2007 Dodge Grand Caravan Tires & Wheels Problems

The contact owns a 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan equipped with Cooper Tires, Tire Line: Evolution Tour, Tire Size: 215/65/R16, DOT Number: (not available). The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the driver’s side front tire experienced a blowout causing the steering wheel to shake. The contact was able to pull over safely and replace the tire. The failure reoccurred while driving however, the front passenger’s side the tire experienced the blowout. The dealer was contacted and stated that the tire was not under warranty. The manufacturer had been notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 112,393.

WHILE TRAVELING ON I-84 IN IDAHO THE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIRE TO FAIL. THE TIRES WERE COOPER CS5 GT 98T SERIAL NUMBER U96V1CW1617

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH OR LESS FOR LESS THAN 5 MINUTES IN CITY TRAFFIC, MY RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. FIRESTONE FR710. PURCHASED 11/30/15

THE TPMS FAILED. THE VALVE STEM CRACKED OFF WHEN ADDING AIR. AIR WAS BEING ADDED BECAUSE THE VALVE STEM WAS LEAKING, AND THE TIRE WAS NEAR FLAT, AND I WANTED TO TAKE IT TO A REPAIR SHOP. THIS IS THE SECOND TPMS VALVE FAILURE I HAVE HAD. FORTUNATELY, BOTH OCCURRED AT A STANDSTILL. I SEE TALES ON THE INTERNET OF FAILURE AT HIGH SPEED, FOLLOWED BY VARY RAPID DECOMPRESSION AND TIRE FAILURE. EXPENSIVE, IF NOT UNSAFE. IN MY OWN CASE, WITH OVER 50 YEARS DRIVING EXPERIENCE AND 2 YEARS AS A MECHANIC, I HAVE NEVER SEEN A VALVE STEM FAILURE BEFORE. NOW, I HAVE TWO. EXPERT MECHANICS ARE ADVISING TO REPLACE THEM WITH STANDARD VALVES, AND I WILL. FROM AN ECONOMIC VIEW, THE SEVERAL FAILURES OF THE STEMS, AND STEM FAILURES, HAVE COST ME ABOUT 6 CENTS PER MILE. GAS HAS COST ME ABOUT 18 CENTS PER MILE (AT TODAYS COST). THUS, THE TPMS SYSTEM MAINTENANCE IS ABOUT 1/3 OF THE GAS COST. I DOUBT VERY SERIOUSLY THAT THE TPMS SYSTEM SAVES THAT MUCH IN GASOLINE USE. BUT FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, I AM NOT WILLING TO RISK SUDDEN DEPRESSURIZATION FOLLOWED BY TIRE DESTRUCTION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THUS, I WILL BE PULLING THOSE OUT BEFORE MY NEXT HIGHWAY TRIP. AFTER TALKING WITH SEVERAL MECHANICS, LOOKING AT THE DESIGNS, AND LOOKING AT EXPERIENCES OF OTHERS, I CONCLUDE THAT TPMS IS A GOOD IDEA WITH A BAD EXECUTION. IF THEY ARE NOT (NEARLY AS SECURE) AS OLDER VALVE STEMS, THEY SHOULD BE DE-MANDATED. FINALLY, I NOTE THAT AT LEAST SOME OF THESE HAVE MERCURY IN THE PACKAGE AS A ROTARY SWITCH. AS MUCH AS WE ARE SPENDING TO REMOVE MERCURY FROM THE ENVIRONMENT . . . *TR

SPARE TIRE WINCH CARRIER FAILED CAUSING SPARE TIRE TO COME LOOSE. SPARE TIRE STRUCK THE LEFT REAR WHEEL AND CAUSED A BLOW OUT. INSPECTION OF THE WINCH REVEALED A FRAYED STEEL CABLE WITH THE ENTIRE "DOG BONE", CARRIER ASSEMBLY, AND SPARE TIRE MISSING. SPARE TIRE AND CARRIER ASSEMBLY WAS NOT ABLE TO BE RECOVERED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE FOR AN OIL CHANGE, THE TIRE VALVE STEM IN THE TREAD HOUSING FRACTURED. AS A RESULT, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE DEFLATED AND THE TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR INDICATOR WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 76,000.

THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM HAS EXPERIENCED A FAILURE ON THE LEFT FRONT TIRE WHILE TRAVELING UNDER 30MPH, COULD HAVE CAUSE POTENTIAL HAZAROUS SITUATION IF OCCURRED AT HIGHER RATE OF SPEED. *TR

THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS (BOTH DRIVERS SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE) ON MY 2007 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WITH 56,000 WERE FOUND TO BE LOOSE WHILE MY CAR WAS GETTING ITS BRAKES REPLACED. UNSURE IF I WAS JUST BEING TOLD THAT MY REAR WHEEL BEARINGS WERE NEEDING TO BE REPLACED, I TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT GARAGE. I WAS INFORMED MY REAR WHEEL BEARINGS WERE SO BAD, I PROBABLY SHOULD NOT DRIVE IT ALL WITH MY SON. THEY WERE REPLACED AT COST OF $605. WHEN I LOOKED UP REAR WHEEL BEARINGS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS, IT MADE ME REALIZE THIS IS HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AND IT WAS BOTH OF THEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CONTACT FELT AN IMBALANCE IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. AS HE ATTEMPTED TO DECELERATE AND PULL OVER, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL DETACHED AND ROLLED DOWN THE ROAD. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH. HE STATED THAT THE LUG STRUTS FRACTURED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO EXPLAIN THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 5,500.