Only 19 Acura TLX sedans are being recalled over concerns that their tires may have been compromised during the tire sorting and loading process. According to the NHTSA report, tire manufacturer Bridgestone identified that a few Acura TLX vehicles might have suffered cuts or tears in the bead area while being sorted and loaded with tires. The “bead” of a tire is the inner edge section that interfaces with the metal wheel or rim.
Bridgestone determined that a plastic component of a robotic tire depalletizer, responsible for unstacking tires, had shifted out of position, potentially causing a sharp edge to damage tires intended for Acura sedans. Out of the 19 affected vehicles, the recall predicts that 95% (equivalent to 18 cars) have tires with some form of damage. All the impacted cars belong to the 2022 model year and were produced on a single date: September 1, 2022.
Acura
“If a tire sustains cuts or tears in the bead area, there is a risk that air and moisture could cause damage to the tire’s belts or bead wires over time,” states the report. “This could result in rapid deflation of the tire, potentially leading to loss of vehicle control, increasing the likelihood of an accident or injury.”
As of mid-December, no crashes, injuries, or warranty claims related to the issue have been reported to Acura. Owners will receive notifications by January 30th, advising them to take their vehicles to a dealership for inspection. Dealers will examine all four tires and replace them based on whether they fall within the affected production date range, without requiring visible damage as a criterion.
Following this incident, the robotic tire depalletizer allegedly responsible has been temporarily substituted with a human worker.
Humans: 1. Automation: 0.
If you have any tips or questions for the author, you can contact him via email: chris.tsui@thedrive.com
