NHTSA Complaint #10184947 — 2005 CHRYSLER PACIFICA

WE HAVE VISITED THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP AND DIFFERENT AUTO SHOPS SUCH AS PEP BOYS SEVERAL TIMES. THEY HAVE CHECKED THE TIRES FOR LEAKS. EACH PLACE WE VISITED WOULD TELL US THAT THE TIRES WERE FINE, THEY WOULD THEN FILL THEM UP AND WE WOULD GO ANOTHER DAY OR TWO AND THEN WOULD HAVE TO FILL THE TIRES UP AGAIN. FINALLY A TIRE STORE MANAGER AT WAL-MART FOUND THE PROBLEM: THE TIRES: MICHELIN PILOT HXMXM4 P235-55R19 ARE TOO SMALL FOR THE 19'' RIMS THAT THEY ARE MOUNTED ON. HE SHOWED US THAT THEY DO NOT COMPLETELY FILL THE RIM, AND THIS CAUSES THE TIRES TO LOOSE PRESSURE IF THE ROAD IS UNEVEN OR IF THERE ARE BUMPS IN THE ROAD. HE SHOWED US THE DIFFERENCE WITH TIRES ON OTHER CARS. HE EXPLAINED THAT THE SAME MODEL TIRES FROM FIRESTONE DO FILL UP THE RIM COMPLETELY AND SO NO AIR LEAKS WHEN YOU ENCOUNTER BUMPS IN THE ROAD OR UNEVEN ROADS. HE EXPLAINS THAT THIS PROBLEM WILL CONTINUE TO OCCUR UNLESS THE TIRES ARE CHANGED. FURTHERMORE HE EXPLAINED THAT THIS POSES A SERIOUS THREAT TO OUR SAFETY AS WE TRAVEL. I NEED THIS ISSUE TO BE RESOLVED TO MY SATISFACTION. THESE ARE SOME OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE TIRES ON THE MARKET AND THE CAR HAS 28,000 MILES ON IT. I EXPECT THE TIRES THAT COME WITH THE CAR TO LAST THE DURATION OF THEIR LIFE WITHOUT PROVIDING THESE TYPES OF PROBLEMS. I TRUST MY WIFE AND CHILDREN TO THE SAFETY OF THIS CAR AND AM DISTRAUGHT BY KNOWING THAT THE TIRES POSE THIS TYPE OF SAFETY THREAT. THESE TIRES NEED TO BE REPLACED AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE DATE. AS A CHRYSLER /MICHELIN CUSTOMER I DON''T AGREE THAT WE SHOULD PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT IS NOT OUR FAULT. PLEASE ADVISE WHICH DEALER WE CAN TAKE THE CAR TO GET THESE TIRES REPLACED AT NO COST AT YOUR EARLIEST CONVENIENCE. IN THE EVENT I AM NOT CONTACTED WITH 48 HOURS I WILL CONTACT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SAFETY AS WELL AS HIGHWAY SAFETY AND REQUEST A FULL INVESTIGATION. FURTHERMORE I AM PREPARED TO CONTACT ANY SAFETY GROUP TO BRING ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. *JB