NHTSA Complaint #10213324 — 2002 INFINITI Q45

RIGHT REAR TIRE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO LOSE PRESSURE, AS MUCH AS 5 PSI IN ONE MILE OF FREEWAY DRIVING. I KEPT STOPPING TO AIR UP TIRE, CONFIRMING LOW PRESSURE WITH ACCURATE BOURDON TUBE-TYPE GAUGE. AFTER FOUR STOPS TO AIR UP, PROBLEM QUIT. WHEN I REACHED DESTINATION CITY, SET UP SERVICE APPT. WITH LOCAL INFINITI DEALER. AFTER FOUR DAYS OF A LONG WEEKEND, INCLUDING SLOW-SPEED AND FREEWAY DRIVING OF OVER 200 MILES, PRESSURE LOSS HAD QUIT. CANCELLED DEALER APPOINTMENT. THREE MONTHS LATER, PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN. HAD TIRE CHECKED AT NTB, NO LEAKS FOUND. TIRE DISMOUNTED, CHECKED ON INSIDE, NO DEFECTS OR PUNCTURES OR BLISTERS FOUND, WHEEL IN GOOD SHAPE, TIRE REMOUNTED. ONE MONTH LATER, PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN, THIS TIME LOSING 10 PSI IN TWO MILES OF FREEWAY DRIVING. AIRED UP. LOST 5 PSI. CHANGED TO SPARE. DEALER MOUNTED NEW TIRE. PRESSURE DROPPED TWO DAYS LATER. DEALER INSTALLED NEW WHEEL (COULDN'T EXACTLY MATCH EXISTING COLOR--GREAT ON A $60K CAR.) AND REMOTE PRESSURE SENSOR. PROBLEM CURED. COST: NEW TIRE--$350, TOSSED TIRE WITH 30K LEFT ON IT (SUSPECTED OF BEING CAUSE)--$350, NEW TAKE-OFF WHEEL--$800, NEW SENSOR--$260. TOTAL COST, INCLUDING MECHANIC AND TRASHED GOOD TIRE--$2,000. NO DIAGNOSIS EVER OFFERED. *TR