NHTSA Complaint #10086373 — 2003 DODGE SPRINTER

THIS STUFF IS DANGEROUS. I'VE LOST THREE TIRE VALVES IN LESS THAN 1000 MILES AND THE LAST WAS SUDDEN AND VIOLENT. HONESTLY, I THOUGHT I'D DONE SOMETHING WRONG, BUT I'VE USED ONLY MR. CLEAN WASH SYSTEM AND A VERY DILUTE DEGREASER ON THE WHEELS. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO TRY TO REMOVE THE STEMS WITHOUT FURTHER DAMAGING THE VALVES AT DISCOUNT BUT WE PERFOMRED A LITTLE EXPERIMENT BEFORE DISSEMBLING THE TIRE. WE RAN THE PSI UP TO 80 OFF THE VEHICLE AND WATCHED WHERE THE AIR ESCAPED THE VALVE. THERE IS A RUBBER COLLER THAT RUNS ABOUT 1/2 UP THE METAL VALVE STEM. THE AIR LEAKS FROM THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE SEAL WHERE THE RUBBER ENDS AND METAL BEGINS. HOWEVER, ANY SLIGHT PRESSURE OFF-CENTER RESULTS IN AIRFLOW FROM THE JUNCTION OF THE VALVE AND RIM. FURTHER PRESSURE EMPTIES THE TIRE PRETTY QUICK. THE FIRST TWO LEAKS WERE DISCOVERED HISSING IN PARKING LOTS AFTER A TRIP INTO A STORE. THE LAST, I LEFT MY DRIVEWAY, ALL WELL AND GOT ABOUT 1/16 MILE FROM THE HOUSE. THE VAN STARTED SHUDDERING AND WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTOL. I CALLED HOKE AND ASKED MY WIFE TO LOOK IN THE DRIVEWAY. I THOUGHT THAT I'D LOST ALL THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THE TRUCK WAS REALLY FIGHTING. I NURSED THE VAN ALONG FOR APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AND TURNED INTO A AUTO PARTS STORE. I GOT OUT, POPPPED THE HOOD AND LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK FOR A LEAK. I WAS ON THE WAY INTO THE STORE BEFORE I NOTICED THAT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE WAS COMPLETELY FLAT. I LAUGHED.*AK I NOW THINK THAT THE MB TRACTION CONTROL HAS NO IDEA WHAT TO DO WITH A FLAT AND MASKS THE PROBLEM, CONVERTING IT INTO A BIZARRE TRANNY TYPE PROBLEM. IT SOUND MORONIC TO NOT RELALIZE THAT YOU HAVE A FLAT ESPECIALLY AFTER YOU JUST HAD TWO IN THE FRONT, BUT THE REAR IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT. THE ONLY EXPLANATION IS THE TRACTION CONTROL. AND NOW I FIND OUT THAT THERE ARE MANY THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE...THIS IS SCARY. HOW MANY HAVE REPLACED THE VALVES? JP PE04066_CAT