NHTSA Complaint #11364386 — 2019 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

I BEGAN HAVING RIM PROBLEMS SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING MY 2019 CORVETTE IN SEPTEMBER 2018. THE CAR HAD A VIBRATION AND MY TIRE STORE SHOWED ME HOW ONE OF THE WHEELS WAS OUT OF ROUND, SO I ORDERED A NEW RIM. SEE UPLOADED PHOTO 0948. MY NEXT PROBLEM WITH VIBRATION OCCURRED WITH THREE OF THE RIMS BEING OUT OF ROUND, SO I TOOK IT TO A WHEEL REPAIR SHOP TO HAVE THEM STRAIGHTENED. SEE UPLOADED PHOTO 0949. LATER ON, VIBRATION CROPPED UP AGAIN, AND I HAD ONE OF THOSE THREE WHEEL AGAIN STRAIGHTENED, PLUS WELDED IN TWO PLACES TO REPAIR AIR LEAKING CRACKS IN THE RIM, SO THE RIM WOULD HOLD AIR. SEE UPLOADED PHOTO 0950. STILL LATER, THAT RIM BEGAN LEAKING AIR AGAIN, SO I HAD THE TIRE SHOP AGAIN STRAIGHTEN AND WELD THE LEAKING CRACK. SEE UPLOADED PHOTO 0969. STILL LATER, ANOTHER RIM WOULD NOT HOLD ANY AIR PRESSURE FOR LONGER THAN ABOUT FOUR HOURS, SO AGAIN THAT RIM WENT TO THE REPAIR SHOP TO BE WELDED. SEE UPLOADED PHOTO 0972. IN SUMMARY, IT SEEMS LIKELY THESE CORVETTE RIMS, WHICH COME WITH LOW PROFILE TIRES, ARE SUBJECT TO LOADS WHICH A CASTING CANNOT ABSORB WHEN ROLLING OVER POTHOLES, SPEEDBUMPS, AND OTHER ROAD ANOMALIES. WITH A NORMAL PROFILE TIRE, THIS WOULD UNLIKELY TO BE A PROBLEM, BUT WITH LOW PROFILE TIRES, THE RIMS ARE ONLY TWO INCHES FROM ANY ROAD ANOMALY. THEREFORE, THE CORVETTE RIMS SHOULD PROBABLY BE MANUFACTURED USING A FORGING PROCESS, RATHER THAN A CASTING PROCESS. OR, THE CORVETTES SHOULD BE DESIGNED TO USE NORMAL PROFILE TIRES INSTEAD OF LOW PROFILE TIRES.