2008 Dodge Grand Caravan Tires & Wheels Problems

VALVE STEM CORRODED AND CATASTROPHICALLY FAILED. I WAS LUCKY IT DIDN'T END UP EMBEDDED IN MY FACE.

HUB BEARING ASSEMBLY FAILED.THIS A SAFETY ISSUE HAVE CHILDREN AND THIS NEED TO BE FIX HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT REPORTS BY SEVERAL CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE TO COME OUT OF POCKET WHEN THIS IS A DEFECT FROM MANUFACTER.

TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND THEN WENT SOLID WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH. I PULLED OVER TO CHECK MY TIRES. WHEN I STARTED TO UNSCREW THE CAP ON ONE OF THE TIRES, THE VALVE STEM BROKE AND THE TIRE WENT FLAT. I HAD JUST DRIVEN THROUGH A TUNNEL AND WAS HEADED TOWARDS ANOTHER. HAD THE STEM BROKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING, IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE THAT I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE SENSOR NOT READING THE CORRECT TIRE PRESSURE WHICH CAN LEAD TO OVER INFLATING AND A TIRE BLOWING OUT, BUT NOT ON THIS WHICH SEEMS TO BE AFFECTING A LOT OF PEOPLE.

TIRE PRESSURE WAS A BIT LOW ON 2 PASSENGER SIDE TIRES SO ADDED AIR. END OF VALVE STEM (ABOUT 1/4" OF THREAD) BROKE OFF IN THE PUMP NOZZLE TAKING THE VALVE CORE WITH IT IMMEDIATELY RELEASING ALL THE AIR IN THE TIRE IN A SUDDEN RUSH. ON INSPECTION UNIT WAS CORRODED BADLY, SAME SITUATION ON REAR TIRE. THERE IS A RECALL ON THE 2014 DODGE RAM TRUCK FOR THIS VERY ISSUE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS SITUATIONS RECOUNTED ON THE INTERNET OF EXACTLY THIS ISSUE FOR VARIOUS MODEL YEARS OF THE DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. ASIDE FROM THE COST AND INCONVENIENCE OF HAVING TO REPLACE THE TPMS SENSOR, IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN AT HIGH SPEED A CRASH POSSIBLY WITH FATALITIES WOULD LIKELY OCCUR. DODGE/CHRYSLER REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBABLY BECAUSE IT WOULD BE VERY COSTLY FOR THEM TO RESOLVE AND LIKELY SUITS FOR WRONGFUL DEATH AND NEGLIGENCE. *TR

2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO BROKEN TPMS TOWER STEMS. *SMD

UPON NOTICING MY TIRE WAS LOW, WE STARTED TO UNSCREW THE VALVE CAP AND THE STEM FELL APART & PART OF IT SHOT INTO MY HUSBAND'S SHOULDER. THE TIRE WENT IMMEDIATELY FLAT. THIS WAS ON MY FRONT TIRE. THE PIECE JUST DISINTEGRATES IN MY HAND. IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING IT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR

THE TPMS VALVE STEM BROKE AT METAL THREADS RAPIDLY RELEASING AIR FROM TIRE!!! *TR

TIRE LOW PRESSURE INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON AND WHEN I STOPPED TO PUT AIR IN IT THE CAP CAME OFF WITH HALF OF THE VALVE STEM AND THE INSIDE PIECE FLEW OUT AS TIRE DEFLATED. I HAD PREVIOUSLY ASKED THE DEALER TO CHECK AND AIR UP THE TIRES AS THE INDICATOR LIGHT HAD COME ON PREVIOUSLY...WITH IN 45 DAYS. THANKFULLY THIS HAPPENED SITTING STILL. I HAVE THE PARTS AND THE ALUMINUM VALVE SHOWS METAL OXIDATION. THESE ARE HAZARDOUS. I WANTED TO SWITCH TO RUBBER VALVES AND TIRES PLUS SAID IT WAS FEDERALLY MANDATED THAT I COULD NOT AND THEY WOULD LOSE THEIR JOB AND $10K FINE. THE DODGE DEALER WANTED TO $208 TO REPLACE IT. MY PAYMENTS ARE ONLY $244.50...IN THE "OLD DAYS" A RUBBER STEM WAS $1.75 AND COULD MOUNT IT MYSELF AT THE GAS STATION. *TR

BOTH OF THE WHEEL BEARINGS WERE COMPLETELY WORN OUT, CAUSING GRINDING, HARSH ROAD NOISE, AND CLICKING WHEN TURNING. THE BEARINGS ASSEMBLY HAVE BEEN REENGINEERED BY DODGE BUT THEY ARE NOT ISSUING ANY RECALLS. DODGE IS MAKING YOU REPLACE BOTH HUBS AT THE SAME TIME. FAILURE OF THE WHEEL BEARING WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER INSTALLING REPLACEMENT TIRES ON THE VEHICLE, THE TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ADD AIR TO THE TIRE BUT THE VALVE STEM FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TIRE SPECIALIST WHERE THEY ADVISED THAT ALL FOUR OF THE TIRE VALVES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

2ND INCIDENT - TIRE STEM (VALVE) BROKE WHEN REMOVING PLASTIC CAP TO ADD AIR. I REPORTED WHEN THE FIRST VALVE STEM BROKE (TO THIS SYSTEM) ALSO. *TR

DASHBOARD LIGHT INDICATING LOW TIRE PRESSURE CAME ON. WHEN I STOPPED AT SERVICE STATION TO CHECK AND FILL TIRES, I HAD DIFFICULTY REMOVING VALVE CAPS FROM ALL 4 STEMS DUE TO POOR QUALITY OF THE STEMS/CORROSION. WHEN I WENT TO INFLATE FRONT, PASSENGER SIDE TIRE, IT PRACTICALLY CRUMBLED IN MY HANDS! I HAD TO HAVE THE CHEAPLY CONSTRUCTED ALUMINUM VALVE STEM REPLACED, COSTING ME $130! I WANTED TO REPLACE IT WITH A QUALITY, STANDARD, METAL VALVE, BUT WAS TOLD THIS WAS NOT AN OPTION, LEGALLY. ANOTHER CUSTOMER IN THE SERVICE STATION WAITING ROOM TOLD ME HE'D HAD ALL FOUR OF HIS TIRES BLOW, ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING, DUE TO THESE CRAPPY VALVES! HE RECOMMENDED I HAVE ALL 4 REPLACED AS OPPOSED TO JUST THE BROKEN ONE, FOR MY OWN SAFETY AND THAT OF MY FAMILY. I WOULD, IF THE LESS EXPENSIVE METAL VALVE STEMS WERE AN OPTION! THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM!! *TR

FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE VALVE STEM FRACTURED WHEN THE PLASTIC CAP WAS REMOVED, EXPOSING NEEDLE VALVE. *TR

THIS IS THE MOST RECENT FAILURE. LOW TIRE LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN WE TRIED TO PUT AIR IN TIRE THE STEM WAS CRACKED SO COULD NOT PUT AIR INTO TIRE. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIRE ON THIS VEHICLE TO DO THIS. CALLED DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL- WE WERE TOLD NO RECALL. FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED IT WAS SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE THEY COULD REPLACE THE STEM FOR US BECAUSE THEY WERE ON BACK ORDER...THERE HAD BEEN SO MANY PROBLEMS THEY COULDN'T KEEP UP! THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. WE WILL CHANGE OTHER TWO TIRE STEMS RIGHT AWAY TO PREVENT AN ACCIDENT. *TR

2008 GRAND CARAVAN SXT (EQUIPPED WITH A TPMS AIR SENSORS) - WITH THE CHANGE OF WEATHER, THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR LIGHT WENT ON. WHILE CHECKING THE AIR PRESSURE OF THE TIRES, TWO (OF FOUR) OF THE VALVE STEM CAPS WOULD NOT LOOSEN. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE ONE OF THE STUCK VALVE STEM CAPS, THE VALVE STEM SNAPPED OFF - INSTANTLY RELEASING ALL THE AIR IN THE AFFECTED TIRE. THE LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED, PARTS ORDERED, AND AN APPOINTMENT WAS MADE. THEY ARE AWARE OF THE RECURRENT PROBLEM WITH THESE ALUMINUM VALVE STEMS/SENSORS. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME FOR A VALVE STEM TO BREAK ON THIS VEHICLE. (THE LAST ONE OCCURRED AT 43,097 MILES ON 11/7/10.) THERE IS A SAFETY CONCERN WITH THESE FAILED COMPONENTS. WE HAVE NOTICED ON THE INTERNET FORUMS THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY DODGE/CHRYSLER AS A SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD RESULT. *KB

FRONT HUB BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 47,155 MILES. *TR

MARCH 8, 2011; VEHICLE WAS AT DEALER FOR SERVICE,WHILE PERFORMING THE SERVICE THE RIGHT REAR TIRE, PRESSURE SENSOR FELL APART.THIS WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW SENSOR. OTHER SENSORS IN THE OTHER THREE TIRES WERE NOT CHECKED AT THAT TIME. JUNE 5, 2011; COMPUTER WARNED OF LOW TIRE PRESSURE, I ATTEMPTED TO PUT AIR INTO LEFT FRONT TIRE, TOOK THE CAP OFF, PUT THE AIR NOZZLE ON AND THE VALVE STEM BROKE OFF. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I FOUND OUT HOW TO CHANGE A FLAT TIRE. JUNE 6, 2011; I WENT TO A LOCAL TIRE DEALER, SNOW TIRES REMOVED, TO BE REPLACED WITH SUMMER TIRES. THE TECHNICIANS REPORTED THAT TWO OF THE SENSORS, VALVE STEM ASSEMBLY CAME APART. I REQUESTED STANDARD VALUE STEMS TO PUT IN 3 OF THE TIRES.I FEEL THIS IS SAFER, SEEING THAT THE VALVE STEM IS NOW, A ONE PIECE UNIT. NOT SOMETHING THAT TWO PIECES OF METAL THAT ARE ADHERED TOGETHER AND DON'T STAND A CHANCE IN OUR CLIMATE. THIS IS A 3 YEAR OLD VEHICLE, VALUE STEMS ARE 3 YEARS OLD, I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR ALL CONCERNED. I HAVE CONTACTED THE COMPLIANT DEPARTMENT AT CHRYSLER DODGE IN MICHIGAN, AS WHAT WILL BE DONE, DON'T KNOW YET. *TR

WHEN CHECKING TIRE PRESSURE ON VEHICLE, THE REAR PASSENGER VALVE STEM BROKE IN HALF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE THREADS. UPON EXAMINATION, THE CAUSE OF THE BREAK WAS CORROSION OF THE METAL VALVE STEM. THE THREE OTHER VALVE STEMS ARE ALSO CORRODED. CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS CONTACTED, BUT NO HELP WAS GIVEN. THE VALVE STEM AND TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR ARE A ONE PIECE UNIT SO CHANGING THE VALVE STEMS AT THE TIRE CHANGE IS NOT PRACTICAL ($50-75 PER TIRE). DUE TO THE CORROSION AND RESULTING SAFETY CONCERN, ALL FOUR VALVE STEMS AND TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR WILL BE REPLACED AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $200. THE CORRODED VALVE STEM IS AVAILABLE FOR EXAMINATION. IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY, A MAJOR ACCIDENT COULD HAVE RESULTED. *TR

THE TIRE VALVE STEM TIPS (THE END METAL PART), WHICH ARE INTEGRAL WITH THE TPMS, BREAK OFF LEADING TO A SUDDEN AND COMPLETE LOSS OF AIR FROM THE TIRE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE ON TWO DIFFERENT TIRES ON OUR 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. ONCE AT ABOUT 25K AND THE SECOND TIME AT 33K. THE DODGE DEALERSHIP SAYS THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE BUT WILL NOT COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

LAST SUNDAY, 11/7/10, WE WERE RETURNING FROM VACATION (200 MILES FROM HOME) AND NOTICED THE AIR PRESSURE WAS LOW IN OUR L FRONT TIRE OF OUR 2008 GRAND CARAVAN SXT (VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH TPMS AIR SENSORS). WE STOPPED AT A NJ GAS STATION TO FILL THE TIRE WHEN THE VALVE STEM SNAPPED OFF - INSTANTLY RELEASING ALL THE AIR FROM THE TIRE. WE HAD TO PUT ON THE SPARE AND PROCEEDED TO LOOK FOR A PLACE TO REPLACE THE BROKEN VALVE STEM. WE DID FIND ONE SERVICE STATION OPEN ON THE NJ TURNPIKE, BUT THEY STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT PUT IN A STANDARD VALVE STEM AS IT WOULD REQUIRE A CHRYSLER PART. (AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, IT WAS SUNDAY AM.) TO OUR DISMAY, WE HAD TO "LIMP" HOME ON THE "DONUT" WHICH ENTAILED TRAVELING ON SEVERAL MAJOR INTERSTATE. OUR CONCERN IS THE SAFETY FACTOR. WE HAVE NOW NOTICED ON THE INTERNET FORUMS THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THESE ALUMINUM VALVE STEMS AS THERE ARE MULTIPLE REPORTS OF THIS OCCURRING AT APPROXIMATELY 25K-40K MILES. (OUR VEHICLE HAS 43K.) AFTER RETURNING HOME, I CONTACTED A LOCAL DODGE DEALER AND THEY ARE ALSO AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAD TO ORDER THE PART. THURSDAY, 11/11/10, I HAD THE BROKEN VALVE STEM/SENSOR REPLACED ($92.34) AND ASKED FOR THE BROKEN VALVE STEM/SENSOR WHICH WAS GIVEN TO US. WHEN ASKED, THE SERVICE PERSON SAID THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART HAS NOT BEEN MODIFIED TO KEEP THIS FROM OCCURRING AGAIN - EXCEPT FOR A PLASTIC CAP (WHICH, BY THE WAY, THE FIRST ONE HAD). *TR