NHTSA Complaint #748475 — 1998 DODGE DAKOTA

AIR CONDITIONING HOSE LEADING TO ALUMINUM ASSEMBLY FAILED DUE TO CUT IN HOSE. MIDDLE PORTION OF HOSE RESTS DIRECTLY OVER ONE CORNER OF PLASTIC AIR FILTER COVER ASSEMBLY. AT THE CORNER OF AIR FILTER COVER THERE IS A SMALL VERTICAL SPLINE THAT IS PART OF THE MOLDED PASTIC LID COVER. THE THICKNESS OF THE SPLINE IS SIMILAR TO A COMMON PLASTIC PICNIC KNIFE BUT WITHOUT SERRATIONS. APPARENTLY OVER TIME DUE TO VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING, THE HOSE RUBBED AGAINST THIS PLASTIC SPLINE WEARING A 1/4 INCH SLIT/HOLE. WHEN THE HOSE FINALLY RUBBED THROUGH, THE REFRIGERANT DECOMPRESSED RAPIDLY. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY HAZARD AS ALL AUTOMOBLE AIR CONDITIONING REFRIGERANT CONTAINS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF OIL. WHEN THE REFRIGERANT DECOMPRESES EXPLOSIVELY OR EXTREMELY RAPIDLY, IT CREATES A MIST THAT IS HIGHLY FLAMMABLE. TIRES. THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER TIRES (GOODYEAR P235/70 R16) HAVE PREMATURE WEAR AND THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT WHEN BRAKING. EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR HAS TAKEN PLACE TO VARYING DEGRESS ON ALL FOUR TIRES. TIRE WEAR WAS FIRST NOTICED AROUND 25,000 MILES, BUT DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF WEAR, I ESTIMATE IT STARTED AT 20,000 MILES. THESE TIRES ARE RATED FOR 40-45,000 MILES. I DO NOT THINK THE TIRES ARE AT FAULT. SINCE THE TRUCK VEERS TO THE RIGHT WHEN BRAKING, I SUSPECT THAT AN OUT-OF-ALIGNMENT CONDITION EXISTS. PREMATURE TIRE WEAR PRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD IF THE TIRE FAILS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. ALSO, AN OUT-OF-ALIGNMENT CONDITION SHOULD NOT EXIST BEFORE 20-25,000 MILES ON A NEW VECHICLE.*AK