U.S. Reviewing Bridgestone’s Steeltex Tires

Steeltex tires from Bridgestone Corp. are being reviewed by U.S. auto safety regulators after a Pasadena lawyer claimed they were linked to accidents that killed 57 people.

The review covers R4S, R4SII and A/T tires produced from 1999 to 2005, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Tuesday. The agency said the review was prompted by a petition from attorney Joseph Lisoni, who blamed 57 deaths and 161 injuries on tire-tread separations.

Tokyo-based Bridgestone in 2004 replaced 487,000 Steeltex tires used on 2000-02 and some 2003 Ford Motor Co. Excursion sport utility vehicles after a separate review.

The highway safety agency, in a posting on its website, did not specify the number of tires involved in the inquiry.

The Steeltex tires have been standard equipment on Ford’s Explorer SUV and E-Series and F-Series trucks and on General Motors Corp. trucks such as the Chevy Suburban SUV and Silverado pickups.