NHTSA Complaint #10401928 — 2008 BRAUN TOWN & COUNTRY

I FOUND THE RIGHT-REAR VALVE STEM BROKEN, WHILE TRYING TO ADD AIR. IT APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN WEAKENED BY CORROSION. THE SURROUNDING AREA OF THE WHEEL SHOWED NO SIGNS OF CORROSION. THE VALVE STEMS ON THIS VEHICLE ARE ALSO THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SENSOR (TPMS) SENSORS. UPON INSPECTION, I FOUND THE OTHER VALVE STEMS/SENSORS IN POOR CONDITION. AFTER THE SPARE TIRE WAS INSTALLED, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR, UNDER WARRANTY. I ASKED THAT THEY REPLACE THE OTHER THREE SENSORS, SINCE FAILURE APPEARS IMMINENT. THE SERVICE WRITER EXPLAINED THAT, WHILE THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE, THEY CANNOT REPLACE THE PART, UNTIL IT IS ACTUALLY LEAKING AIR; BECAUSE THE SENSORS ARE EXPENSIVE. I FEEL THIS IS SIGNIFICANT, POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE, BECAUSE WHEN THE STEM/SENSORS BREAK, THERE IS AN ALMOST IMMEDIATE, TOTAL LOSS OF PRESSURE IN THE AFFECTED TIRE. IF THE STEM/SENSOR BROKE WHILE DRIVING, LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL COULD OCCUR. THERE APPEARS TO BE QUITE A BIT OF DISCUSSION RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM ON CHRYSLER-RELATED INTERNET BLOGS AND FORUMS. ALSO, IT APPEARS CHRYSLER KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM, SINCE NEWER VEHICLES HAVE STEMS/SENSORS CONSTRUCTED OF A MORE ROBUST MATERIAL.