NHTSA Complaint #10148625 — 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA

2002 HYUNDAI SONATA EXPERIENCED A FLAT TIRE DUE TO A LEAKY VALVE. *TS TWO DAYS AFTER THE TIRES WERE REPLACED THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT TIRE WENT FLAT DUE TO A LEAKY STEM VALVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE TIRE DEALER AND THE TIRE WAS REMOUNTED WITH A NEW STEM VALVE. THREE DAYS LATER THE SAME TIRE WAS FLAT AGAIN AND A FEW DAYS LATER THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE WAS FLAT ALSO. AFTER INSPECTING THE WHEELS THE CONSUMER OBSERVED THAT THE TIRE BULGE WAS CAUSING THE WHEEL COVER TO SPIN. THE COVER WOULD SPIN UNTIL THE STEM VALVE WAS PRESSED AGAINST THE EDGE OF THE ACCESS HOLE IN THE WHEEL COVER. EVENTUALLY THE WHEEL COVER WOULD CUT INTO THE STEM VALVE AND CAUSE A FLAT TIRE. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE HUB CAPS HAD BEEN INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. AFTER REMOVING ALL FOUR HUB CAPS THE VEHICLE HAD NO MORE FLAT TIRES. *NM