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Cooper CEO Dispels Probe Report

25 September 2000

Cooper CEO Dispels Probe Report

    FINDLAY, Ohio--Sept. 24, 2000--COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY issued the following statement today by Thomas A. Dattilo, Cooper's Chairman, President and CEO:

    "I spoke on the telephone late Friday afternoon (9/22/00) with Dr. Sue Bailey, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and she confirmed that at this time, the information that NHTSA has received, and is continuing to analyze, does not warrant the opening of an investigation into Cooper Tire."
    Continuing, Dattilo said, "In addition, in a Dow Jones interview on 9/22/00, NHTSA officials said that in light of the Bridgestone/Firestone tire recall, the complaint loads have risen for all tire makers. 'We have gotten information on everyone and that includes Cooper,' said Dr. Bailey. 'But at this time, there's been no decision to open an investigation.' "
    Further, in Dattilo's conversation with Dr. Bailey, she confirmed that NHTSA has received very few complaints about Cooper over the past 10 years. Dattilo assured NHTSA that Cooper would cooperate in every way it can to help clear up this matter. "We will immediately begin providing our data to NHTSA to dispel any rumor about Cooper's quality."
    "Cooper Tire has been making strong, durable tires since 1914, and we have earned an excellent reputation with consumers. We are proud of our people, our manufacturing facilities and our long history of customer satisfaction with our products," Dattilo concluded.