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This past June I asked readers to offer their take on two questions.
The first question had to do with whether you’d repair a puncture on a
HP or UHP tire: “Assuming the injury was within repairable limits,
would you: A) repair the tire (using all proper, professional methods
and materials), knowing you’d be on the liability hook if anything
happened to the tire in the future, or B) turn the customer away, not
wanting to take the risk and knowing that’d be the last time you saw
that customer?
The second question was a bit more direct: “Do we need
legislation/regulation – national or state-by-state – to educate and
enforce proper and complete tire repairs by tire service outlets –
including tire dealers, company-owned stores, mass merchants and chain
stores, car dealers, or independent repair shops?”
(At the time I wrote that column, RMA-written tire repair legislation
had not yet been considered by the New York State Legislature, TIA had
not countered with its anti-bad repair version, the legislature hadn’t
set the bills off and adjourned, and TIA and the RMA hadn’t started
“working together” on a supposedly better legislative approach.)
The idea with my
June column was to create “some legitimate dialogue” on tire repair “that, perhaps, can help shape our future.”
Besides seeking input from readers, I sent personal invitations to more
than 100 people and companies from all corners of the industry,
specifically asking their opinions.
Below are the responses we received, edited slightly for space. I truly
want to thank those who actually took the time to participate.
Hopefully their viewpoints will indeed help shape our industry’s
future. Wish I had more comments to share, but you know how that goes.
Larry Griffin Jr., of tire dealer Griffin Brothers Companies, wrote:
“We would do the repair and do it correctly. I don’t know of any dealers
in my area that would not do the repair. In my opinion we would lose
customers by not doing the repair, no matter how much you explain the
manufacturer’s policy.
“I think we need national legislation/regulations, not by state. This
would put all of us on an even playing field, and consistency is good.
Too many customers still come in and ask if we can ‘plug their tire.’ We
haven’t plugged tires in 20 years, but many dealers still do. I am for
less government, but in some cases there needs to be consistent rules so
the dealers who are doing it right are not penalized.”
From award-winning Charleston, S.C., dealer David Hay comes:
“I raised this question at a Tire Pros regional council meeting in early
May. I had just received the online version of Bridgestone’s Tire
Maintenance, Safety and Warranty manual. I actually took the time to
print it and read it. Does it make you wonder about the level of
importance manufacturers attach to this manual when they just send an
email with an attachment?
“Anyway, on page 16 it states that a tire’s speed rating is void if the
tire is repaired. This actually follows a brief description on how to
properly repair a tire. Curious…
“It also states that any tire that had ‘Fix-a-Flat’ installed must be
immediately replaced. Not sure when this began, but I don’t ever
remember seeing that before. What does that indicate about vehicles
without spares and how does a driver safely get to a service center?
“My info says more vehicles are coming without spares. How willing will
consumers be to purchase a car that may leave them stranded? No spare,
use an aerosol sealant and void the warranty.
“So, after reading the manual, I thought that my peers at a Tire Pros
meeting should be aware and have a discussion. Not trying to expose a
manufacturer, but I want to make sure that the industry was informed and
consistent in how we take care of our customers and protect ourselves
against any liabilities.
“I worry that tire dealers aren’t aware of these standards and need to
be educated. If some manufacturers’ (Michelin) tires can be repaired up
to three times, why can’t others? Or does that open a whole new area of
quality discussions/differences?
“Where are vehicle manufacturers on this issue? What do car dealer
service departments do? What do Bridgestone and Goodyear company
stores do? What about price clubs (Costco) that include free tire
protection on tires that they sell? Wouldn’t that mean they should
immediately replace any tire that is presented with a puncture?
“Assuming a punctured tire passes all inspection issues, we currently
repair them as we have for years. Speed rating or not. That means that
we have repaired many thousands of tires over the years and they
provided a full life’s use for the customer.
“My point is to raise awareness and provide a safe policy for consumers.
I believe that we do need a regulation/legislation so that all people
will have the same level of safety and reliability when driving on
repaired tires. I believe this issue is important enough to warrant an
open, national discussion that would create standards with which we
could all live.
“The bottom line is this: If a speed-rated tire is punctured, the
manufacturer states that if repaired, the speed rating is void. ‘It is
the top speed of the slowest tire on the vehicle which limits the
vehicle’s top speed without tire failure,’ from page 18 of the
Bridgestone manual, then tire and vehicle manufacturers must agree and
state that any punctured speed-rated tire must be replaced.
“That’s how I read it, but I’ve never heard that and I really want to know what that really means.”
John Garrett, technical director for Rema Tip Top/North America, wrote:
“We at Rema Tip Top/North America have always been very much
involved with the training of tire technicians and the ‘correct’ method
of tire repair according to industry standards. We produced one of
the first nail hole repair wall charts in 1992, and in January 1994 we
launched our first Mobile Training Unit (a second was added in 1998),
taking tire repair training and education to the end user’s door, as
opposed to them sending their technicians off-site to receive training.
“The interest level in tire repair training is normally very low on the
priority list of a tire dealer. I have said for years that tires are the
most neglected components on a vehicle, which brings up a question I
frequently ask in training: When is the last time you inspected or
checked the air pressure in your tires? Most of the time, I get this
dumb look from the group or a technician.
“As you mentioned, we live in a sue-happy society. However, not everyone
cares about the safety and well-being of themselves or their customers.
If they did, the industry would conform to safe and proper tire repair
procedures as suggested by the tire manufacturers and tire repair
manufacturers.
“You asked if I’d repair the speed-rated tire using the correct repair
material and to industry recommendations: Yes, I would. When repairing a
high performance tire, our recommendation is always to contact the tire
manufacturer to get their specific repair recommendations and
limitations of repair. This information is available on the Internet and
also often located in the glove box of the vehicle.
“We don’t need government involvement or regulations telling us what to
do or not do; the government is too big now! Think of the tax money
needed for the task of policing tire dealers.
“We in the tire repair industry have been training technicians for
years, and Rema Tip Top will continue to do so in the future. When we
repair a tire correctly, it is a safe and permanent repair, plus it is
recycling – green. Think of what the used tire population problem would
be without repairs.
“One last point: Will the new tire companies conform to any legislated
tire repair policy? Will they do a better job of informing what
limitations they impose to the repair of their tires, speed-rated or
not, or will we still need to contact them directly for their individual
policies?
“The point here is if they want legislation so bad, what are they
willing to do to adequately inform the public and service facilities as
to what they will allow? That information is broken, too, so the fact
that legislation might exist doesn’t do much if the access to what is
allowed is no better than the training methods that have been in
existence for many years. They change the rules but do a poor job of
informing the aftermarket of their criteria.”
From the private brand perspective comes Pat McLaughlin of Sure Tire Co.:
“First, I would not turn a customer away. Where there was a need to sell
a new tire we would present this option first and in some cases there
would be no flexibility. No tires would be repaired if a sealant was
injected; if it had any indication of being run soft (bluing or chaffing
in the sidewall); or if it was a run-flat tire. So there would be
specific guidelines and there would be no deviations.
“However, should a tire repair make sense from a safety standpoint, we
would have specific employees trained in proper two-stage repair
procedures and only in the flat portion of the tread area.
“Additionally, a specific agreement would be prepared by an attorney
stating: ‘The speed rating of the tire has been compromised and it is
now rated to a maximum of S-speed rating of 112 mph.’ No signature, then
the repair service would not be performed.
“The reason for this action would be to provide a service to consumers
who may not have financial resources to purchase a new tire/tires and
proper repair procedures have proven to be safe and reliable.
“Here is a concern not mentioned in your article: What liability does a
tire dealer have by replacing only one tire on the vehicle where tires
are worn 50% or more or have a differing brand and design? Where does
the liability fall? There is a perfect solution, but very few customers
will purchase a minimum two tires each time they have a flat tire.
“On your second question, I am really torn on this question. I have a
disdain for government involvement in commerce in any degree. However,
there is a safety issue and unfortunately the tire industry can’t seem
to police itself and properly train its employees in proper repair
procedures.
“Here is why: Recently I dropped a HP tire off for repair. When I
returned it had been plugged using the old rope plug; the tire had not
been broken down and inspected and it was then mounted on the vehicle.
The following day, I replaced the tire; as I had it broken down I saw it
did have chaffing on the inner sidewall.
“Should NHTSA provide specific guidelines for tire repair? Perhaps so.
First, the guidelines will protect the dealer and his employees. Setting
specific guidelines provides the ability for the tire dealer to
clearly state when a tire can be repaired and when a new tire or tires
are necessary. The government can’t make a person purchase a new
anything, but that may change with the healthcare bill before the
Supreme Court.
“Training should be required and technicians certified as is done with
mechanics. This should be the responsibility of each state.
“Having stated all this, it is still the responsibility of the store
owner to educate his employees. It is a shame we can’t seem to police
our industry and not have these issues raise their dirty little heads.”
Ft. Myers, Fla., dealer Pam Oakes offered this:
“Yes, we do turn customers away if they request a patch for their
HP/UHP tire. Tires have mechanical limits. There is a specific reason
that the manufacturer does not want automotive centers to patch (and,
God forbid, plug. That’s another topic) a HP/UHP tire.
“My job as a technician is not to second guess the engineer who
designed the tire, but to service the customer properly. And, repairing
a HP/UHP tire is not providing proper service to the customer. Yes, I
am sure that many customers I turned away had shopped around until they
found an unscrupulous facility that would repair a HP/UHP tire. You
will always have that percentage of people who are not looking for the
correct solution, but the solution that suits them the best.
“Legislation would help support our position on not repairing HP/UHP
tires, but you will still have those shops that think that they are
above the law. To help combat that situation, the legislation should
have teeth that allow heavy monetary penalties along with each
infraction. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.”
Jason Hoffman, owner of Utz Tire Service of Arcade, N.Y., wrote:
“Following the recommendations of the RMA and following their
procedures, I would advise the customer first of the repair process and
the possibilities of speed rating reductions. This is noted on the
customer’s invoice. If the tire manufacturer voids all warranties, that
is explained, as well. We then proceed from there.
“Secondly, I wish there was legislation to regulate the tire industry
for such things as correct new tire placements – new tires on rear, snow
tire applications, etc. There are too many gray areas in our industry,
too many fly-by-night backyard shops that just do anything and are not
concerned about their customers’ safety and others on the road.”
Bob Harvey, national service trainer for ATD’s Tire Pros program, offered:
“On the first question, this is truly a concern for the tire industry as
a whole, as well as the motoring public. It’s hard to imagine a tire
dealer turning down a customer to properly repair a tire – provided the
injury was within industry limits. To decline repairing tires would
create issues for the tire dealer’s customer base and create confusion
with them.
“On the second question, the legislation issue is far too complicated to
try and navigate and provide a definitive answer to in this forum. ATD
can only tell you how we are approaching educational seminars and making
a concerted effort to inform our Tire Pros dealers as to industry best
practices.
“At Tire Pros we have taken a proactive approach. Teaming with the
vendor partners of ATD’s tool and supply division and focusing on
current RMA methodology, ATD provided over 200 Tire Pros dealers
training via this hands-on approach last year. We also just held a
webcast on May 30 that all dealers were able to view either live or
recorded.
“Our dealers want to perform repairs properly, by industry standards
and with customer safety in mind. We have been encouraging our dealers
to sign up for the TIA ATS instructors training currently touring the
country, which ATD is helping sponsor. This way our dealers have a
trained instructor in-house ready to train the new technicians with the
current approved training methods.
“If all tire repairs were performed the correct way, then the likelihood
of catastrophic failures would diminish and the need for regulation
would likely diminish, as well.”
From Oroville, Wash., Brian Thompson of Thompson Bees, writes:
“We fix them. There is liability in everything we do. Rather than
questioning if HP tires should be repaired – and by questioning it,
giving ammunition to the bloodsuckers – you should be looking into
airtight legal forms that we could have the customer sign stating that
they understand the risks and the lowered speed rating.
“I kind of get a kick out of people who come into my shop looking for a
certain speed rating. Most of them want a ‘Z’ because that must be the
best tire, right? Then I ask them how fast they drive. Do they ever
exceed 100 mph? They almost all look at me like I’m crazy and tell me
they never have and never would drive that fast.
“We do not need regulation to enforce proper tire repairs. Tires are
going to fail. Repaired tires are also going to fail. Absolutely
perfectly repaired tires are going to fail. Legislation and regulation
will give consumers the unrealistic expectation of no failures, and it
will leave the ball in our court to prove the repair was not the
problem.
“I have enough trouble proving to customers that the shredded tire they
bring in hit something in the road and then ran flat until it turned
into rubber powder. They believe it just ‘exploded’ like that. How could
we ever prove that a shredded tire had a proper repair, no steel cord
showing, glue properly dried, or even that the repair that did fail was
not ours?
“If I were a tire manufacturer, the safest thing to do would be to say
my tires could not be repaired. Nobody asks about repairability before
buying. You should see the look on people’s faces when you tell them
their run-flat tires can’t be repaired. The manufacturers could sell
more tires and have no liability.
“We need something the customer would sign on the work order relieving
us of liability. Obviously, sometimes the lawyers would be able to prove
negligence on our part, but if everybody required the customers to take
that liability, it would tend to put the burden of proof on them. If
only an individual shop requires customers to sign something, it
appears that they don’t know what they are doing or are admitting to
poor repairs. If the RMA came out with as bulletproof a document as
could be written and most of us used it, then it would be seen as the
norm.
“What will be the end of this if we carry it to its logical conclusion?
Many more people will die because instead of taking their tire to be
repaired, they will just ‘watch it’ and keep airing it up. I see this
all the time.
“People just don’t want to take the time or pay the money for a repair
so they just keep adding air. And running the tire low. Making it harder
and more expensive to get tire repairs will exacerbate this problem.”
Tire Rack director of tire information services John Rastetter stated:
“Unfortunately for tire service providers, tire repair has evolved from
a customer service to a legal liability. And in today’s world of
long-lasting radial tires, it’s possible a tire repair may have to
survive 72 million tire revolutions during six years of service (for a
15,000-mile-per-year driver).
“The universal use of speed-rated OE tires for U.S. cars and light truck
vehicles for over the last half-dozen years means this isn’t a question
relevant to just high performance vehicles and tires anymore. It’s a
question relevant for all passenger and light truck vehicle tires.
Yesterday’s speed-rated performance tires on Ferraris and Porsches have
been joined by today’s speed-rated tires on Ford Taurus, Honda Accord
and Toyota Camry family sedans.
“Tire Rack will repair punctured tires following industry guidelines,
but it starts with a conversation with the driver to try to determine
the duration and severity of pressure loss. Since we are close to an
exit on the Indiana Toll Road, we are also a source of service. But with
70 mph-plus Toll Road travel, sometimes you just have to say ‘No’ to
tires exhibiting any signs of having previously been run low or flat.
“People heal, but tires don’t. Tires overstressed by having been run low
or flat will never again have the same strength. And even the best tire
technician doesn’t have Superman’s X-ray vision to determine the
integrity of rubber’s bond to the tire’s internal structure of
reinforcing steel and fabric.
“We don’t think government legislation/regulation should be required,
however we are dismayed when we examine tires that confirm someone is
using repair practices that don’t meet industry guidelines or common
sense practices. We also question how $500 penalties can be any more of a
deterrent than the multi-million dollar judgments lawyers are winning
for plaintiffs who have lost loved ones due to a repair shop
contributing to a tire failure by trying to save time or cost, rather
than saving lives.
“Driving a vehicle on an improperly repaired tire is dangerous to the
driver, passengers and the occupants of other vehicles around it.
Improper repair can further damage the tire and/or allow its strength
to deteriorate over time. An improperly repaired tire driven at high
speeds may suddenly fail, resulting in the loss of control – and the
customers that are in the vehicle.
“Additionally, the tire industry needs a one-stop-source for tire
service providers to access information on tire manufacturer policies
regarding tire repair. In addition to the RMA procedures, things like
the repair of run-flat tires, proximity of repair locations and
retention, reduction or voiding of speed ratings are details that RMA
refers to the manufacturer first, followed by the industry guidelines.
Unfortunately, this information now lives in a wide variety of locations
on tire manufacturer websites and TSBs, or in vehicle manufacturers’
owner manuals.
“Proper puncture repair should remain a customer service, even if a
customers’ cost has to be raised to match the real time and materials
necessary to do the repair correctly. A shop that says it can repair a
tire in 10 minutes for under $10 without removing it from the wheel
isn’t following industry procedures. A correctly done flat repair that
follows the multi-step dismount, inspect, repair procedures will take
approximately 30 minutes and should cost around $25.”
From TIA senior vice president of training Kevin Rohlwing comes:
“Tire repair is a significant component of our training and
certification programs, so we have played an important role in
educating the industry over the past 15 years. We agree with many of
your concerns and would like you to know that TIA is moving forward with
plans to solve at least some of the problems related to the state of
tire repair in the industry.
“In a country where the maximum allowable highway vehicle speed can
never legally approach the limitations of the tire, logic would dictate
that the speed rating should be inconsequential when replacing or
repairing tires. Most consumers in North America cannot understand it
because they will never drive that fast. The industry tries to explain
the role that speed-rated tires play in the handling of a vehicle so it
reflects more of a performance rating, but consumers still see it as
just another way for retailers to sell a tire or a set of more expensive
tires.
“In a perfect world, drivers would understand the need to maintain the
speed rating of the tires on their vehicles at all times. But in the
real world, most of them are concerned about price, so they are more
than willing to drive on tires that are no longer speed rated following a
repair, if it will save them money.
“Unfortunately, retailers are considered experts in a court of law, so
what should be considered circumstantial evidence during an accident
investigation ultimately opens the door to litigation. There are no laws
that say a tire must maintain the speed rating after repair or
replacement. It’s a good idea and a best practice, but not a law. There
are lawyers looking to take advantage of retailers who knowingly or
unknowingly fail to follow the industry guidelines or tire company
policies.
“While we are unaware of any data that illustrates the risks associated
with speed-rated tires following proper puncture repairs, each tire
company has its own policy regarding the repair of speed-rated tires, so
we advise our members to consult the tire manufacturer.
“Many retailers choose to disregard the tire manufacturer guidelines
when it comes to the repair of speed-rated tires because they believe a
proper repair in the crown area does not reduce the performance or
create a safety risk. But they must accept the liability that
accompanies such a stance because the name on the sidewall ultimately
dictates the repair and warranty policies that were either followed or
not followed.
“TIA was opposed to the language in the proposed New York legislation
because it did not focus on the problem. Regulating the majority of
retailers who properly repair tires on a daily basis will have little
impact on the safety of the motoring public. Improperly repaired tires
pose a risk to motorist safety, so TIA submitted amendments to the New
York bill that would put the emphasis on making improper repairs illegal
if the legislature felt that such a regulation was necessary.
“As it turned out, the New York tire repair bill never made it to a vote
so it is basically dead. But TIA recognizes the resolve of the tire
companies to pass tire repair legislation in other states, so we are in
discussions with the RMA to find common ground and work toward solving
the problem.
“TIA’s position of ‘educate not legislate’ has not changed. We will
always prefer to take the approach of educating simply because our
industry is already forced to comply with a wide range of government
regulations.
“But we also realize that while the ‘educate not legislate’ theory has
worked well in the past, the issue of tire repair has a direct impact
on the safety of the motoring public, so it may need to be handled
differently. TIA is at a crossroads when it comes to tire repair
legislation. We can either continue to fight it on a state-by-state
basis, or we can take a different approach that reflects the
amendments we submitted in New York. Whichever path we choose, the
reasoning will be based on what’s best for the safety of the motoring
public and the image of the tire industry.”
Finally, from Dan Zielinski, the RMA’s senior vice president of public affairs:
“Not all tires can be repaired. In addition to the RMA puncture repair
procedures, there may be additional limitations based on individual tire
manufacturer repair policies. These may include the type of service
such as speed rating, load index, run-flat technology and commercial
application.
“For speed-rated tires, the manufacturer must be contacted for its
individual repair policy and whether the speed rating is retained after
the repair.
“The RMA supports legislation to stop automotive service providers from
improperly repairing tires and to instead follow long-established
procedures for proper tire repair.
“Safety is the highest priority for tire manufacturers. Tires are a
critical motor vehicle safety component and have performed superbly for
decades. RMA members are constantly conducting research and development
into new technology to further enhance product performance. Tires
provide optimum performance when properly used and maintained.
Consumers should continue to have great confidence in these highly
engineered products.
“Improper tire repairs pose a safety risk to motorists because they can
weaken the structure of these highly engineered products and increase
the chance of inflation pressure loss. Repairs outside the repairable
area of a tire; repairs performed without removing a tire from the
wheel assembly so that possible damage to the tire interior can be
inspected and judged appropriately; and other repairs that fail to
conform to industry guidelines increase the risk of tire failure.
Improperly repaired tires can fail while in service, such as by
tread-belt separation, which may result in a vehicle crash and cause
serious personal injury or death.
“RMA has provided proper tire repair procedures and offered educational
materials to the industry for decades. Careful deliberation and
consideration have produced a comprehensive guide to tire dealers and
automotive repair outlets for proper tire repairs. Despite years of
education and effort, too many improper tire repairs are still performed
that put motorists at greater risk of tire failure.
“The vast majority of tire retail outlets perform proper repairs and
should be unaffected by any legislation. Lives can be saved by
compelling automotive repair facilities to perform tire repairs to RMA
procedures. Additionally, many tire retailers often face discussions
with customers over why a proper repair must take longer and cost more
than a quick and cheap plug-only repair. This also could be alleviated
by a law that prohibits unsafe repairs.
“While a national regulatory solution for tire repair might be a more
desirable approach as it would affect all 50 states, it would face
significant hurdles. NHTSA has authority over new tires, but once tires
are placed into service, NHTSA’s authority over them is limited to a
recall if those products are found to have safety issues while in
service. Additionally, the regulation of automotive repair businesses is
largely at the state, rather than federal, level.
“RMA believes that state legislation is needed to address this safety
issue by requiring automotive repair facilities to follow basic tire
repair guidelines based upon RMA’s long-established procedures. A
legislative approach, coupled with continued education efforts by the
industry, will help eliminate many improper tire repairs that put
consumers at risk.”
There you have it, the input of 10 respected members of our industry –
including both key national associations. I think a lot of great points
were made and ideas floated. I am only sorry that more opinions weren’t
offered. It’s truly a shame that one of the most critical issues
currently facing this industry – our industry – doesn’t attract more
voices.
This is an issue EVERYONE needs to talk about, and something we
collectively need to take action on. You can chose to become involved
and let your voice be heard now, because no one will listen once
decisions are taken.
The door is not closed; if you want to weigh in – particularly on the
issue of tire repair legislation/regulation – we’d love to hear from
you. You know where to reach us. And send your thoughts to both TIA and
RMA, which will be working the frontlines with lawmakers.
Otherwise, give a good, hard think to your own tire repair policies and
approach, and how you train your employees or tire technicians, or how
you represent the most vital distribution channel serving North
American drivers. Where are you coming up short? How can you improve
customer safety while protecting your business? What more can you do to
reach those who repair tires? What other paths might there be to
eliminating improper and on-the-wheel repairs?
Lots to do, so let’s get started.
