Japanese tire maker Bridgestone Corp. and U.S. automaker Ford Motor Co. will probably open talks by the end of the year to mend soured ties stemming from wrangling over tire recalls, sources close to Bridgestone said Thursday.
A senior Bridgestone official said recently that if Ford proposes talks to mend relations, there is no reason to refuse.
The sources said Ford is also moving to seek ways of opening talks aimed at restoring the relationship.
The move comes after the recent resignation of Ford President and Chief Executive Officer Jacques Nasser, who had insisted that Bridgestone's U.S. subsidiary, Bridgestone/Firestone Inc., was entirely to blame for the tire recalls.
Last year, Bridgestone/Firestone launched a massive recall of its tires, which have been linked to more than 200 road accident deaths, most involving Ford Explorers.
While Bridgestone/Firestone claimed the Ford vehicles were more to blame for the accidents, Ford argued the Firestone tires were entirely responsible.
As a result, Bridgestone/Firestone severed a nearly century-old partnership with Ford in May.