[JMatt]

TIREFIT, is the air pump/can of fix-a-flat unit that comes with the SRT-8 instead of a spare tire. The unit comes self contained, with a lighter adapter cord coiled up in the sied, an air hose coiled in the bottom, and the tire sealant hose coiled around the outside bottom of the unit.

NOW THE PROBLEM:

The air hose is stored with the nozzle attached to an air inlet valve on the side of the can of fix-a-flat. Apparently, you hook the air hose to this nozzle and turn the pump on to force the fix a flat out of the can and into your flat tire. Unfortunately, the air hose is STORED ATTACHED TO THE FIX-A-FLAT NOZZLE!!!!!

WHY IS THIS A PROBLEM?

If the air pump is "ON" when you plug the unit in, you will instantaneously spray fix-a-flat all over the place. (Ask me how I know )

WHY IS THIS AN EVEN BIGGER PROBLEM?

Guess the price of the replacement canister of fix-a-flat?

$72
Typical retail price for can of fix-a-flat: $4.50 - $7.99

OUCH! I'd never buy the replacement, except I want the car 100% as original - which includes an unused can of fix-a-flat.


For anyone else out there who may ever use the air pump - you've been warned.

 

[XCITsNU]

This has got to win the, "needless replacement markup award"! Thanks for the warning. So basically, you had better plug it into the tire before turning it on? Or does it kick on automatically when you plug it into the lighter socket? I haven't pulled mine out of the trunk yet to look at it other than the once over for my vehicle inspection at the dealer lot.

 

[Rambit]

Scary. Hope I never have to use it. I noticed there's an expiry date on the can as well. Mine is 2007. I don't know what happens to it after that, but it's only 1 1/2 years from now.

Rambit

 

[jhelmuth]

Why didn't Chrysler put instructions on the TIREFIT product to keep this from happening? This would have been so easy and necessary IMHO from the consumer perspective.

 

[JMatt]

. . . So basically, you had better plug it into the tire before turning it on? Or does it kick on automatically when you plug it into the lighter socket?

There's a "1" "0" on/off switch on top of the unit. I plugged it into the lighter, then hit the switch to make sure I had power. DON'T DO THAT!

Make sure you uncoil the air hose from the unit before turning the unit on. Also, if the unit is accidentally in the "1" (on) position, you will spray fix-a-flat the instant you plug into the lighter.

Incidentally, the unit itself has a pressure guage, and I was using it to check, and properly fill, the tires on my car. What should have been a nice, quick convenience, turned into an hour long nightmare. The sweatshirt and jeans I was wearing appear to be permanently stained, as does my driveway where the fix-a-flat sprayed.

 

[JustForFun]

WOW! Lucky you didn't hit your car with that stuff. Wonder how good that would be for the finish.

This is silly for Chrysler to do this. And $72?!?!?

JFF

 

[Lettercars]

Thanksfor the Heads up ! - That can be messy.

 

[cmego]

Is there spare wheel well in the SRT?

 

[4herb2tas0tik]

Is there spare wheel well in the SRT?

nope

 

[indyCoder]

Hope that wasn't a work day. The judge would love to hear that story

There's a "1" "0" on/off switch on top of the unit. I plugged it into the lighter, then hit the switch to make sure I had power. DON'T DO THAT!

Make sure you uncoil the air hose from the unit before turning the unit on. Also, if the unit is accidentally in the "1" (on) position, you will spray fix-a-flat the instant you plug into the lighter.

Incidentally, the unit itself has a pressure guage, and I was using it to check, and properly fill, the tires on my car. What should have been a nice, quick convenience, turned into an hour long nightmare. The sweatshirt and jeans I was wearing appear to be permanently stained, as does my driveway where the fix-a-flat sprayed.

 

[My Hemi]

Is there spare wheel well in the SRT?

There's a spare wheel well, but not a spare.

 

[XCITsNU]

What would suck is if you were sitting in the car witht he thing on the passenger seat when you plugged it in with it in the ON position. This is a joke. I say we write DCX and let them know this isn't acceptable.

I WOULD BE MORE THAN LIVID IF THAT HAPPENED TO ME AND WOULD PROBABLY DRIVE ALL THE WAY TO CHRYSLER CORPORATE TO LET THEM KNOW THEY WOULD BE FIXING MY INTERIOR!!!

I hope this never happens to anyone...

 

[wyckoffchryslerparts.com]

Just curious. Does the fix-a-flat freeze? I know I had a can of regular fix-a-flat in my shed over the winter and it froze up solid.

 

[steve0.adams]

The reason the tire fit sealant is so expensive is that it is formulated so that it doesn't corrode the plastic on the tpms. all other fix a flat type sealants will corrode the plastic requiring you to replace that tpm. which is about $80. so it is about the same price to just get the fix a flat but more work in getting the tpm replaces

 

[peted55]

somehow my can went off with out it even being plugged it. i went to use it to pump up a bicycle tire and couldent get it out of the storage compartment in the trunk. had to work it back and forth and pry it to break loose the brown goo. it had dried into a sort of rubbery texture so i was able to get most of it off. i had been up north in temps as low as 8 the year before so maybe it froze. bought a couple of cans of fix a flat for emergency and made sure i have towing on my insurance and road side assistance from a couple of places. i,ve gotten into the habit of always looking at my tires for nails and getting them repaired fast.