2003 DODGE SPRINTER Tires Problems

RECALL CAMPAIGN 04V600000 CONCERNING TIRE VALVE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE VEHICLE SWAYED SEVERELY ACROSS THE ROAD. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OFF THE MAIN ROAD, AND NOTICED THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WAS FLAT. THEN, CONSUMER CHANGED THE TIRE, AND DROVE THE VEHICLE TO HIS BROTHER IN LAW'S HOME. HE INFLATED THE TIRE WITH AIR, AND NOTICED AIR LEAKING FROM THE VALVE STEM. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO GET THE OTHER THREE TIRES REPAIRED UNDER THIS RECALL. *AK

I HAVE A 2003 FREIGHTLINER SPRINTER VAN, MADE BY MERCEDES, AND WHILE ON A TRIP I NOTICED A LOW TIRE AND WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO ADD AIR THE VALVE STEM THREADED BRASS PART SEPARATED FROM THE NEOPRENE. I TOOK IT TO A TIRE PLACE AND HAD THE VALVE STEM REPLACED. ABOUT A WEEK LATER, ON THE TRIP BACK TO FLORIDA, I WOKE UP IN THE MORNING TO FIND ANOTHER DIFFERENT TIRE FLAT WITH THE VALVE STEM DELAMINATED AND I CHANGED IT MYSELF. WHEN I GOT HOME, I CONTACTED DODGE FOR HELP GOT A COLD SHOULDER. I THEN HAD ALL 5 DISMOUNTED AND METAL STEMS INSTALLED. I HAVE THE FAILED STEMS IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM. I AM A MEMBER OF A CHAT GROUP DEVOTED TO THE SPRINTER AND SEVERAL OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM. I THINK THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM AND COULD RESULT IN A HIGHWAY...

TIRE VALVES SUDDENLY ALLOW AIR TO ESCAPE FROM WHEEL, A COLLISION COULD HAVE EASILY OCCURRED. FOUND THAT THE VALVE WAS FAULTY, AND FAILED DUE TO HIGH TEMPERATURES GENERATED BY DISC BRAKES.*AK PE04066_CAT

THIS STUFF IS DANGEROUS. I'VE LOST THREE TIRE VALVES IN LESS THAN 1000 MILES AND THE LAST WAS SUDDEN AND VIOLENT. HONESTLY, I THOUGHT I'D DONE SOMETHING WRONG, BUT I'VE USED ONLY MR. CLEAN WASH SYSTEM AND A VERY DILUTE DEGREASER ON THE WHEELS. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO TRY TO REMOVE THE STEMS WITHOUT FURTHER DAMAGING THE VALVES AT DISCOUNT BUT WE PERFOMRED A LITTLE EXPERIMENT BEFORE DISSEMBLING THE TIRE. WE RAN THE PSI UP TO 80 OFF THE VEHICLE AND WATCHED WHERE THE AIR ESCAPED THE VALVE. THERE IS A RUBBER COLLER THAT RUNS ABOUT 1/2 UP THE METAL VALVE STEM. THE AIR LEAKS FROM THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE SEAL WHERE THE RUBBER ENDS AND METAL BEGINS. HOWEVER, ANY SLIGHT PRESSURE OFF-CENTER RESULTS IN AIRFLOW FROM THE JUNCTION OF THE VALVE AND RIM. FURTHER PRESSURE EMPTIES THE TIRE PRETTY QUICK. THE FIRST TWO LEAKS WERE DISCOVERED HISSING IN PARKING...

WHILE STOPPING FOR A RED LIGHT CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE. CFONSUMER GOT OUT OF VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT TIRE FLAT. AAA WAS CALLED, WHO INDICATED THAT THE VALVE STEM BLEW OUT. THE NEXT DAY WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY THE VALVE STEM BLEW OUT AGAIN AT ANOTHER ANOTHER TIRE. *AK *TS PE04066_CAT