COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES

Environmental Matters

We have recorded liabilities totaling $47 million and $44 million at September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively, for anticipated costs related to various environmental matters, primarily the remediation of numerous waste disposal sites and certain properties sold by us. Of these amounts, $11 million and $12 million were included in Other Current Liabilities at September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively. The costs include legal and consulting fees, site studies, the design and implementation of remediation plans, post-remediation monitoring and related activities, and will be paid over several years. The amount of our ultimate liability in respect of these matters may be affected by several uncertainties, primarily the ultimate cost of required remediation and the extent to which other responsible parties contribute. We have limited potential insurance coverage for future environmental claims.

Workers’ Compensation

We have recorded liabilities, on a discounted basis, totaling $310 million and $291 million for anticipated costs related to workers’ compensation at September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively. Of these amounts, $69 million and $71 million were included in Current Liabilities as part of Compensation and Benefits at September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively. The costs include an estimate of expected settlements on pending claims, defense costs and a provision for claims incurred but not reported. These estimates are based on our assessment of potential liability using an analysis of available information with respect to pending claims, historical experience, and current cost trends. The amount of our ultimate liability in respect of these matters may differ from these estimates. We periodically, and at least annually, update our loss development factors based on actuarial analyses. At September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, the liability was discounted using a risk-free rate of return.

General and Product Liability and Other Litigation

We have recorded liabilities totaling $295 million and $328 million, including related legal fees expected to be incurred, for potential product liability and other tort claims presently asserted against us at September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively. Of these amounts, $45 million and $91 million were included in Other Current Liabilities at September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively. The amounts recorded were estimated based on an assessment of potential liability using an analysis of available information with respect to pending claims, historical experience and, where available, recent and current trends. The amount of our ultimate liability in respect of these matters may differ from these estimates. The decrease in the liability from December 31, 2010 was due primarily to payment in 2011 of an unfavorable judgment from 2010 and to favorable claim experience.

Asbestos. We are a defendant in numerous lawsuits alleging various asbestos-related personal injuries purported to result from alleged exposure to certain asbestos products manufactured by us or present in certain of our facilities. Typically, these lawsuits have been brought against multiple defendants in state and Federal courts. To date, we have disposed of approximately 93,300 claims by defending and obtaining the dismissal thereof or by entering into a settlement. The sum of our accrued asbestos-related liability and gross payments to date, including legal costs, totaled approximately $378 million through September 30, 2011 and $365 million through December 31, 2010.

A summary of recent approximate asbestos claims activity follows. Because claims are often filed and disposed of by dismissal or settlement in large numbers, the amount and timing of settlements and the number of open claims during a particular period can fluctuate significantly. The passage of tort reform laws and creation of deferred dockets for non-malignancy claims in several states has contributed to a decline in the number of claims filed in recent years.



	Nine Months Ended			Year Ended
(Dollars in millions)	September 30, 2011			December 31, 2010
Pending claims, beginning of period	83,700			90,200
New claims filed	1,700			1,700
Claims settled/dismissed	(2,600		)	(8,200		)
Pending claims, end of period	82,800			83,700

Payments (1)	$	13		$	26

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(1)	Represents amount spent by us and our insurers on asbestos litigation defense and claim resolution.

We periodically, and at least annually, review our existing reserves for pending claims, including a reasonable estimate of the liability associated with unasserted asbestos claims, and estimate our receivables from probable insurance recoveries. We had recorded gross liabilities for both asserted and unasserted claims, inclusive of defense costs, totaling $130 million and $126 million at September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively. At September 30, 2011, we estimate that it is reasonably possible that our gross liabilities, net of our estimate for probable insurance recoveries, could exceed our recorded amounts by approximately $10 million.

We recorded a receivable related to asbestos claims of $69 million and $67 million as of September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively. We expect that approximately 50% of asbestos claim related losses would be recoverable through insurance through the period covered by the estimated liability. Of these amounts, $9 million and $8 million were included in Current Assets as part of Accounts Receivable at September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively. The recorded receivable consists of an amount we expect to collect under coverage-in-place agreements with certain primary carriers as well as an amount we believe is probable of recovery from certain of our excess coverage insurance carriers.

We believe that, at September 30, 2011, we had approximately $170 million in aggregate limits of excess level policies potentially applicable to indemnity payments for asbestos products claims, in addition to limits of available primary insurance policies. Some of these excess policies provide for payment of defense costs in addition to indemnity limits. A portion of the availability of the excess level policies is included in the $69 million insurance receivable recorded at September 30, 2011. We also had approximately $14 million in aggregate limits for products claims, as well as coverage for premise claims on a per occurrence basis, and defense costs available with our primary insurance carriers through coverage-in-place agreements at September 30, 2011.

With respect to both asserted and unasserted claims, it is reasonably possible that we may incur a material amount of cost in excess of the current reserve, however, such amounts cannot be reasonably estimated. Coverage under insurance policies is subject to varying characteristics of asbestos claims including, but not limited to, the type of claim (premise vs. product exposure), alleged date of first exposure to our products or premises and disease alleged. Depending upon the nature of these characteristics, as well as the resolution of certain legal issues, some portion of the insurance may not be accessible by us.

Other Actions. We are currently a party to various claims and legal proceedings in addition to those noted above. If management believes that a loss arising from these matters is probable and can reasonably be estimated, we record the amount of the loss, or the minimum estimated liability when the loss is estimated using a range, and no point within the range is more probable than another. As additional information becomes available, any potential liability related to these matters is assessed and the estimates are revised, if necessary. Based on currently available information, management believes that the ultimate outcome of these matters, individually and in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse effect on our financial position or overall trends in results of operations. However, litigation is subject to inherent uncertainties, and unfavorable rulings could occur. An unfavorable ruling could include monetary damages or an injunction prohibiting us from selling one or more products. If an unfavorable ruling were to occur, there exists the possibility of a material adverse impact on the financial position and results of operations of the period in which the ruling occurs, or in future periods.

Income Tax and Other Tax Matters

The calculation of our tax liabilities involves dealing with uncertainties in the application of complex tax regulations. We recognize liabilities for anticipated tax audit issues based on our estimate of whether, and the extent to which, additional taxes will be due. If we ultimately determine that payment of these amounts is unnecessary, we reverse the liability and recognize a tax benefit during the period in which we determine that the liability is no longer necessary. We also recognize tax benefits to the extent that it is more likely than not that our positions will be sustained when challenged by the taxing authorities. We derecognize tax benefits when based on new information we determine that it is no longer more likely than not that our position will be sustained. To the extent we prevail in matters for which liabilities have been established, or determine we need to derecognize tax benefits recorded in prior periods, or we are required to pay amounts in excess of our liabilities, our effective tax rate in a given period could be materially affected. An unfavorable tax settlement would require use of our cash, and result in an increase in our effective tax rate in the period of resolution. A favorable tax settlement would be recognized as a reduction in our effective tax rate in the period of resolution.

In September 2011, the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil issued an assessment to us for allegedly improperly taking tax credits for value-added taxes paid to a supplier of natural rubber during the period from January 2006 to August 2008. The assessment, including interest and penalties, totals 92 million Brazilian real (approximately $50 million). We received similar assessments from the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil in December 2010 for allegedly improperly taking tax credits for value-added taxes paid to other suppliers of natural rubber during the period from January 2006 to October 2009. These assessments, including interest and penalties, totaled 88 million Brazilian real (approximately $47 million). We have filed responses contesting all of the assessments and are defending these matters. In the event we are unsuccessful in defending one or more of these assessments, our results of operations could be materially affected.

Guarantees

We have off-balance sheet financial guarantees written and other commitments totaling approximately $117 million at September 30, 2011, compared to $26 million at December 31, 2010. The increase primarily relates to our obligations in connection with the financing of the construction of our new Global and North American Tire Headquarters facility. In addition, we will from time to time issue guarantees to financial institutions or other entities on behalf of certain of our affiliates, lessors or customers. Normally there is no separate premium received by us as consideration for the issuance of guarantees. We also generally do not require collateral in connection with the issuance of these guarantees. If our performance under these guarantees is triggered by non-payment or another specified event, we would be obligated to make payment to the financial institution or the other entity, and would typically have recourse to the affiliate, lessor or customer. The guarantees expire at various times through 2023. We are unable to estimate the extent to which our affiliates’, lessors’ or customers’ assets would be adequate to recover any payments made by us under the related guarantees.