NHTSA Complaint #10579052 — 2009 DODGE RAM 1500

TRAVELING EAST BOUND ON STATE ROUTE 17 IN ILLINOIS. AFTER 40MILES INTO TRIP, NOTICED IN SIDE MIRROR THAT DRIVERS SIDE SEEMED TO BE DOWN IN THE REAR COMPARED TO LAST TIME I CHECKED. VEHICLE BEHIND ME WAS ACCELERATING AS TO CATCH UP TO ME. AT THE SAME TIME FELT SLIGHT VIBRATION AND LOOKING AT DASH SAW LOW TIRE WARNING LIGHT COME ON. CONTINUED TO NEXT INTERSECTION AND TURNED LEFT , STOPPED AND INSPECTED TIRE, FOUND THAT THE VALVE STEM WAS MISSING FROM THE RIM OF WHEEL. CHANGE TO SPARE TIRE AND NOTICED THAT IT SOUNDED LIKE THE METAL VALVE STEM WAS IN FLAT TIRE AND RIM. 4-9-14 TOOK MY VEHICLE TO MY DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THE TIRE WAS SHOT BECAUSE OF SIDE WALL DAMAGE, NOTE DISTANCE TRAVELED 50FT. TIRES WERE NEW 15000 MILES PRIOR TO THIS OCCURRENCE . DEALER CHECKED THREE OTHER VALVE STEMS AND FOUND CRACKS IN RETAINING NUTS? STEMS ARE ALUMINUM. ALL STEMS REPLACED ALONG WITH 1 NEW TIRE. COST OF MOUNTING AND BALANCE AND BREAKING DOWN THREE OTHER TIRES AND REPLACEMENT OF NEW RUBBER STYLE VALVE STEMS. TOTAL$ 376.97. LABOR 42.50 PARTS 310.52 SHOPS SUPPLIES 2.13 SALES TAXES 21.82. A RELATIVE OF MINE OWNS SAME TRUCK AND TOOK TO DEALER AND FOUND HIS STEMS WERE CRACKED ON HIS TRUCK ALSO. THIS WAS AS OF TODAYS DATE 4-10-14. DODGE NEEDS TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND NOTICE THE THOUSAND'S OF OTHERS WITH SAME EQUIPMENT. THESE TIRES ACTUALLY BLOW OUT, ACCIDENTS WILL MOST LIKELY HAPPEN. PLEASE ADVISE DODGE THAT OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED AND THESE PEOPLE NEED TO BE PAID IN FULL FOR THE TROUBLES THIS HAS CAUSED. THANK YOU FOR PASSING THIS ALONG, THIS IS A VALUABLE SITE FOR THE GOUGED CONSUMER. G M COULD GET A NEW CUSTOMER HERE. *TR