Goodyear Expects Temporary Impact from Hurricane Rita

AKRON, Ohio, Oct. 3, 2005 -- The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company today said it has implemented temporary reductions in production at its North American tire facilities due to disruptions in the supply of certain raw materials resulting from the impact of Hurricane Rita in Texas and Louisiana.

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According to Christopher W. Clark, senior vice president, global sourcing, Goodyear has already begun discussions with its customers to assess their priority product needs, and indicated that no deliveries to customers have been impacted to date. "We are sensitive to our customer needs and are working diligently to meet their requirements," Clark said.

Currently, all of Goodyear's North American tire and engineered products plants are operating, although tire production has been reduced by approximately 30 percent in response to supplier shortages. Goodyear expects to increase production as the raw material disruption eases in the coming weeks. "At our present production and inventory levels we currently anticipate that we have the ability to meet our obligations," Clark said. However, because of the uncertainty around supplier shortages and transportation system difficulties associated with the hurricane, Goodyear has declared force majeure under certain of its contracts.

In addition, Goodyear's chemical facilities in Texas suspended operations in anticipation of the hurricane. Production resumed in Bayport and Houston after the hurricane, and the company's Beaumont operations resumed partial production last Friday. Full capabilities are expected at Beaumont when utilities are restored. The temporary disruption at Beaumont is not expected to significantly impact Goodyear's tire or engineered products production.

Goodyear said it is still assessing the impact of these events on the company's financial results. It anticipates that most of the impact will be related to higher production and raw material costs as well as higher transportation expenses, the effects of which will be felt in the third and fourth quarters.

Goodyear is the world's largest tire company. The company manufactures tires, engineered rubber products and chemicals in more than 90 facilities in 28 countries around the world. Goodyear employs more than 75,000 people worldwide.

Certain information contained in this press release, including statements regarding the impact of Hurricane Rita on our North American Tire business and results of operations, constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties and there can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including the ultimate level and duration of any disruption in the supply of our raw materials caused by Hurricane Rita as well as our ability to address production and procurement challenges that may be caused by such disruptions. Additional factors are discussed in the company's Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2004 and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2005, which are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, any forward- looking statements represent our estimates only as of today and should not be relied upon as representing our estimates as of any subsequent date. While we may elect to update forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we specifically disclaim any obligation to do so, even if our estimates change.

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