Karmactive Staff
In a critical development for winter road safety, Prinx Chengshan Tire North America has initiated a recall of 541,632 winter replacement tires after discovering they fall short of U.S. snow traction requirements. The recall affects Fortune Tormenta and Prinx HiCountry models across more than 100 sizes.
The California-based company’s tires, despite bearing the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol indicating winter-specific design, “do not have sufficient traction to perform in all snow weather conditions,” according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The issue emerged during internal engineering reviews in June, when PCTNA discovered a discrepancy between European and American testing standards. Sample testing conducted through October confirmed the tires failed to meet U.S. requirements, leading to the December 3 recall decision.
“Tires were tested to the european standard ECE R-117 which allows the use of the alpine symbol on the tire sidewall. It was subsequently determined that the ECE R-117 test did not correlate with the ASTM F1805 test required in North America. ASTM testing was conducted on sample sizes which returned a failing test result.” states the NHTSA recall notice. The safety implications are substantial, as insufficient snow traction can increase the risk of crashes in winter conditions.
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Automotive safety experts continue to stress the importance of proper winter tire certification for maintaining vehicle control in harsh weather conditions.
The recall encompasses a substantial number of winter tires in the North American market, joining other major tire safety actions in the industry’s history.
PCTNA is currently developing a remedy and will notify affected owners by mail starting February 1, 2025. Owners seeking information can contact PCTNA customer service at 1-310-205-8355 (extension 109) or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.
For tire identification and latest updates, owners should visit www.nhtsa.gov. The complete list of affected tire sizes is available at www.static.nhtsa.gov.
The recall serves as a reminder of the critical role proper winter tire certification plays in maintaining road safety standards across North America.
