NHTSA Complaint #10150211 — 2001 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

I HAVE HAD TWO FLAT TIRES ON MY MINI VAN IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS. THE VAN IS 4.5 YEARS OLD AND I REPLACED THE TIRES WITH THE MANUFACTURES RECOMMENDED TIRES A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO. IN BOTH OF THE CASES MY TIRES HAD RIM LEAKS WHICH I HAVE NOW DISCOVERED OCCUR ON MANY CHRYSLER/DODGE VEHICLES. THESE LEAKS ARE A RESULT OF CORROSION ON THE RIM (AND IN THIS LAST CASE MY RIM WAS CRACKED) THIS DEFECT IN THE RIM DESIGN IS SERIOUS AS IT LEADS TO UNDER INFLATED TIRES WHICH THE DRIVER MAY BE UNAWARE OF. BECAUSE THE LEAKAGE IS SLOW IN NATURE AND THERE IS NO WARNING IN THE HANDBOOK THAT RIMS NEED TO BE REPLACED/INSPECTED REGULARLY THERE MAY BE LITTLE OR NO WARNING. MANY OF THESE VEHICLES ARE MINI VANS AND CARRY MANY CHILDREN TO AND FROM PLACES. WHEN I BROUGHT THIS TO CHRYSLERS ATTENTION THEY TOLD ME IT WAS NOT A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS. THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE WITH THE ISSUE OTHER THAN TO SELL ME A NEW SET OF RIMS FOR OVER $2000. THIS VEHICLE IS LESS THAN 5 YEARS OLD AND SHOULD NOT NEED NEW RIMS...AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THERE ARE THOUSAND/MILLIONS OF THESE VEHICLES ON THE ROADS THAT MAY HAVE CORRODING RIMS AND UNDER INFLATED TIRES. CAN YOU HELP? GIVEN WHAT WE LEARNED IN THE FORD EXPLORER INVESTIGATION I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE WISE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. *NM