NHTSA Complaint #10403880 — 2005 DODGE SPRINTER 2500

2005 DODGE SPRINTER (84857 MILES) HAD EMERGENCY BRAKE WORKED ON AT DEALER. APPROXIMATELY 187 MILES AND ROUGHLY 45-50 HOURS LATER THE REAR WHEEL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF VEHICLE FELL OFF. FOUR OF FIVE LUG BOLTS WERE MISSING. THE FIFTH LUG NUT WAS STILL ATTACHED, BUT BADLY BENT. HEAD OF SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID IT WAS COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT ALUMINUM RIMS AND STEEL WHEELS WERE INCOMPATIBLE AND THIS WAS THE REASON FOR THE TIRE FALLING OFF. THE SPRINTER HAD BEEN MAINTAINED SOLELY BY THE DEALER FOR NINETY PERCENT OF IT'S HISTORY COVERING FOUR YEARS AND APPROXIMATELY 80,000 MILES. DEALER DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR INFORMING ME OF THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM AND REFUSED TO PAY FOR ANY OF THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE FAILURE OF THE WHEEL. I PAID TO HAVE STEEL RIMS REPLACE THE ALUMINUM ONES. THE ALUMINUM RIMS, AND REMAINING LUG BOLTS ARE IN MY POSSESSION. *TR