Bridgestone Corp., the world's second-biggest tire maker, agreed to pay Ford Motor Co. $240-million (U.S.) to end a five-year dispute over which company was responsible for tire failures in Ford sport utility vehicles.
The settlement covers costs of a 2000 voluntary tire recall by Bridgestone's North American unit and Ford's 2001 replacement of Firestone-brand tires made by Bridgestone, the tire maker said yesterday. The fight began after 271 people died in highway accidents involving the separation of treads on Firestone-brand tires equipped on Ford vehicles.
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