NHTSA Complaint #763992 — 2000 CHRYSLER 300M

THE TIRE/RIM COMBINATION SUFFERS FROM CHRONIC SPORADIC LEAKAGE, PARTICULARLY WHEN POSITIONED ON THE FRONT . ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THE FRONT TIRES HAVE BEEN FOUND TO BE UNDERINFLATED. ON 4 OR 5 OCCASIONS, THE TIRES HAVE GONE COMPLETELY FLAT, SO FAR WHEN THE CAR WAS PARKED FOR A SHORT PERIOD AFTER A 20 MILE RUN. GOODYEAR EXAMINED THE MOST RECENT FAILED TIRE AND RIM AND REPORTED THAT THE RIM WAS EXCESSIVELY CORRODED WHERE THE TIRE SEALS TO IT. FURTHERMORE, ONCE CLEANED WITH A GRINDER, GOODYEAR REPORTED RESIDUAL PITTING THAT COULD AFFECT THE SEAL. CHRYSLER DIPPED THE TIRE AFTER GOODYEAR CLEANED THE RIM AND REINFLATED THE TIRE AND FOUND NO LEAK. CHRYSLER REFUSED TO REMOVE THE TIRES AND INSPECT THE RIMS FOR EXCESSIVE OR ABNORMAL CORROSION THAT MIGHT SUGGEST A DEFECT CAUSING CHRONIC LEAKAGE. CONTINUED USE OF THE VEHICLE IS HAZARDOUS, YET I CAN'T FIND OUT WHETHER THE ISSUE IS WITH THE RIMS, THE TIRES, OR BOTH. CHRYSLER'S RECOMMENDATION IS THAT I START OVER AT ANOTHER DEALER, BUT THEY REFUSED TO INSTRUCT THE DEALER TO REMOVE THE TIRES AND EXAMINE THE RIMS. (THEIR RECOMMENDATION WHEN I INITIALLY CALLED OVER A YEAR AGO WAS TO COMPLAIN TO GOODYEAR.) AT THIS TIME, I HAVE PURCHASED A COMPRESSOR AND AM MONITORING THE INFLATION CAREFULLY. IF HYPER MAINTENANCE PREVENTS A REOCCURRENCE, I WILL STILL NEED TO INSPECT AND POSSIBLY REPLACE THE RIMS DUE TO PITTING WHEN THE TIRES ARE REPLACED FOR WEAR. GOODYEAR HAS PROVIDED EXCELLENT SERVICE; CHRYSLER SEEMS TO BE STONEWALLING.*AK