Consumers will have a new resource to help determine whether a tire is subject to a recall, with the launch of a new online search tool from the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) that will cover its member companies’ tire recalls since 2000. RMA members represent approximately 80 percent of all U.S. tire shipments.

The announcement comes during National Tire Safety Week, an RMA initiative to promote tire care and safety.

“Consumer safety is the top priority of RMA member companies,” said Anne Forristall Luke, RMA president and CEO. “Last year, RMA led the effort to pass federal legislation to require the nation’s highway safety agency to create a searchable database of tire recalls. Until that is done, RMA will provide consumers with an online tool to help identify a recalled tire made by one of our members.”

The recall search tool works by entering a tire identification number (TIN) that is found on the sidewall of every tire sold in the U.S. The TIN begins with the letters “DOT.” If a tire is subject to a recall by an RMA member, contact information is provided to enable a consumer to learn about possible remedies.

The tool also addresses a National Transportation Safety Board recommendation to improve consumers’ ability to identify recalled tires. All RMA members will link to the lookup tool on their company websites. Consumers can reach the tire recall search tool by visiting rma.org.

Federal highway legislation passed in December 2015 requires the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to create a similar tool for all tire recalls.

“RMA is assisting NHTSA as it develops a searchable database of all tire recalls,” Luke said, “by making the product of our work to organize the data available to the agency. Consumers, tire manufacturers and regulators all want recalled tires to be quickly identified and removed from service. This tool will help accomplish this important safety goal.”