NHTSA Complaint #10509702 — 2009 DODGE RAM 1500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE VALVE STEM WAS CORRODED, CAUSING THE TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR TO FRACTURE. ALL FOUR ALUMINUM VALVE STEM WERE REPLACED WITH RUBBER VALVE STEMS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,761. *TR THE CONSUMER STATED AS HE WAS TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE, THE TIRE SENSOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AT THAT POINT HE DID NOT NOTICE ANYTHING UNUSUAL WITH THE HANDLING OF THE VEHICLE OR THE ORIENTATION OF THE VEHICLE. THE NEXT THING HE KNEW. HE HEARD A LOUD POP AND THEN FELT SOMETHING OCCURRING WITH A WHEEL ON THE REAR OF TRUCK. THE TIRE QUICKLY WENT FLAT AS HE WAS SLOWING DOWN . ONCE HE STOPPED, HE EXITED THE VEHICLE AND SAW THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WAS TOTALLY FLAT AND TRUCK WAS SITTING ON THE RIM. THE CONSUMER CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, AND THE TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH THE SPARE. THE CONSUMER IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE TIRE INSPECTED. THE DEALER DISCOVERED WHAT CAUSED THE BLOW OUT. IT WAS NOT ANYTHING THE CONSUMER RAN OVER, OR A DEFECT IN THE TIRE. AS THEY DESCRIBED IT, THE TIRE STEM ACTUALLY BROKE OFF DUE TO OXIDATION OCCURRING BETWEEN THE ALUMINUM STEM AND WHEEL/RIM METAL THUS CAUSING THE STEM TO RUST AND ULTIMATELY BREAK. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, CHRYSLER HAD ISSUES WITH THE ALUMINUM STEMS AND WERE GOING BACK TO USING SYNTHETIC RUBBER BASED SENSOR TIRES. UPDATED 06/04/13 THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER ADVISED THE FUEL TANK STRAP RUSTED AWAY FROM THE FRAME CAUSING THE FRONT PART OF THE TANK TO DROPPED. THE STRAP WAS RUBBING AGAINST THE DRIVE SHAFT WHENEVER THE TANK SHIFTED CAUSING A GRINDING NOISE. THE STRAPS WERE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS. UPDATED 06/27/2017*JS