Acura TLXs Recalled Due to Robot Potentially Slashing the Tires
Photo: Acura
Acura’s latest recall involves just 19 TLX sedans. Usually that wouldn’t be worth mentioning in a story, but the reason the cars are being recalled is absolutely noteworthy. A report from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration says tire supplier Bridgestone “determined that the tires equipped on a small number of Acura TLX vehicles may have sustained cuts/tears to the bead area during their tire sorting and loading process.”
The tiremaker says the plastic “shoe” of a robotic tire depalletizer used to unstack tires and “rotate out of position,” accidentally exposed a sharp edge that could have possibly cut up some tires that were on their way to the impacted TLXs.
“If the tire sustained cuts/tears to the bead area, over time air and moisture could damage the tire’s belts or bead wires,” according to the NHTSA. “As a result, the tire could deflate rapidly, potentially leading to a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.”
NHTSA estimates that 18 out of the 19 affected cars have damaged tires. All of the impacted TLXs were manufactured on September 1, 2022.
Acura says it isn’t aware of any crashes, injuries or warranty claims that stem from the issue. Owners should expect to be notified of the issue on January 30 and will be asked to take their TLXs to a dealership for inspection. Tires that fall into the affected date range of September 1, 2022, will be replaced – and is not dependent on whether or a technician doing the inspection sees actual damage.
To avoid an issue like this from happening again anytime soon, Bridgestone has – for now – put the robo-unstacker out to pasture and put a human in its place.
