Campaign - Tire Valve Cap Corrosion: Overview

05-045

June 20, 2006

Applies To:
2004-05 MDX - ALL
2005 RL - ALL
2006 RL - From VIN JH4KB16..6C000001 thru JH4KB16..6C000151

Product Improvement Campaign: Tire Valve Cap Replacement (Supersedes 05-045, dated November 11, 2005, to remove PARTS INFORMATION)

BACKGROUND

The tire valve caps on vehicles with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) are made of aluminum. These caps can corrode and become difficult to remove, especially in the salt belt.* If the caps are not replaced with non-metallic caps, they can seize on the valve stems, requiring valve stem replacement.





* The salt belt is an area of the country where road salt is commonly used in winter. As shown in the shaded area of the map, the salt belt includes these states: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Washington D.C.

CLIENT NOTIFICATION

Clients within the salt belt will be sent notification of this campaign, a set of four plastic tire valve caps, and instructions on how to replace the aluminum caps. If they do not want to replace the caps themselves, clients are asked to return to you for the service. An example of the client notification is at the end of this service bulletin.

Clients outside the salt belt will not be sent a notification of this campaign. For these clients, replace the tire valve caps whenever an affected vehicle comes in for service.

Some vehicles affected by this campaign may be in your new or used vehicle inventory. You should replace the aluminum tire valve caps on these vehicles before they are sold or leased.

CORRECTIVE ACTION

Whenever an affected vehicle comes in for service, or whenever a client requests it, replace the aluminum tire valve caps with the supplied caps. The supplied caps are made of a durable plastic material that closely matches the color of the original caps.

WARRANTY CLAIM INFORMATION

None.

REPAIR PROCEDURE

Replace all four aluminum tire valve caps with the supplied plastic tire valve caps.

1. Check the vehicle's tire valve caps.

^ If the caps are plastic, no action is required.

^ If the caps are aluminum, go to step 2.

2. Remove and discard all four tire valve caps. If you cannot remove a cap by hand, spray the valve stem with rust penetrant, then carefully remove the cap with pliers.

3. Make sure the valve stem threads are clean, then install the new plastic caps.





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