the safety recall report was released to the public.

As early as November 12, 2024, it had already pushed out an over-the-air software update to fix the warning light. The remedy is free. Vehicles still in production have also received the same software update.

At the same time, car owners received a notification letter about the problem before February 15, 2025.

04 Is tire recall a bad thing? Of course not!
The tire manufacturing process is complicated, and it is difficult to guarantee no mistakes when the order volume is large (especially in some processes that require manual labor).

These errors are generally detected during the routine review of tire companies and they actively request recalls to avoid accidents.