The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Settles With New Mexico Plaintiff In Entran Case

SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO, January 15, 2003…..Santa Fe resident Heather Ross has reached a settlement with the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company of her claim relating to Entran II hose in her home's heating system. Entran II, an orange rubber hose used in radiant heating and snow melting systems, was manufactured by Goodyear from 1998 to 1993. Over 25 million feet of the hose were installed in heating and snowmelt systems in North America, and over 3.6 million feet were installed in New Mexico.

Ms. Ross was originally among a group of plaintiffs who filed a class action suit against Goodyear in 2000, claiming that the hose is defective. The court, however, certified a class which includes only those who owned Entran II properties as of March 1, 2001, and because Ms. Ross had sold her home between the filing of the suit and March 1, 2001, she was excluded from the class. As a result of this decision, she proceeded individually with her claims against Goodyear. In December 2002, the parties reached a settlement. The terms of the settlement are confidential.

The class action was stayed to allow an appeal of the order which certified the class. Resolution of that appeal will allow the claims to proceed, either as a class action or as separate claims on behalf of individual homeowners whose properties contain Entran II hose. If the class certification order is affirmed on appeal, class counsel will be sending out a class notice which will address all relevant issues regarding the class. Homeowners with Entran II hose should defer to that notice on all issues regarding the class and any rights they may have with respect to the class.