NHTSA Complaint #10254930 — 1998 HONDA ACCORD

HAD 4 TIRES AND VALVE STEMS ON A 1998 HONDA ACCORD REPLACED IN APRIL OF 2007 AT GOLD COAST AUTO CENTER. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2008 THE FIRST VALVE STEM FAILED. LUCKILY I NOTICED THE TIRE WAS CONTINUOUSLY GETTING LOW ONLY WHEN THE CAR WAS DRIVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE STEM REPLACED BEFORE IT CAUSED A CRASH. THE SECOND STEM FAILED IN DECEMBER OF 2008, AGAIN WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IN A WATER BATH, THE STEM ONLY LEAKED WHEN IT WAS FLEXED TOWARD THE OUTSIDE DIAMETER OF THE WHEEL. THIS IS THE FLEXING THAT MIGHT BE EXPECTED AS A RESULT OF THE CENTRIFUGAL FORCE THAT IS APPLIED TO THE STEM AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IN THE CASE OF THE SECOND FAILURE, THE LEAKAGE WAS SO SLOW THAT THE TIRE DEFLATED AND WAS RUN AT HIGHWAY SPEED FOR AN HOUR OR MORE. THE TIRE EVENTUALLY BEGAN VIBRATING BADLY, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE OFF THE ROAD ONTO THE SHOULDER. THE TIRES SIDEWALL EXHIBITED NUMEROUS BULGES AND WAS RUINED. ALTHOUGH NO ONE WAS INJURED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING, AS A RESULT OF CHANGING THE TIRE, I SLASHED MY HAND ON THE LUG WRENCH. I TOOK THE ISSUE BACK TO GOLD COAST TIRE AND THE MANAGER SAID THERE WAS NO RASH OF VALVE STEM FAILURES. THAT IS A LIE, AS INDICATED BY NUMEROUS REPORTS OF VALVE STEM FAILURES REPORTED BY CONSUMERREPORTS.ORG. ITS TIME FOR A LETTER WRITING PROJECT TO OUR LEGISLATORS. *TR