If you own a 2023 Subaru Ascent with 20-inch wheels, you may want to be careful next time you drive. That’s because the automaker is now in the midst of a recall campaign over damage that may cause the tires to deflate suddenly.
Subaru first became aware of this issue in February when it received a technical report of a flat tire on an Ascent. The thing that really caught the automaker’s attention was the fact that the technician noted a break in the sidewall, though.
As a result, it launched an investigation into the issue and found that it related to the tire bead being over-stressed in the tire mounting process. This was because of a bead guide arm on the tire mounting equipment that was out of alignment from December 5, 2022, to January 10, 2023, when a routine inspection caught the issue, and realigned the machine.
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Unfortunately, in that time, 4,409 2023 Subaru Ascents were allowed to leave the factory with tires whose beads had been over-stressed. That damage could lead to a structural failure for the tire and to rapid deflation. Of course, that increases the risk of a crash happening.
Fortunately, Subaru is not aware of any injuries or crashes resulting from this issue, but did reveal in a document filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, that it is aware of 10 technical reports related to this fault in the U.S.
As a result, Subaru is launching a recall campaign, and it will start getting in touch with owners on June 6. They will be asked to return their Ascent to the nearest dealer, where all four tires will be replaced at no cost to the owner.
