NHTSA Complaint #10071121 — 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

CENTER HUB CAPS WILL NOT STAY TIGHT. HAVE HAD A LOOSENING PROBLEM SINCE NEW. DEALER PROVIDED A BAG OF NEW PLASTIC NUTS. ON LAST TRIP THE LEFT FRONT HUB CENTER CAM OFF AND ENDED UP IN THE NORTH RIM OF THE GRAND CANYON. DEALER INSTALLED A NEW CENTER HUB CAP AND ANOTHER BAG OF NUTS. SOME OF THE NEW NUTS WOULDN'T TIGHTEN AND HAD TO BE MOVED AROUND TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS TO TIGHTEN. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS DUE TO THE STAINLESS OVER-LAY SPOT WELDED TO THE STEEL WHEEL, THUS LIMITING THE THREAD CONTACT WITH THE LUG NUTS. THE PLASTIC NUTS ONLY GRAB THE STEEL LUG NUT BY 1 OR 2 THREADS. MY WINDOW STICKER SAYS CHROME STYLE STEEL WHEELS. THIS STATEMENT IS MIS-LEADING. THEY ARE A STEEL WHEEL WITH A STAINLESS HUB CAP WELDED TO THE WHEEL AND A PLASTIC CENTER HUB WITH PLASTIC NUTS. THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS SUPPOSE TO CHECK ON THIS PROBLEM BUT NEVER HEARD BACK FROM HIM. PLEASE NOTE: I AM A MECHANIC. I KNOW HOW TO INSTALL THESE TYPE OF CENTERS. I DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN THEM AND THEY ARE INSTALLED BY HAND. I NOTICED THE PROBLEM WHEN THE TRUCK WAS NEW AND I DROVE IT HOME. I WAXED THE WHEELS AND NOTICED THE LOOSE CENTERS. THESE COULD BE DANGEROUS TO A PEDESTRIAN IF ONE FLEW OFF STRUCK THEM.