NHTSA Complaint #10326241 — 2005 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

THE TPMS SENSORS ON MY 2005 TOYOTA 4RUNNER FAILED WHEN THE METAL VALVE STEM CAPS PROVIDED WITH THE CAR CORRODED TO THE VALVE STEM THREADS. THE VEHICLE HAD ROUGHLY 60K MILES ON IT WHEN THIS BEGAN TO OCCUR. I INQUIRED ABOUT THIS AT THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ISSUE WAS CAUSED BY ROAD SALT AND THE METAL CAPS ON METAL VALVE STEM THREADS (DISSIMILAR METALS). I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT TOYOTA RECOGNIZED THE CAUSE OF THE ISSUE AS THE METAL CAPS AND REPLACED THEM WITH PLASTIC CAPS ON NEWER 4RUNNERS. THE DEALER WAS UNWILLING TO REPLACE THE TPMS SENSORS ON MY VEHICLE HOWEVER WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY FOR THE PARTS AND LABOR (~ $500 JOB). THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE HOTLINE TOLD ME THE SAME STORY ON TWO OCCASIONS. AFTER SEARCHING ON A TOYOTA 4RUNNER FORUM, I DISCOVERED THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM ON MANY 4RUNNERS. MY TPMS SENSORS WERE REPLACED WITH REGULAR VALVE STEMS BY A LOCAL TIRE SHOP, WHICH IS WHAT IS CURRENTLY ON MY VEHICLE. TO DATE, I HAVEN'T HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE TIRES AS I REGULAR MONITOR THE PRESSURE MANUALLY. I AM CONCERNED WITH THE ISSUE AND TOYOTA'S UNWILLINGNESS TO RECONCILE THE SAFETY CONCERN. *TR