NHTSA Complaint #10178348 — 2002 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

THE WHEELS ON MY 2002 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE, 17" CHROME PLATED ALUMINUM. OEM WHEELS ARE CORRODING. THIS CORROSION IS SEEN ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE WHEEL AND WHEN I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THEM HOLDING AIR I TOOK IT TO SEARS TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CORRECTED. WHEN THE TIRE WAS REMOVED FROM THE WHEEL ITSELF, THE TECH CALLED ME OVER AND SHOWED ME THAT THE WHEEL IS CORRODING ALONG THE ENTIRE SURFACE WHERE IT MEETS WITH THE TIRE. IT APPEARS THAT THE CHROME PLATING WAS AND HAD PEELED OFF ALLOWING THE CORROSION TO START AND THE AIR TO LEAK. HE ALSO POINTED OUT THE CORROSION ON THE HUB OF THE WHEEL WHERE IT MEETS THE AXLE AND IT APPEARS THAT SOME OF THE THICKNESS AT THE HUB HAS CORRODED AWAY. THERE WAS ALSO CORROSION ON THE INSIDE ON THE WHEEL, WHICH MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE TO ME, AS IT IS NOT EXPOSED TO AIR OR WATER. HE ALSO STATED THAT IF ITS LIKE THIS ON ONE ITS LIKE THAT ON ALL. THE TECH AND HIS MANAGER ADVISED ME THAT AT ANY TIME THIS WHEEL COULD JUST CRACK OFF BECAUSE OF THE EXCESSIVE CORROSION. THEY RECOMMENDED THAT I FILE A COMPLAINT WITH YOUR OFFICE. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS ISSUE WITH THESE CHROME PLATED ALUMINUM WHEELS. ALTHOUGH I ONLY FOUND A FEW SIMILAR COMPLAINTS REGISTERED ON YOUR SITE, I WOULD TEND TO BELIEVE THAT ITS A MUCH LARGER ISSUE THAT SIMPLE HASN'T POPPED ITS UGLY HEAD OUT YET. I HOPE AND TRUST THAT YOUR OFFICE WILL TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE AND NOT JUST WRITE IT OFF AS A WEAR AND TEAR FAILURE. I HAVE OWED SEVERAL OTHER VEHICLES AND I WORK IN THE AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE INDUSTRY AND NEVER HAVE I SEEN OR HEARD OF SIMILAR ISSUES WITH OEM WHEELS CORRODING TO THE POINT WHERE THEY HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF CRACKING OFF THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT NEEDS YOUR ATTENTION AND THE ATTENTION OF THE MANUFACTURE. LUCKILY, THERE HAVE BEEN NO ACCIDENTS OR A DEATH RELATED TO THIS DEFECT AND LETS ALL HOPE THAT NEITHER HAPPENS BEFORE ANYTHING WILL BE DONE ABOUT IT. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOUR OFFICE. *JB