Chalk this one up in the obscure recall category. Mazda
issued a statement on Tuesday ahead of a wider report from the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration noting the public of a new recall
surrounding the 2019 CX-9 .
In the statement, the Japanese automaker said a rubber compound meant
exclusively for prototype tire production somehow got mixed in with
production rubber used for the 2019 Mazda CX-9. With the two different compounds mixed together, 146 CX-9 models left the factory with compromised tires.
The
recall population of crossover SUVs may see the rubber separate from
the tread, which could cause instability while driving. Any sudden loss
of control increases the risk of a crash. Prior to any issue occurring,
drivers will likely hear flapping or a vibration. If the rubber doesn't
separate, the tires may still experience strange tire wear, thanks to
the two separate compounds being mixed together.
Mazda added it
has received no reports of crashes or injuries related to the issue.
Additional details aren't yet available from NHTSA, either.
Thus, we don't have a timeline for when Mazda will notify the owners of the 146 affected crossovers
. The automaker also did not mention how it will fix the problem, but a
new set of tires with the correct rubber compound seems inevitable.
