2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER Wheels Problems

I HAVE ALWAYS HAD TROUBLE KEEPING AIR IN THE TIRE OF THIS CAR. I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER OWNERS AND THEY TO HAVE HAD TROUBLE. IT IS THE CHROME WHEELS THAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. WE HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT BUT I'M SURE SOME ONE HAS. IT ALSO HAPPENED IN MY DAUGHTERS STRATUS RT , CHROME WHEELS. I TALKED TO GM PEOPLE THAT HAD CHROME WHEEL FROM THAT ERA AND THEY TO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE CHROME WHEELS. I WAS WONDERING IF YOU HAVE HAD ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE. I STILL HAVE THE CAR BUT MY DAUGHTER GOT RID OF HERS. WE HAD TO PUT ANOTHER TIRE ON THE CAR THIS WEEK BECAUSE THE TIRES KEEP LOSING AIR. I TALKED TO THE DEALERSHIP YEARS BACK AND THEY SAID THERE WAS KNOW PROBLEM. I SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS YEARS AGO BUT NEVER DID.

THE CHROME RIMS LEAK AIR BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN LEECHING (PEELING) SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE ONLY OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR 6 YEARS (I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE WITH APPROXIMATELY 68,000 MILES) AND HAVE AVERAGED 8700 MILES PER YEAR. I HAVE HAD THE RIMS SEALED AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE BUT THE SEALS ONLY LAST FOR SHORT PERIODS DUE TO THE CONSTANT PEELING. CURRENTLY, I HAVE TO FILL THE TIRES WITH AT LEAST 20 POUNDS OF AIR EVERY 2-3 DAYS. MY BIGGEST FEAR IS THAT THEY WILL FAIL WHILE I AM DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR

I WAS MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN FROM A MAIN ROAD ONTO A SIDE STREET. WHILE THE CAR WAS TURNING, I HEARD A CLUNK AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS JERKED FROM MY HANDS. THE CAR PULLED HARD TO THE RIGHT AND CRASHED INTO THE CURB. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THE SERVICE TECH SHOWED ME THE ENGINE CRADLE WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT AND THE K FRAME WAS CRACKED ALL THE WAY THRU. IT'S TO RUSTED TO BE WELDED AND I WAS TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE CRUISER AND DODGE NEON, SINCE THEY USE THE SAME FRAME. THE TECH ALSO TOLD ME I WAS LUCKY THAT I WASN'T MOVING AT HIGH SPEED OR THE RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT CHRYSLER IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, THEY ARE COMPLETELY OUT OF REPLACEMENT PARTS, AND THEY BASICALLY IGNORE ANY COMPLAINTS. *JB

ACCORDING TO THE REPAIR SHOP, THE REASON WHY TIRES ARE LOSING AIR SO FREQUENTLY IS BECAUSE THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE RIMS. I HAVE NOW PUT 2 SETS OF 4 BRAND NEW TIRES ON THIS CAR W/IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND THE TIRES ARE STILL LOSING AIR SO MUCH SO THAT I MUST STOP AT LEAST 2X/WEEK TO PUT AIR IN THEM. I WAS JUST READING THE COMPLAINTS AND CAME ACROSS OTHER REPORTS OF THIS SAME INCIDENT. WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS AS A RECALL SINCE IT'S NOT JUST MY CAR ALONE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE CONSTANTLY GOING FLAT ALTHOUGH SHE REPLACED THE TIRES THREE TIMES IN AN UNUSUALLY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE RIMS WERE CAUSING THE TIRES TO GO FLAT. AS A RESULT, THE RIMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 92,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THE RIMS ON THE VEHICLE CAUSED THE TIRES TO LOSE AIR. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RIMS ALLOWED MOISTURE AND AIR INTO THE TIRES WHICH CAUSED THE AIR TO RELEASE. THE CONTACT STATED THE RIMS WERE FACTORY RIMS FROM CHRYSLER. THE DEALER STATED THE RIMS COULD ONLY BE RESEALED, BUT NOT REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THE TIRES WILL LOSE AIR OVER NIGHT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

I HAVE A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER WHICH HAS THE 5 SPOKE WHEELS ON IT AND ALL HAVE THE CHROME COMING OFF AND THE TIRES KEEP GOING FLAT. I HAVE REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES THINKING THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. THEN GOODYEAR SHOWED ME THE WHEEL WHEN THEY HAD IT OFF THE CAR AND THE TIRE OFF. IT WAS CRACKED AND THE CHROME IS COMING OFF INSIDE AND ON THE OUTSIDE. MY TIRES GOING FLAT IS BEING CAUSED BY THE WHEELS. NOW I NEED TO REPLACE THOSE TOO. *TR

2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT 5-SPOKE CHROME-PLATED WHEELS ENDEMIC CORROSION PROBLEMS. CORROSION CAUSES TIRES TO LEAK AND GO FLAT. DUE TO OEM-EQUIVALENT SIZE TIRES BEING LOW PROFILE, DIFFICULT TO VISUALLY SEE WHEN TIRES ARE LOW OR DEFLATED. HAVE HAD MULTIPLE TIRE FAILURES DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. TIRES WITH LOW PRESSURES OR FLAT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS CREATE DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. *TR

MY WHEELS ON MY 01 PT CRUISER ARE CAUSING MY TIRES TO GO FLAT EVERY 2 TO 3 DAYS. THE WHEELS ARE ALLOY WHEELS THAT ARE PEELING AND CORRODED. I HAVE SPOKEN TO CHRYSLER AND THEY SAID UNLESS THEY HAVE REGULAR MAINTENANCE THAT THEY WILL CORRODE. I THINK THAT THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE FROM RUNNING YOUR TIRES TOO LOW FROM AIR LOSE DUE TO THE WHEELS. I HAVE READ OVER HUNDREDS OF CUSTOMERS WITH THE SAME ISSUES ON THIS CHRYSLER PRODUCT. WHAT CAN BE DONE? *TR

IN ONE MONTH'S TIME, I HAVE HAD 5 FLAT TIRES. AFTER THE SECOND FLAT, I WENT TO A TIRE DEALER. THE TIRE TREAD WAS LOW BUT THE TIRES WERE NOT BALD. I DECIDED TO HAVE ALL 4 TIRES REPLACED. IN THE LAST 2 WEEKS, I HAVE HAD TO CALL AAA FOR 3 FLAT TIRES. AFTER THE FIRST CALL, I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE TIRE DEALER. HE SHOWED ME THE WHEELS THAT ARE COMPLETELY CORRODED. THEY SAID THAT CHRYSLER HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR 10 YEARS BUT NOTHING IS EVER DONE. I'M IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO FIND NEW WHEELS BUT IN THE WEEK SINCE I HAD THE CAR IN, I HAVE HAD ANOTHER FLAT. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THIS HAPPENED BUT LUCKILY HAD GOTTEN A RIDE WITH SOMEONE ELSE. WHEN ARE THESE DEFECTIVE WHEELS GOING TO BE RECALLED. THEY ARE CREATING POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING...

2001 PT CRUISER, TIRES WERE ALWAYS DEFLATING AND I HAD TO KEEP ADDING AIR TO KEEP THEM AT PROPER INFLATION. I WENT TO A TIRE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE CHROME RIMS. THEY WERE BASICALLY FALLING APART. I HAD TO BUY NEW RIMS TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE PT CRUISER. *TR

THE RIMS/WHEELS HAVE BEEN CORRODING SEVERELY OVER THE LAST 1.5 YEARS, CAUSING MULTIPLE FLAT TIRES ON MY CAR. THIS HAS PROVEN TO BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I'VE BEEN TO VARIOUS MECHANICS WHO HAVE STATED THAT SEVERAL OF THE PT CRUISERS HE'S WORKED ON, HAVE HAD THIS SAME FLAW. IF THERE ISN'T A RESOLUTION, I WILL NOT PURCHASE ANOTHER CHRYSLER PRODUCT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I HOPE FOR A JUST RESOLUTION IN THIS MATTER. DONNA KLOSS *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE TIRES WERE CONTINUOUSLY FLAT AND THE CONTACT HAD TO ADD AIR IN THEM EVERY OTHER DAY. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CHROME WAS FLAKING INSIDE THE WHEELS AND DAMAGED THE TIRES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY COULD SCRAPE THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL, BUT WERE UNSURE IF THAT WOULD CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 49,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE FLATTENED. THE CONTACT PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND CHANGED THE TIRE. A MECHANIC STATED THAT THE WHEELS WERE CORRODING. HE DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY TEN MONTHS BEFORE THE FAILURE RECURRED WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH CHRYSLER AND THEY STATED THAT THE SEAL WAS PROBABLY LOOSE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 51,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000. UPDATED 01-29-08. *KB

I OWN A 2001 PT CRUISER. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW. I HAVE A CONCERN THAT MAY LEAD TO A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT CHROME PLATED ALUMINUM WHEELS SUPPLIED WITH THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE BEEN NOTICING ABNORMAL DETERIORATION OF THE ALUMINUM WHEELS ON THIS VEHICLE. THERE APPEARS TO BE SOME TYPE OF GALVANIC REACTION BETWEEN THE ALUMINUM WHEEL AND THE STEEL OF THE WHEEL HUBS. THIS DETERIORATION APPEARS TO BE DUE TO A BAD FIT BETWEEN THE ALUMINUM WHEEL AND THE BEARING HUB. THIS DETERIORATION HAS PROGRESSED TO THE POINT WHERE THE WHEEL BOLT (LUGS) PATTERN IS AFFECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NO HELP WHEN THIS ISSUE WAS RAISED WITH THEM. MY FEAR IS THAT, IF LEFT UNCORRECTED, THE WHEEL COULD FAIL CATASTROPHICALLY AT HIGH SPEEDS. THIS MAY BE TYPICAL OF SEVERAL YEAR FOR THIS VEHICLE TYPE. *JB

(1) LOSS OF TIRE AIR PRESSURE NOTICED ON TWO DIFFERENT WHEELS, THREE WEEKS APART. (2) PRESSURE LOSS DUE TO CORROSION ON CHROME-PLATED ALLOY WHEELS ON 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. (3) TEMPORARY CORRECTION WAS TO GRIND CORROSION AND SEAL THE BEAD WITH TRUCK WHEEL SEALER. UPON CONVERSATION WITH A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD THAT ULTIMATELY THE WHEELS WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED, AS THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE. I WAS FURTHER TOLD THAT, IN FACT, THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED TOTAL WHEEL FAILURE DUE TO CORROSION (HOLES ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE WHEEL). UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT THIS HAS ALSO BEEN THE CASE WITH CHRYSLER 300S AND DODGE DURANGOS. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE CHROME PLATED WHEELS CORRODED, CAUSING THE TIRES TO GO FLAT. THE SEAL BROKE AND CAUSED THE AIR TO LEAK OUT INSTANTLY. THE WHEELS HAVE NOT BEEN REPLACED AT THIS TIME. THE TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED, AND THE RIMS HAVE BEEN RESEALED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE THESE CHROME PLATED WHEELS UNDER WARRANTY.*AK UPDATED 11/29/2005 - *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE LOSING AIR PRESSURE. THE FLUCTUATION IN THE CHANGE OF WEATHER DETERMINED WHICH TIRE WAS AFFECTED. A LOCAL TIRE DEALER SAID THE PROBLEM WAS THE DESIGN OF THE WHEELS. THE WHEELS WERE CHROME OVER ALUMINUM. THE WHEEL BUILD UP WITH CORROSION AND PREVENTED THE SEALING OF THE TIRE. THE SERVICE DEALER HAS NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE THE EXACT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

DT: THE VEHICLE IS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE WALLS OF THE WHEEL ARE LOSING THE ALUMINUM. THIS IS CAUSING THE TIRES TO LOOSE THE SEAL AND GO FLAT. THE AUTOMOBILE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE PT CRUISER.*AK

TIRE LOOSES AIR DUE TO DEFECT OF WHEELS. MANUFACTURER AGREED TO REPLACE BOTH REAR WHEELS. NOW SHE IS EXPERIENCING SAME PROBLEM WITH BOTH FRONT WHEELS. WHEN CONTACTING MANUFACTURER, THEY WOULD NOT ACCOMMODATE TO REPLACE REAR WHEELS. THIS IS FOR A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. *NM......*AK

DETERIORATION WAS FOUND AROUND AND UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER'S WHEELS ON ALL FOUR TIRES. DRIVER'S TIRE BLEW OUT DUE TO THE WHEEL CORROSION. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT THIS PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. CONSUMER INFORMED MECHANIC THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE, AND HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *AK

CHROME CORRODING AND FLAKING OFF ON ORIGINAL 16" TIRES. FIRST NOTICED IN 6/2003. DEALERSHIP OFFERED TO REPLACE ONE RIM FOR A CO-PAY OF $100 DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF DAMAGE. BUT WILL NOT HELP WITH ONE SHOWING SLIGHTER DAMAGE. *PH

THE CONSUMER HIT A CEMENT DIVIDER HEAD ON, ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE STEERING AND WHEEL TRACTION HAD GONE OUT, ALSO THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. REFER ODI #770588, 1006108 SCC

CHROME IS FLAKING OFF WHEEL CAUSING THE WHEEL TO LOSE AIR

AFTER 1 1/2 YEARS OF FRONT END PULLING, UNEVENNESS AND STEERING WHEEL WOBBLE, DEALER CONCLUDED FAULTY TIRES. GOODYEAR THEN CONCLUDED CAUSE TO BE OUT-OF-ROUND OEM CHRYSLER 16" CHROME WHEELS. GOODYEAR DID NOT REPLACE THE TIRES FREE OF CHARGE, I HAD TO PAY FOR THE PRO-RATION. AS OF THIS WRITING, AM AWAITING TO SPEAK WITH CHRYSLER SERVICE ZONE REP ABOUT THE PROBLEM. I HAVE REQUESTED CHRYSLER REIMBURSE FOR THE TWO FRONT TIRES, PAY FOR REAR TIRE REPLACEMENTS, AND REPLACE ALL FOUR CHROME WHEELS WITH NEW ONES. GOODYEAR STORE MANAGER CONFIRMED MANY PT CRUISERS HAVE BEEN IN HIS SHOP, MISDIAGNOSED BY DEALER TO BE FAULTY TIRES, ONLY TO DISCOVER THE OEM CHRYSLER CHROME WHEELS ARE OUT-OF-ROUND. ALSO TOLD ME 1) EITHER THE OEM WHEELS ARE DEFECTIVE IN MANUFACTURE, OR 2) THE DESIGN OF THE PT CRUISER IS CAUSING ONLY THE CHROME WHEELS TO BECOME OUT-OF-ROUND UPON NORMAL DRIVING/USAGE. MY GOODYEAR TIRES WERE/ARE...