NHTSA Complaint #10139184 — 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS I HAD FLAT TIRES WITH MY 2003 CHEVY 2500HD 4X4 TRUCK WITH ALUMINUM WHEELS. FORTUNATELY IN BOTH CASES IT WAS ON MY DRIVEWAY RATHER THAN ON A PUBLIC ROAD. THE ALUMINUM WHEELS APPEAR TO HAVE ELECTRO-CHEMICALLY WELDED THEMSELVES TO THE WHEEL HUBS. I COULD NOT REMOVE THEM (AFTER REMOVING ALL LUG NUTS OF COURSE) WITH A 12 POUND SLEDGE HAMMER & WOOD BLOCK. MY LOCAL CHEVY DEALER INFORMED ME THEY USE A 20 POUND SLEDGE HAMMER. I REQUESTED SOME FORM OF ANTI-SEIZE MATERIAL BE APPLIED TO THE WHEEL/HUB INTERFACE BUT WAS TOLD THIS IS NORMAL FOR THIS VEHICLE. I EVEN DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR A FEW FEET WITH NO LUG NUTS INSTALLED TO BREAK THE WHEEL FREE TO NO AVAIL. I CALLED CHEVY ROADSIDE SERVICE WHO FACILITATED THE TIRE CHANGE. THIS IS RIDICULOUS HAD THIS FAILURE BEEN ON A HIGHWAY MY LIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN ENDANGERED BY HAVING TO WORK UNDER THE VEHICLE WHILE ONLY SUPPORTED BY THE MANUFACTURER SUPPLIED JACK; WHILE TRAFFIC PASSED NEARBY. *JB