The tires are used on vans designed to carry as many as 15 passengers and often are used to ferry church groups and school athletic teams. The Akron, Ohio, tire maker also will replace the same type of tires on ambulances. Tread separations are what led to the massive Firestone tire recall in August 2000.

         The move helps Goodyear put a painful -- and potentially more costly -- controversy behind it. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it would close an investigation it opened in November 2000 into the more than 21 million Goodyear Load Range E tires, a tire model with the highest weight-carrying capacity of any light-truck tire.

         Goodyear has been hit with 31 lawsuits arising from accidents that occurred when the treads came off Load Range E tires, including 12 involving 15-passenger vans and five involving ambulances. The replacement program doesn't affect those cases. The agency's closing of the investigation means it won't make a formal declaration as to whether there was or wasn't a defect in the tires.

         Spokesman Rae Tyson said his agency is pleased with Goodyear's action, but it will continue to monitor those Load Range E tires that aren't part of the program.