NHTSA Complaint #10236344 — 1996 CHEVROLET PRIZM

4 NEW TIRES WERE PURCHASED ON FEB. 7, 2007. THREE OF THEM WENT FLAT BETWEEN JUNE 9, 2008 AND JULY 17, 2008 AFTER ONLY 15,000 MILES WHILE RIDING ON THE INTERSTATE. THE TIRE STORE FOUND NO FOREIGN OBJECTS IN THE 3 TIRES, BUT DID REPORT THAT THE VALVE STEMS WERE CRACKED. A POLICE OFFICER CHANGED THE TIRE ON 7/16 AND A SHERIFF DEPUTY WITNESSED THE TIRE CHANGE ON 7/17 (NO REPORT FILED). THERE WERE SMOG ALERTS EACH TIME. AN OIL-LUBE PLACE FILLED TIRES ON 7/12. THE TIRE DEALER AGAIN SAID HE FILLED THE TIRES ON 7/16. THERE WAS A SLOW LEAK FROM THE VALVE STEM. A DIFFERENT MECHANIC REPLACED TIRE ON 7/17 AND RETURNED VALVE STEM: DILL AIR ACP TR413 156 OT. I WAS NOT HURT, BUT I WAS ALONE IN THE LAST TWO CASES, AND STANDING ALONE ON THE INTERSTATE WITH VERY LITTLE PLACE TO GET OFF. IT WAS 91 DEGREES, AND AAA DID NOT COME FOR OVER 45 MINUTES. I HAD BEEN ON MY WAY TO TAKE MY 90-YEAR OLD FATHER TO A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT. FORTUNATELY HE WAS NOT IN THE CAR WHEN THE TIRES BLEW OUT. IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A MEDICAL SITUATION TO HAVE HIM STANDING OUT IN THE HEAT. DILL AIR HAS ASKED ME FOR THE VALVE STEM. BEFORE I SEND IT, DO YOU WANT A PHOTO? LIVES OF 3 PEOPLE WERE RISKED CHANGING THE TIRES ON EXPRESSWAY. *TR