NHTSA Complaint #767315 — 2000 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE

SINCE I PURCHASED THE ECLIPSE IN JUNE OF 2002, I HAVE BEEN PLAGUED WITH DEFLATING TIRES AND FLATS. NO ONE HAD DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM UNTIL 9/16/2002 WHEN I SUFFERED ANOTHER FLAT. THE PREVIOUS FRIDAY I HAD STOPPED TO HAVE AIR PRESSURE CHECKED AND WAS TOLD THE PRESSURE WAS FINE. HOWEVER, ON THE MORNING OF 9/16/2002 I SUFFERED ANOTHER FLAT TIRE. THIS TIME THE TIRE SHOP RECOGNIZED THAT THREE OF FOUR RIMS WERE BENT. I WENT TO MITSUBISHI, STERLING VA, TO PURCHASE A RIM. UPON RETURN TO THE TIRE STORE WITH THE RIM, THEY INSPECTED ALL RIMS AND SAID THAT TWO OTHERS WERE BENT. I ENDED UP REPLACING ALL FOUR TIRES (OVER $800) AND ONE RIM. ON 9/17/2002 I CALLED MITSUBISHI IN CALIFORNIA AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE 17" ALLOY WHEELS BUT NO RECALL. MY CONCERNS ABOUT SAFETY AND NAGGING LOW TIRE PRESSURE WAS RECOGNIZED. HOWEVER, I WAS TOLD TO HAVE MY RIMS INSPECTED BY A MITSUBISHI DEALER AND HOPE THE DISTRICT MANAGER WOULD WORK WITH ME. I FEEL THAT IF THE COMPANY KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM THEY SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE STEPS TO MAKE ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES SAFE WITHOUT BEING TOLD BY NHTSA TO DO A RECALL. I WOULD LIKE ALL MY RIMS REPLACED BY THE COMPANY AS WELL AS TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF THE NEW TIRES.*AK