NHTSA Complaint #10559022 — 2009 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON. WHILE FILLING TIRE WITH AIR, THE STEM OF TIRE SNAPPED IN HALF, LETTING ALL THE AIR OUT OF THE TIRE. HAD TO HAVE A NEW SENSOR INSTALLED ($130+). FOUR MONTHS LATER, LOW PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON, TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE TO FIND THAT ANOTHER STEM WAS CRACKED. HAD THAT REPLACED FOR ANOTHER $130. WHILE HAVING TIRES ROTATED, THEY FOUND ANOTHER STEM LEAKING. DEALER REPLACED IT FOR FREE AND TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE THE STEMS ARE ALUMINUM AND THE STEMS ARE TREADED ON THE OUTSIDE AND INSIDE, THEY DO NOT HOLD UP TO ROAD SALTS AND WEATHER. DODGE DID CORRECT THIS PROBLEM IN THE 2011 MODEL VEHICLE BUT HAS NOT RECALLED THE 2009 TIRE STEMS/SENSORS. STILL HAVE THE CAR AND ALL FOUR SENSORS HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED. HORRIBLE ENGINEERING AND DODGE SHOULD HAVE TO PAY TO REPLACE THEM ALL. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE THEY DO NOT THINK ANYONE WILL BE KILLED BY THEIR POOR DESIGN. NOT MUCH OF A CHANCE OF BEING SUED FOR THEIR POOR ENGINEERING. *TR