NHTSA Complaint #10464394 — 2010 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

TWICE IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS THE ALUMINUM VALVE STEMS THAT HOLD THE TPMS SENSORS ON OUR GRAND CARAVAN HAVE BROKEN OFF. 1ST INCIDENT IN APRIL WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY AND SECOND WHILE MY WIFE AND CHILDREN, AGE 5 AND 4 YEARS, WERE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE SECOND INCIDENT STRANDED MY WIFE AND CHILDREN IN 100+ DEGREE F HEAT FOR CLOSE TO AN HOUR WHILE THEY HAD TO WAIT FOR AAA TO ARRIVE AND CHANGE THE SPARE FOR THEM. THANKFULLY IT WAS A REAR TIRE THAT BLEW OUT AND NOT A FRONT. COULD HAVE ENDED MUCH WORSE. UPON INSPECTION NOTICED THAT TIRE SIDEWALL HAD EXCESSIVE WEAR FROM LOOSING AIR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND BEING DRIVEN TO SAFE STOPPING POSITION. DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND PURCHASE FOUR NEW TIRES BECAUSE WIFE AND CHILDREN WILL BE TAKING AN EXTENDED DRIVING TRIP SOON. NOTICED THAT THE 2011 AND 2012 MODELS NOW HAVE THE MUCH MORE RELIABLE RUBBER VALVE STEMS AND SENSORS INSTEAD OF THE FAILING ALUMINUM STEMS. A LITTLE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THEY WILL INTERCHANGE DIRECTLY. ASKED DEALER IF THEY WOULD REPLACE ALL FOUR WITH MORE RELIABLE STEM AT TIME OF TIRE CHANGE. SAID YES, BUT ONLY IF I PAY FOR THEM. AMOUNT? CLOSE TO $400.00 WHY SHOULD THE CUSTOMER PAY FOR A PART THAT IS POORLY DESIGNED AND KNOWN FOR FAILURE. A LITTLE RESEARCH OF THE NHTSA WEBSITE FOR MULTIPLE MODEL YEARS OF DODGE AND CHRYSLER VEHICLE SHOWS THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS NOW AND HAS AMASSED A LARGE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS. ARE WE JUST WAITING UNTIL SOME PERSON GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED BEFORE THIS GETS ADDRESSED? LUCKILY MY WIFE AND CHILDREN WERE NOT INJURED, I JUST HOPE EVERYONE ELSE IS JUST AS LUCKY. *TR