Potential Tread Detachment Spurs Recall on Mazda CX-9s

Laguna Hills, CA – Nov. 22, 2019 – A select number of CX-9 vehicles, manufactured by Mazda North America, are scheduled for recall because the wrong rubber compound may have been installed during tire assembly. The binding agent used in the compound may be insufficient and cause the tread to separate as a result. Any errors or wear and tear issues associated with the tires can result in a crash and potential for injury by diminishing vehicle stability.

Mazda has settled on a solution and plans to inform operators informed of the flaw how they can get the tire issue corrected. They’re advised to bring their vehicle to a Mazda dealership so their cars can be inspected. If necessary, replacement tires will be installed at no charge.

The Defect

According to official filings with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, roughly 146 Mazda CX-9s – model year 2019 – may be installed with features that make the vehicle unsafe to operate. Specifically, the rubber compound used in Sumitomo Falken ZIEX CT50 A/S tires may be the wrong type for tire sizes P255/50R20 104 V, as an investigation found the compound designed for prototype tires was errantly applied.

It’s possible that the tread containing the compound may degrade prematurely and detach from the tire frame. A loss of control of the vehicle could ultimately lead to a car crash.

The suspect tires in question have a date code stamped 1619, NHTSA documents specify.

Timeline of Events

Mazda’s tire supplier, Sumitomo Rubber Industries, reached out to the automaker’s corporate headquarters Sept. 9 in order to inform the company of the safety issue and the potential for harm that existed. The supplier was apprised of the issue after seven warranties were submitted to the company complaining of tire troubles. These issues were evidenced by the way in which the cars performed, causing vehicles to shake or make strange noises. In some cases, the tread physically detached from the automobiles. No injuries or crashes occurred in the aftermath, however.

An internal investigation by SRI determined that the suspect tires were manufactured in April, which enabled the supplier to isolate which cars were potentially vulnerable. On the last day of September, SRI confirmed where the compromised tires were sent.

By Oct. 25, Mazda determined that a small scale recall was appropriate and informed NHTSA of this fact Oct. 28.

Over the course of 2019, Mazda has issued multiple recalls, most of them related to vehicle performance. These included windshield wiper failures, faulty indicator lights and rearview mirrors detaching from their mounts.

Although 146 Mazdas are subject to the recall, the automaker anticipates that approximately half of the CX-9s in question – 44%, or 64 vehicles – contain the flaw.

The Solution

Starting Dec. 18, Mazda will reach out to registered CX-9 users about this safety issue by first-class mail. The serial numbers will be checked and if there’s a match, the tires will be replaced with the proper ones. One or all four may need to be swapped out.

For more information, please visit MotorSafety.org.

Sean ReyesPotential Tread Detachment Spurs Recall on Mazda CX-9s