Babson Case Number: BAB113 | Length: 12 Pages

Abstract

Few recent events have shaken public confidence in product safety as much as the recall of 6.5 million Firestone tires in August 2000. The defective tires made by Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. were supplied primarily as original equipment on Ford Motor Company sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and sold as replacement items for SUVs and light trucks. For some consumers, the combination of Firestone tires and Ford vehicles proved lethal. Accidents involving tread separation and rollovers were blamed for 148 deaths and over 500 injuries.

This case, intended for use in undergraduate, graduate, and executive courses in ethics, law, or public relations, chronicles the actions and reactions of the Ford and Firestone, various legislative and regulatory bodies, and the public as the truth emerged.