NHTSA Complaint #10574110 — 2005 DODGE MAGNUM

ON MARCH 19, 2014, WHILE CLEANING MY 2005 DODGE MAGNUM, I NOTICED A SMALL AIR LEAK ON THE LEFT REAR TIRE. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I DISCOVERED A NAIL IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. I DROVE THE CAR DOWN THE ROAD TO THE TIRE CENTER TO HAVE THE TIRE REPLACED. THE REPLACEMENT FOR THE TIRE WAS COVERED BY THE ROADSIDE HAZARD COVERAGE. I FIGURED I WOULD KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE AND ALSO HAVE THE TIRES ROTATED AND THE ALIGNMENT CHECKED. WHEN I GOT TO THE TIRE CENTER, THEY SAID THEY COULD REPLACE THE TIRE BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO WAIT TILL THE NEXT MORNING BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE THE TIRE IN STOCK. THE NEXT MORNING THE TIRE CENTER CALLED AND SAID THEY COULD NOT GET ANY OF THE TIRES OFF BECAUSE 13 OF THE 20 LUG NUTS CHROME DECORATING WAS JUST SPINNING AROUND THE LUG NUT AND WOULD HAVE TO BE CUT AND REQUIRE REPLACEMENT LUG NUTS. I TOLD THE TIRE CENTER THIS COULD NOT BE HAPPENING AGAIN. THE LUG NUTS HAD BEEN REPLACED PRIOR BY THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE VERY SAME ISSUE. THE TIRE CENTER INFORMED ME THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION TO THE CHRYSLER (DODGE) OEM LUG NUTS. I ALSO DISCOVERED DURING A GOOGLE SEARCH THAT THERE ARE OVER 200,000 DODGE CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS VERY SAME ISSUE. THE COST FOR CUTTING OFF THE LUG NUTS AND REPLACEMENT WAS $300. THE TOTAL AMOUNT PAID FOR LUG NUT REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT SINCE PURCHASING THE DODGE MAGNUM IN 2005 IS OVER $600. FORTUNATELY FOR ME, I WAS NOT ON TRAVEL. IF SO, I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PUT ON THE SPARE AND WOULD HAVE HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK. REQUEST NHTSA INVESTIGATE WHY CHRYSLER (DODGE) AND ITS SUPPLIERS CONTINUE TO USE FAULTY, POOR ENGINEERED, LUG NUTS ON ITS AUTOMOBILES. REQUEST CHRYSLER AND ITS SUPPLIERS BE DIRECTED TO RECALL AND REIMBURSE ITS DODGE CUSTOMERS FOR THE FAULTY LUG NUT. THE LUG NUTS REMOVED ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE INVESTIGATION. DODGE HAS BEEN CONTACTED. CASE PENDING REVIEW. *TR