NHTSA Complaint #10133058 — 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER

ON SATURDAY AUG 13, 2005 MY WIFE AND I HAD A FLAT ON OUR 2001 PT CRUISER ON THE RIGHT FRONT. ON MONDAY AUG 15, 2005 I TOOK THE TIRE AND HAD IT FIXED. THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE CHROME ON THE INSIDE OF THE RIM WAS PEELING AND THE TIRE WAS NOT ADHERING TO THE RIM. ON TUESDAY AUG 16TH I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE CHRYSLER DEALER AND HAD THEM LOOK AT THE PROBLEM. THEY CONFIRMED WHAT THE TIRE DEALER SAID. I TALKED WITH THE GARAGE ADVISOR AND HE STATED THAT I WAS NOT THE FIRST PERSON WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE SOLUTION WAS TO BUY NEW RIMS. I CALLED THE CHRYSLER HOT LINE NUMBER 1-800-992-1997 AND SPOKE WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE REPS CRYSTAL AND CAROL AND FINALLY CAROL SAID THAT THE 3 YEAR WARRANTY WAS UP. MY PROBLEM WITH THIS IS THAT THE RIMS ARE STARTING TO PEEL ON THE EARLY ADDITIONS OF THE MAKE OF CAR AND THAT IT HAS TAKEN 5 YEARS OR SO FOR THIS TO BE NOTICED. MY FLAT TIRE CAME ON I-465 IN INDIANAPOLIS AT 60 MPH. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT, BUT IF THIS HAS HAPPENED ON MORE THAN ONE CAR IN INDIANAPOLIS, WHAT ABOUT THE NATION. I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH A RIM THAT DOESN'T LAST FOR MORE THAN 5 YEARS AND ITS IMPOSSIBLE TO DETECT UNTIL IT HAPPENS. I ASKED CAROL, AT CHRYSLER, ON WHAT IT TOOK TO START A RECALL OR HAVE SOMEONE LOOK INTO IT AND ALL SHE SAID WAS THAT SHE WOULD PUT IT ON FILE. MIKE, AT MY DEALERS, SAID THAT ALL MY RIMS WERE STARTING TO DO THIS. THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THESE RIMS. MY CAR HAS 42,000 MILES ON IT. MOST OF THESE TYPE OF CARS ARE OWNED BY OLDER PEOPLE AND THEY MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO HANDLED A BLOW OUT. *JB