Centerline Wheels - valve stem sheared off on 17" rim twice so far - company won't pay to fix design flaw

Complaints.com received the following consumer message on August 15, 2002:

From:

RE: Centerline Wheels - valve stem sheared off on 17" rim twice so far - company won't pay to fix design flaw

I had purchased a set of seventeen inch Centerline rims, and have had nothing but problems. The manufacturing process didn't identify the centerpiece which protrudes and applies pressure to the valve stem causing it to eventually shear off and rapidly flatten my tire. Since I'm running low profile tires with the rims it is hard to identify flat tires until hitting something that feels solid. I've had two shear off so far and have spent hundreds in tires and wheel repairs or replacement but still more is needed to remove numerous dents that even when repaired won't look like they did before. I've contacted Centerline on several occasions and have been told I must pay to have them shipped to Los Angeles where they will alter the rims.

I paid for these rims with this flaw and Centerline expected me to pay for them to be fixed. Centerline manufactured this problem and should be the ones paying to ship or replace the rims. Being a full time student currently money is understandably tight, and my believe this that if the rims can't be safely manufactured they shouldn't be manufactured at all.

My occasional two year old passenger's safety is of up most importance, and having a blow out can obviously have very dangerous results. Centerline apparently cares more about the money then the safety of their customers and for that reason I'm warning possible customers of the dangers some Centerline rims can result in, and their lack of doing what is morally and ethically right because of losing a buck or two. Just Concerned,

Brian