NHTSA Complaint #10124801 — 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA

THE WHEEL COVERS ON MY 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA ARE MOVING ON THE RIMS OF MY TIRES CAUSING THE TIRE VALVE STEMS TO FLATTEN AND EVENTUALLY WEAR THROUGH CAUSING SUDDEN TIRE FAILURE. I HAVE HAD TWO (2) SUDDEN TIRE VALVE FAILURES SINCE PURCHASING FOUR NEW UNIROYAL TIGER PAW 205/65R15 TIRES FROM B.J.'S WHOLESALE CLUB ON MAY 7. 2005. THE TIRES I BOUGHT WERE THE EXACT SIZE SPECIFIED FOR MY CAR IN THE B'J'S TIRE CATALOG AND MY OWNER'S MANUAL. THE HYUNDAI DEALER TRIED PUTTING ON NEW WHEEL COVERS BUT THAT DIDN'T HELP. LATER THEY SAID THAT THE TIRES WERE STICKING OUT TOO FAR OVER THE RIMS, CAUSING THEM TO BE IN CONTACT WITH THE WHEEL COVER, WHICH CAUSED THE WHEEL COVERS TO MOVE AND FLATTEN THE VALVE STEMS. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE TIRES WERE THE RIGHT SIZE BUT SAID THEY WERE SOMEHOW DIFFERENT FROM THE TIRES THAT CAME WITH THE CAR. THERE IS NOTHING IN THE HYUNDAI OWNER'S MANUAL WHICH SPECIFIES ANY PARTICULAR TIRE OR BRAND OF TIRE, OR WHICH STATES THAT CERTAIN TIRES CANNOT BE USED. THE ONLY SPECIFICATION IS THE SIZE, WHICH IS 205/65R15, EXACTLY WHAT I PURCHASED. THE PROBLEM IS ONGOING. AT THE DEALER'S SUGGESTION, I AM DRIVING WITHOUT THE WHEEL COVERS. EVEN IF I BUY ANOTHER SET OF TIRES, HOW DO I KNOW THEY WON'T CAUSE THE SAME PROBLEM? *NM HYUNDAI ADMITTED THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE THIS PROBLEM BUT WOULD NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. *SC