Venezuela vs' Firestone

1
Venezuela vs. Firestone

• Laura Cabanilla
• And
• Dianna Bejarano

2
The Product

• Firestone/Bridgestone Wilderness Tires
• Mounted on Ford Explorers, Ford F-Series
• 15 ATX and ATX II manufactured in North America
  and Wilderness AT 15
• Tires not included in the recall all ATX, ATX II
  manufactured in North America (15, 16, 16.5)
  and all Wilderness AT tires manufactured at all
  of the 7 North American plants
• However, these tires are still subject to recall.

3
The Cover-up

• Firestone/Bridgestone Ford officials
  acknowledged they did not alert consumers or
  government regulators in Venezuela or the US but
  said at the time when accidents were first
  noticed, executives didnt have enough conclusive
  data to make an official statement.

4
Continued.

• Evidence shows that Venezuela and Saudi Arabia
  Ford asked Firestone whether similar problems
  with tires in the US was happening?
• Answer was no but recommended a tire modification.

• Both Ford and Bridgestone/Firestone knew about
  the defective tires for two years before taking
  action.
• Bridgestone/Firestone refused as of 9/9/00 to
  recall tires in Venezuela that had been recalled
  in the US, insisting there were no defects.

5
Possible Causes

• Bridgestone/Firestone design of the defective
  tires.
• Ford suspension system inadequate to support tire
  design.
• Combination of the Ford suspension system and
  defective Firestone design

• Poor quality standards in Venezuelan
  manufacturing plants.
• Or a combination of all three quality, design,
  and suspension.
• Tires for SUVs only had 2 layers of polyester
  coating on the inside instead of the required 3.

6
Assassin tires

• Reports from Venezuela indicate that Firestone
  tires had been involved in as many as 400
  accidents resulting in over 100 deaths. (10/5/00)

7
Pending Cases

• Law firm of Podhurst Orseck Josefsberg Eaton
  Meadow Olin Perwin
• Jesus Gererdo Subero Pulgar
• Venezula seeking possible criminal charges
  against Firestone.

8
Podhurst Orseck Josefsberg Eaton Meadow Olin
Perwin

• Has filed 32 lawsuits in federal court in Miami
  charging that the companies are to blame for 10
  deaths and numerous injuries in 26 cases in
  Venezuela.
• This filing makes South Florida one of the places
  with the largest number of pending Ford-Firestone
  cases in the country.

9
Jesus Gererdo Subero Pulgar

• A Venezuelan Air Force Major and fighter pilot
  sustained serious and permanent injuries
  including the loss of his right index finger
  preventing him from resuming his previous
  employment.
• Major Pulgar is seeking recovery for personal
  injuries and death on behalf of all Venezuelans.

10
Venezuela

• Venezuela officials as of November 27, 2000 are
  seeking possible criminal charges against
  Ford/Firestone, including criminal negligence,
  following a recommendation from Samuel Ruh,
  president of the consumer protection agency.

11
In the end

• Do not buy Bridgestone/ Firestone Tires!