NHTSA Complaint #10335565 — 1998 CADILLAC DEVILLE

I HAD A TIRE BLOWOUT AT 11:00 PM WHILE DRIVING ON A FREEWAY. I WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE WHEEL LUG NUTS USING THE LUG WRENCH FURNISHED WITH THE CAR (I EVEN TRIED STANDING ON THE HINGED ARM OF THE LUG WRENCH) AND WAS SAVED BY A DRIVER OF A SUV WHO STOPPED TO HELP. THE LUG WRENCH HAD AN EFFECTIVE ARM LENGTH OF 9 INCHES AND A ARM DIAMETER OF ABOUT 3/4 INCH. I LATER FOUND OUT THAT THE LUG NUTS ARE TO BE TORQUED TO 100 FT-LBS. I THEN BOUGHT A TORQUE WRENCH WITH AN ARM LENGTH OF TWO FEET AND AN ARM DIAMETER OF 3 INCHES. CHECKING THE TORQUE REQUIRED TO BREAK THE LUG NUTS LOSE I GOT VALUES BETWEEN LESS THAN 100 FT-LBS UP TO 200 FT-LBS. THE MANUFACTURERS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO FURNISH LUG WRENCHES THAT ORDINARY PEOPLE CAN USE TO REPLACE THE TIRES. FURTHERMORE, THEY WOULD ALSO BE REQUIRED TO SPECIFY A MAXIMUM VALUE FOR TORQUING LUG NUTS IN ADDITION TO A MINIMUM VALUE BECAUSE A LARGE VARIATION IN TORQUE BETWEEN THE NUTS ON EACH WHEEL WARPS THE BRAKE DRUMS OR DISKS AND RESULTS IN SEVERE SURGING WHEN BRAKING (WHAT FUN I HAD WITH THIS CONDITION WHEN DROPPING DOWN OFF OF DONNER SUMMIT INTO SACRAMENTO - THE WHOLE CAR WAS SHAKING VIOLENTLY WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES). I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER WHO WAS ALREADY AWARE OF THE LUG WRENCH PROBLEM (WHICH THEY COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT) BUT NOT ABOUT THE UNEQUAL TORQUING PROBLEM (THEY POSTED A LIST OF MY TORQUE READINGS IN THE SHOP). I ALSO COMPLAINED TO CADILLAC CUSTOMER SERVICE BUT GOT NOWHERE WITH THEM. *TR