Some tires from China may be counterfeit - Consumer Reports

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Tires from China can cost far less than better-known brands, but Consumer Reports included three in recent tests and found that the tires did not score well and some may even be counterfeit.

Tires are expensive. Most SUV or truck tires recommended by Consumer Reports cost more than $150 each.

So, the $95 Pegasus Advanta SUV tires from China sound like a bargain. But when Consumer Reports put a set of these tires through its standard tests, they came in at the bottom of the ratings.

"These tires did not grip well in snow. They were short in terms of tread life when compared to the other models. And they made for a rough and noisy ride," said Jennifer Stockburger with Consumer Reports.

Even worse, the tires could be fakes. API, the U.S.-based company that owns the Pegasus brand says it stopped using the Chinese factory that made the tires three years ago.

"Many of our molds went missing...we have no idea who may have made these tires nor what they put in them," said API's chief operating officer in a letter.

Consumer Reports bought the tires from the website Tires-Easy.com. Its president said the tires came from an importer.

"We contacted the importer and several government agencies and unfortunately no one is really owning responsibility. That leaves the consumer little recourse should something go wrong," Stockburger said.

Consumer Reports tested two other inexpensive SUV tires from China - the $85 Sunny SN-3606 and the $114 Geostar GS716.

They didn't perform well in the snow and ice tests, and they scored much lower overall than the top-rated Michelin Latitude Tour that costs $168.

"Your tires are a key safety component of your car, which is why we always recommend that people go with the best performing tire they can afford," Stockburger said.

The least expensive all-season SUV-truck tire Consumer Reports recommends is the $135 Continental CrossContact LX20 with EcoPlus Technology.

Consumer Reports also recommends the Michelin LTX M/S2 for $190; Goodyear Assurance CS TripleTred All-Season for $160; Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season Plus for $160; and Cooper Discoverer SRX for $157.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has not received any complaints about the Pegasus Advanta SUV tires.