NHTSA Complaint #10507205 — 2009 VOLVO S80

ONE OF THE NICE SAFETY FEATURES ON THIS VEHICLE IS THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS), WHICH DETECTS UNDER-INFLATED TIRES. DRIVING ON UNDER-INFLATED TIRES CAN AFFECT A VEHICLE'S HANDLING AND STOPPING ABILITY RESULTING IN A CRASH. LAST WEEK MY PREGNANT WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR (DAUGHTER IN THE BACK SEAT) ON A BUSY HIGHWAY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE TPMS LIGHT CAME ON AND STATED, "TIRE NEEDS AIR NOW." SO MY WIFE GOT OFF THE BUSY HIGHWAY AND CALLED VOLVO ROADSIDE SERVICE FOR A TIRE CHANGE, AS THE LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS COMPLETELY FLAT. WE TOOK THE FLAT TIRE TO A MECHANIC, WHO NOTICED THAT THE TIRE VALVE STEM WAS INSIDE THE WHEEL, SO HE REPLACED THE TIRE AND TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SENSOR. YESTERDAY, I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON THE INTERSTATE, WHEN THE TPMS LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND STATED, "TIRE NEEDS AIR NOW." SO I PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND CALLED VOLVO ROADSIDE SERVICE FOR A TIRE CHANGE, AS THE LEFT REAR TIRE WAS COMPLETELY FLAT. TWO FLAT TIRES WITHIN ONE WEEK AND BOTH WITH THE TIRE VALVE STEMS LOOSE INSIDE THE WHEEL. NOW I REALIZED THE PROBLEM IS DUE TO FAULTY HEX NUTS, SO I CHECKED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICE THAT THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL HAD A CRACKED HEX NUT. THIS IS NOT A COINCIDENCE, AS THREE OUT OF FOUR HEX NUTS WERE FAULTY. THIS FAULTY PART HAS CAUSED UNNECESSARY DAMAGE AND COSTLY REPAIRS. THE REASON WE HAVE A VOLVO IN THE FIRST PLACE IS FOR SAFETY; HOWEVER, MY CONCERN IS THAT VOLVO IS USING INFERIOR HEX NUTS, WHICH COULD CAUSE UNEXPECTED FLAT TIRES RESULTING IN A CAR ACCIDENT. THE FAULTY HEX NUTS ARE A "TICKING TIME BOMB" AND FEEL IT IS MY CIVIC DUTY TO INFORM VOLVO AND THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES OF THIS ISSUE TO ENSURE THAT ANY NECESSARY ACTION IS TAKEN TO AVOID CAR ACCIDENTS AS A RESULT OF THIS PROBLEM ON OTHER VOLVO VEHICLES. *TR