Autos

Are Your Tires Putting You In Danger?

(KDKA) As many as 30 million tires on the road are at risk of blowing out, which can cause a serious, even fatal accident.

The problem is potentially faulty tire valves.

The valves have been recalled, but if you've purchased a car or replaced your tires since 2006, you may still have them.

In fact, Consumer Reports Don Mays checked the tires in the staff parking lot at the magazine, and found more than one had the faulty valves.

He pointed out one: "This crack leaked air slowly, resulting in a flat tire. But at highway speeds, you could have sudden air loss, and that can be a serious problem."

Mays admits, it can be difficult to know if you have one of the faulty valves.

You can check your tire once a month which would help detect a slow leak.

You can also check the valves for cracks by flexing the valve out towards the tire and rotating it, looking for any cracks along the stem.

"If you do find a crack, go to your mechanic and make sure all four tire-valve stems are replaced, not just the defective one," recommends Mays.

To be certain that your valves haven't been recalled, have a mechanic take the tire off and inspect the valve from the inside.

That's the only way to check the model number to see if your valve is part of the recall.

Those model numbers are TR-413, TR-413CH, TR-414, TR-415, TR-418, and TR-423.

Click here for more information from Consumer Reports.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

---