Scania has commented on potentially defective Goodyear tyres
Currently, an investigation is underway in Europe regarding the possible liability of Goodyear for several fatal accidents that occurred between 2014 and 2016. The investigation suggests that the cause of the accidents may have been a defect in Goodyear's Marathon LHS II and Marathon LHS II+ truck tires, and that the company may have been aware of the existing danger, which is why searches were conducted at the offices of the European division of the tire manufacturer in May 2024.
The case, referred to by French journalists as the "Goodyear case", also involves truck manufacturers MAN and Scania (both part of the Volkswagen group of companies), which in 2014 equipped their vehicles with potentially hazardous tires.
Companies are always very cautious when commenting on such topics, but Scania agreed to reveal some details to Le Journal du Pneumatique. Thus, the company reported that there are three-level procedures for such situations, which are chosen depending on the severity of the problem: sending recommendations, technical campaigns, and product recalls. In the case of Goodyear tires, Scania decided "for safety reasons to stop using them for vehicle equipment, based on the information provided, as well as data received from partners and customers". As of November 11, 2014, four months after the accident in which Jean-Paul Rolle died, whose widow Sophie initiated the investigation, "almost all tires had been withdrawn from sale".
Scania also condemned Goodyear's position. "In such situations, when there is a need to eliminate all doubts about the safety of the products we supply to our customers, Scania should receive answers to all its questions, which has not happened yet," the company said, adding that the currently available information "does not guarantee compliance with Scania's standards for safety and reliability of our vehicles".
Regarding whether the investigation will lead to reputational damage for the companies involved, Scania replied that it is indeed the case, and added that "we always strive to offer customers quality products and ensure their safety".