Cooper Tire recall tracker — every Cooper recall in the NHTSA database

Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. has 100 NHTSA recall campaigns in our database — the most of any tire manufacturer. Here's what they were, what triggered them, and what current Cooper owners should check.

Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. has 100 NHTSA recall campaigns in our database — more than any other single tire manufacturer. The count reflects Cooper's status as a major mid-tier US tire manufacturer that produces tires under multiple sub-brands (Cooper, Mastercraft, Starfire, Hercules) and as a contract manufacturer for various retailer house brands. This guide is the complete Cooper recall history, organized by year and by what triggered each campaign.

If you own Cooper tires (or any of the Cooper-manufactured sub-brands), the most important step is to check the DOT date code on your tires against the NHTSA recall database — the date code identifies which manufacturing run the tire came from, and most recalls are scoped to specific DOT code ranges.

Why Cooper has the most recalls

Three factors:

Volume. Cooper is a major manufacturer — historically the fourth-largest US tire producer. Higher production volume generates higher recall counts, all else equal.
Sub-brand exposure. Cooper makes tires for Mastercraft, Starfire, Hercules, Roadmaster, and various retailer house brands. Recalls on any of these sub-brands count under Cooper's manufacturer name.
Commercial and trailer tire focus. Cooper has a strong commercial-tire business, and commercial tires have higher operational stress (heavy loads, long highway hours) than passenger tires. Quality-control issues that wouldn't surface on a passenger tire show up on commercial loads.

The recall count is not, in itself, a quality red flag. Cooper's complaint count per tire sold is in the same band as peer manufacturers — see the complaint-by-brand guide for the broader comparison.

Cooper recall timeline (decade view)

Recall counts by approximate year (from our database of 100 campaigns):

2021: 2 campaigns
2019: 3 campaigns
2017: 1 campaign
2016: 1 campaign
2015: 1 campaign
2012: 2 campaigns
2010: 1 campaign
2008: 2 campaigns
2007: 1 campaign
2006: 3 campaigns
2005: 1 campaign
2004: 5 campaigns
Earlier years: long historical tail accounting for the remaining ~75 campaigns

Recent years (2020-2025) have been comparatively quiet — most campaigns concentrated in specific DOT code ranges with limited consumer exposure.

Notable Cooper recalls (recent)

2021 — Evolution H/T and Hercules Roadtour 455 Sport

NHTSA campaign 21T014000 (announced 2021-08-27): certain Cooper Evolution H/T 245/70R16 tires were stamped with an incorrect manufacture date code. The TIN states "1723" but the correct code is "2317". The mis-marked tires fail to comply with FMVSS 139 and FMVSS 574. Remedy: free replacement.

NHTSA campaign 21T015000 (announced 2021-08-27): certain Hercules Roadtour 455 Sport 225/50R17 tires with DOT code 0721 may experience belt separation due to a manufacturing issue. Remedy: free replacement.

2019 — Multi-brand 225/50R17 campaign

NHTSA campaign 19T024000 (announced 2019-12-18): a broad recall covering Cooper Evolution Tour, Mastercraft SRT Touring, Hercules Roadtour 455 Sport, Starfire Solarus AS, and Mastercraft Stratus AS tires — all in size 225/50R17, with DOT date code 3019. The recall reflects a sub-brand-spanning manufacturing batch issue affecting an improper sidewall component. Remedy: free replacement.

2019 — Roadmaster RM852 EM commercial

NHTSA campaign 19T006000 (announced 2019-08-23): certain Roadmaster RM852 EM commercial truck tires, size 295/75R22.5, with DOT date codes 4618-4818. Innerliner gauge may be too thin, allowing sidewall failure. Remedy: free replacement.

How to check if your Cooper tires are under recall

Locate the DOT date code on the tire's sidewall — usually on the inboard side, in an oval, starting with "DOT". The full DOT code is needed, not just the date.
Visit nhtsa.gov/recalls and search by the DOT code or by the tire's model name.
If a match is found, the recall page will show the specific DOT date code ranges affected and the remedy contact information.
Bring the tires to any authorized Cooper dealer or contact Cooper directly at the number listed on the recall page.

The sidewall code guide walks through identifying the DOT code on the tire's sidewall.

What Cooper's recall history means for buyers

Despite the high count, Cooper's current-product complaint rate is competitive with peer manufacturers — per-tire-sold complaint ratios are in the same band as Bridgestone, Goodyear, and Continental (see the complaint-by-brand guide). The historical count reflects long manufacturing history, multiple sub-brand exposure, and a heavy commercial-tire portfolio rather than a current quality concern.

That said, due to the volume of recalls and the multi-brand structure, Cooper tire buyers should be more diligent about DOT-code recall checks at purchase. Buying a recently-manufactured Cooper-branded tire from an authorized dealer with current inventory is low-risk; buying older Cooper-manufactured tires (Mastercraft, Hercules, Starfire) from clearance or salvage sources is higher-risk.

For new purchases, check the TireIndex — we flag any open recall or DOT code concern on the per-model page before purchase.

How to look up your tire's DOT code

Frequently asked questions

Are Cooper tires unsafe because of the high recall count?

No. The high count reflects Cooper's size and multi-brand portfolio, not a per-tire safety issue. Current Cooper products have complaint rates in line with peer manufacturers.

What sub-brands does Cooper manufacture?

Cooper, Mastercraft, Starfire, Hercules, Roadmaster, and various retailer house brands. Recalls on any of these count under Cooper's manufacturer name.

How do I know if Cooper made my Hercules or Mastercraft tire?

Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. manufactures all Hercules and Mastercraft tires. If your tire's DOT code starts with the Cooper plant codes (UP, U6, UT, etc.), it was manufactured by Cooper.

Can I get a refund on a recalled Cooper tire?

Yes — recalls require manufacturers to provide a remedy at no cost. For tires that's typically a free replacement. Refunds (rather than replacements) are rare but possible if the manufacturer can't supply a comparable tire.

What about Cooper's commercial tire recalls?

Commercial tire recalls follow the same NHTSA process. If you operate commercial vehicles on Cooper or Roadmaster tires, your fleet should have a recall-check process at every tire replacement and inspection.

Sources

By Mark Bishop · Updated 2026-05-20.