Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas Inc. is recalling certain Proxes A27 tires, in size P185/60R16 86H. Two types of rubber compound were mixed together in the building of 2,169 of the Proxes A27 tires, which may result in sections of the tire tread detaching.
Toyo said the tires were produced from Sept. 21, 2018, through Sept. 25, 2018, and the tire identification numbers range from N3ELV573718 to N3ELV573818.
The tires were produced at Toyo’s plant in Kuwana, Japan, and were made of a mix of prototype rubber compound with production compound. Of the 2,169 tires involved in the recall, Toyo estimates 3% of them were made from the defective compound.
According to papers filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Toyo discovered the problem on April 10, 2019, during a review of a production process. The company discovered an out-of-speculation rubber compound may have been used in a production run of a different tire model (all of those tires were quarantined and scrapped), and that prompted Toyo Tire Corp. to obtain samples of other tire models produced in similar circumstances during a different production date.
Over the next two days high speed endurance testing was conducted of sample tires, and a cut section analysis also was performed. The sampled tires passed the endurance test, but in one instance a visible delamination in the tread material was discovered during a cut section analysis.
Toyo’s quality assurance department then authorized a recall.
The company’s production records indicate 83 tires were potentially affected, of which 55 were shipped to the U.S. Because Toyo is unable to individually trace those 55 tires, the recall covers all tires no longer in Toyo’s control produced during the same production week when the suspect tires were made. That totals 2,169 tires.
Letters have been sent to dealers with the steps to pull and replace these tires from their inventories.
Toyo will notify owners, and dealers will replace the tires, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in May 2019. Owners may contact Toyo customer service at 1-800-442-8696.
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
