NHTSA Complaint #10229461 — 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER

2003 PT CRUISER GT 2.4L 96K MILES STARTED TO NOTICE TIRE TREAD PROBLEMS AT 40K. THOUGHT IT WAS A BAD ALIGNMENT FROM NTB AND THEY DID ANOTHER ALIGNMENT FOR NOW CHARGE. 10K LATER AND I AM HAVING TIRES REPLACED AGAIN! ALSO HEAR ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS AND KNOCKING COMING FROM THE FRONT END. TOOK IT IN AND SERVICE TECH RECOMMENDED ALIGNMENT AND FRONT DRIVER SIDE BEARING BE REPLACED. HE ADD THE BUSHINGS ON THE DRIVER SIDE CONTROL ARM WAS GOING BAD BUT NOT NECESSARY FOR IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT. I HAD THE FRONT BEARING REPLACED AND ALIGNMENT DONE. FRONT DRIVERS SIDE BEARING WENT BAD AGAIN BUT ON BOTH SIDES IN THE FRONT AT 88K. NOW I AM BEING TOLD FROM THE CHRYLSER DEALER THAT HUB AND BEARING IN THE FRONT ON BOTH SIDES NEED TO BE REPLACED. 600 BUCKS. JUST SPENT 500 ON NEW TIRES AND I STILL HEAR KNOCKING ON CONTROL ARM. LONG STORY SHORT....THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS WILL NEED TO BE REPLACE ON BOTH SIDES (FRONT), FOLLOWED BY HUB AND BEARING ON BOTH SIDES (FRONT), FOLLOWED BY AN ALIGNMENT OF THE VEHICLE. DOING RESEARCH ONLINE, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF SPECIFIC COMPLAINTS DEALING WITH THE CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS AND/OR BEARINGS GOING BAD AT 15,000 MILES AND UP ON THE 03 GT PT CRUISER 2.4L. CHRYSLER DOES NOTHING FOR THE CONSUMER IN EVERY CASE HENCE THE COMPLAINTS TO FORUMS AND NHTSA.GOV. TO SAY THE LEAST, THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED DAIMLER CHRYSLER AND FIXED BY THEIR EXPENSE. *TR