NHTSA Complaint #10721434 — 2010 JEEP LIBERTY

DRIVING WITH MY WIFE ON I-95 NORTH IN CONNECTICUT EARLY SATURDAY MORNING, OUR RIGHT REAR TIRE INSTANTLY LOST AIR PRESSURE. I SAW THE LOW AIR WARNING LIGHT GO ON FIRST, THEN IMMEDIATELY FELT THE VEHICLE WOBBLE TO THE POINT WHERE I COULD BARELY CONTROL IT. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY GET IT TO THE RIGHT SIDE SHOULDER WHERE I CHANGED THE TIRE. I NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE VALVE WAS MISSING FROM THE RIM. I DID NOT NOTICE ANY NAILS OR OTHER PENETRATIONS OF THE TIRE ITSELF. HAD IT BEEN ONE OF THE FRONT TIRES, I MIGHT HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR. WHEN WE GOT TO A TIRE STORE TO HAVE THE BAD TIRE CHECKED OUT, THE MECHANIC & THE OWNER SAID WE HAD DEFECTIVE AIR PRESSURE SENSOR VALVES AND THAT WE ESSENTIALLY EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT. THE MECHANIC SHOWED US THE OTHER VALVES AND THEY WERE ALL CRACKED AS WELL. WE HAD THEM ALL REPLACED AND HAD TO BUY A NEW TIRE AS WELL. THE CRACKS IN THE SENSOR VALVES WERE OBVIOUS. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY MATTER THAT COULD CAUSE FATALITIES IF THEY HAVE NOT OCCURED ALREADY.