2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER Wheelsrim Problems

THE ORIGINAL CHROME WHEELS ON MY CHRYSLER 2001 PT CRUISER HAVE CONTINUALLY LOST AIR FOR AT LEAST THE PAST TWO YEARS. I HAVE TO ADD AIR EVERY SEVERAL DAYS. BOTH THE MECHANIC AT THE TIRE SHOP AND MY OWN MECHANIC SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TIRES, BUT THE PITTING OF THE WHEELS WAS CAUSING AIR TO LEAK OUT. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN ON A SIX YEAR OLD CAR WITH 80,000 MILES. I WAS UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE DEALER BECAUSE OWNERSHIP HAS CHANGED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF AIR AT HIGH SPEED AND LEAD TO A CRASH. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED ON SEVERAL WEBSITES, BUT HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED BY CHRYSLER. *TR

RE: 2001 PT CRUISER TIRE PRESSURE LOSS FROM CHROME PLATING FAILING ON THE RIMS ALLOWING AIR LOSS I WISH TO DOCUMENT MY EXTREME DISSATISFACTION CONCERNING MY EXPERIENCE WITH CHRYSLER CONCERNING WHAT I HAVE COME TO LEARN IS WITHOUT QUESTION, A SERIOUS MANUFACTURER''S DEFECT WITH THE WHEELS OF MY CAR. THE WHEELS HAVE NOT PROVIDED ANYWHERE NEAR A REASONABLE SERVICE LIFE AND WHOSE PROBLEM HAD BEEN MISDIAGNOSED UNTIL THE BASIS OF FAILURE HAD DEGRADED UNTIL ITS CAUSE WAS WITHOUT QUESTION, APPARENT. I HAVE ALSO LEARNED THAT PROBLEM IS ALSO RECOGNIZED BY CHRYSLER SERVICE DEALERSHIPS AS A ROUTINE PROBLEM, IS ABUNDANTLY DOCUMENTED AND WIDESPREAD ON FOCUSED WEBSITES RELATED TO THIS VEHICLE AND IS PROBLEM FAMILIAR TO EACH TIRE SHOP I HAVE GONE TO. WITHOUT QUESTION THIS PROBLEM POSES AN EXTREME DANGER TO DRIVERS OF THE VEHICLE WHO UNKNOWINGLY WILL DRIVE ON A POTENTIALLY EXTREMELY UNDER-INFLATED TIRE. THEIR POSITION IN MY OPINION TO...

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND MY WHEEL SPLIT. IT WAS THE ORIGINAL RIM ON THE 2001 PT CRUISER. I HAD TO REPLACE ALL FOUR RIMS, AND WENT WITH NON ORIGINAL BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THAT CHRYSLER HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEM. *AK

TIRES GOING FLAT NOT HOLDING AIR PRESSURE. ALL FOUR RIMS STARTED FLAKING AND COMING APART, HAD TO HAVE THEM RESEALED AT LEAST 4 TIMES A YEAR. WENT OUT AND BOUGHT FOUR NEW RIMS. *TR

I OWN A 2001 PT CRUISER. I TRIED TO HAVE A FLAT TIRE FIXED ON THIS CAR, THE TIRE SERVICE PERSON INFORMED ME THAT THE RIM HAD A CRACK THAT WAS MORE THEN AN INCH LONG AND THEY WOULD NOT ALLOW A NEW TIRE TO BE MOUNTED ON THE RIM. I HAD TO GET A FRIEND TO PICK ME AND MY CHILDREN UP AND GO WITHOUT MY CAR UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO LOCATE A REPLACEMENT RIM USED FROM A RIM DEALER IN DAYTON OHIO. ALL THE ORIGINAL RIMS BELONGING TO THIS CAR ARE PITTED, PEELING, SOME WON'T HOLD AIR OR ARE SPLIT. THE RIMS I'M TOLD ARE THE CAUSE OF TIRE FAILURE AND PREMATURE WEAR AND FREQUENT FLATS. I FIND THESE ISSUES TO CREATE UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS. *TR

TL*- THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT 3 OUT OF HIS 4 TIRES WERE LEAKING. HE TOOK THE 2001 PT CRUISER TO A TIRE SHOP AND AT THE TIRE SHOP THEY STATED THAT THE BRIDGESTONE FUSION TIRES WERE FINE, THE FAILURE WAS ON THE METAL INSIDE THE RIMS THAT WAS COMING APART. THE CONTACT CAN PROVIDE PICTURES IF NEEDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 118000.

TIRES ARE GOING FLAT. HAVE REPEATEDLY TAKEN TO TIRE DEALER TO FIX TIRES. YESTERDAY WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM IS THE WHEELS AND NOT THE TIRES. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS THE VEHICLE WAS HARD TO STEER AND A BUMPING NOISE WAS HEARD. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE AIR PRESSURE WAS LOW IN TIRES AND ALL FOUR RIMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE DRIVER FRONT TIRE WAS FLAT. THE TIRE WAS INFLATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED ALL THE RIMS WERE CRACKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

2001 PT CRUISER WITH 16 INCH CHROME WHEELS. CHROME IS FLAKING ON THE BEAD EDGE OF THE WHEELS CAUSING THE TIRES TO LOOSE PRESSURE. MINE HAVE BEEN SLOW LEAKS, BUT LEAKS COULD BE FAST. TIRES GO DOWN UNEXPECTEDLY, CAN CAUSE ACCIDENTS. TIRE REPAIR SHOP SAID COMMON FAILURE. SEES IT REGULARLY.*JB

2001 PT CRUISER - CHROME IS PEELING FROM RIMS WHICH CAUSES AIR TO LEAK FROM TIRES. SECOND SET OF TIRES IS NOW INSTALLED BUT RIMS HAD TO BE RE-SEALED AFTER ABOUT 10K MILES. RIMS WERE RESEALED ONCE BEFORE. CHRYSLER WAS CONTACTED WITH NO RESOLUTION. THEY REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM ON THEIR PART. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE ENGINE RESTARTED AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS AND AN EXTENDED AMOUNT OF TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE POWER CONTROL MODULE OF THE POWER TRAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THE REPLACEMENTS, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. ADDITIONALLY, ALL FOUR TIRES SLOWLY DEFLATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THE WHEEL RIMS NEEDED THE CHROME PLATE GROUND AND OIL APPLIED. THIS WAS DONE HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 10/25/2006 - THE RIMS ARE ALUMINUM CHROME PLATED. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE TIRES LOST AIR WITHOUT INCIDENT. AIR NEEDED TO BE ADDED EVERY COUPLE OF DAYS. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THE WHEEL WAS FLAKING OFF AND WAS NOT PROPERLY SEALED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED. THE RIMS WERE FLAKING AROUND THE VALVE OUTLET. UPDATED 10/04/06. *JB

I CURRENTLY OWN A 2001 PT CRUISER WITH 50,000 MILES ON IT. TO DATE, I HAVE HAD THREE DIFFERENT MECHANICS TELL ME THAT THE WHEELS/RIMS ARE DETERIORATING/PEELING AND SHOULD BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. AS A RESULT, I AM ALSO CONSTANTLY PUTTING AIR IN SOME OF THE TIRES. MY GREATEST WORRY, IS HAVING A "TIRE BLOW OUT" WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHER SPEEDS. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THAT MANY OTHER PT CRUISER OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. IF THE MANUFACTURER OF THIS VEHICLE IS NOT WILLING TO COMPENSATE ME FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF ALL FOUR WHEELS, I HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO TURN THIS OVER TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE AND/OR MEDIA. THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED ACCORDINGLY. *NM

OVER APPROXIMATELY THE PAST YEAR I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THELEN AUTO GROUP IN BAY CITY, MICHIGAN REGARDING DEFECTIVE RIMS ON MY 2001 PT CRUISER. I AM CONSTANTLY REPLACING AIR IN FAIRLY NEW TIRES DUE TO THIS. AFTER SPEAKING TO THELEN SEVERAL TIMES CHRYLSER WAS CALLED IN DECEMBER OF 2005 (DATE BELOW IS APPROXIMATE). AFTER THE DEALER SCRAPED AND SPRAYED THE RIMS TO STOP THE PEELING A COUPLE OF TIMES THELEN'S MECHANIC (PAT) STATED THAT THIS JUST WOULDN'T WORK. PAT ALSO WENT ON TO ADD (IN THE PRESENCE OF MY FATHER) THAT HE NEVER SAW SUCH A THING. THIS WAS ON A JUNE 2006 VISIT TO REPLACE MY RADIATOR. AFTER SEVERAL PHONE CALLS CHRYSLER NOW STATES THAT THE DEALER TOLD THEM IT WAS JUST SALT EROSION AND THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE RIMS. CHRYSLER ALSO STATES THAT THIS INFO WAS GIVEN TO THEM FROM MIKE THELEN AND HIS MECHANIC. MR....

I HAVE HAD TWO BLOW OUTS WITHIN THE LAST YEAR AND I WAKE UP TO FLAT TIRES IN THE MORNING ON A REGULAR BASIS. I HAVE HAD TO CHECK THE TIRE PRESSURE IN MY CAR AT LEAST TWICE WEEKLY (AND MOST TIMES AT LEAST ONE TIRE WILL HAVE SHOCKINGLY LOW PRESSURE). I HAVE HAD ALL OF MY TIRES REPLACED WITHIN THE LAST YEAR OR SO WITH NO RELIEF TO MY PROBLEM. I THOUGHT THAT MAYBE IT WAS ME UNTIL I READ ALL THE OTHER COMPLAINTS AND REALIZED THAT THIS WAS A PRODUCT PROBLEM. THIS IS TOTAL SAFETY HAZARD FOR ANYONE DRIVING A PT CRUISER WITH THESE RIMS. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE FOR SOMEONE TO LISTEN AND RECALL THESE (POTENTIALLY) DEADLY RIMS? *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND BECAME HARD TO CONTROL. UPON INSPECTION THE CONTACT OBSERVED A LOSS OF PRESSURE TO THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE CAUSED BY CORROSION ON THE WHEEL RIM. THIS VEHICLE IS DRIVEN IN AN AREA THAT TYPICALLY USES ROAD SALT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP.

2001 PT CRUISER, 69000 MILES. ORIGINAL OWNER AND RIMS. RIMS, ACCORDING TO DEALER ARE RUSTED INSIDE AND WILL NO LONGER HOLD AIR. CHRYSLER DOESN'T SEEM TO THINK THIS IS ABNORMAL FOR A 4 YEAR OLD CAR AND WOULD DO NOTHING FOR ME. I THINK THEY ARE DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED AS I HAVE HEARD/READ ON THE WEB ABOUT OTHER PT CRUISERS HAVING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. *JB

I HAVE A 2001 PT CRUISER WITH CHROME RIMS AND LESS THAN 60,000 MILES ON IT. THESE CAME ON THE CAR WHEN I PURCHASED IT. THE RIMS ARE PEELING WHICH IS LEADING TO AIR BEING LOST IN THE TIRES. MY TIRE DEALER TELLS ME THIS IS COMMON WITH THESE RIMS AND MANY CHRYSLER DEALERS ARE REPLACING THE RIMS AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. CHRYSLER KNOWS THIS IS HAPPENING AND IT IS A HAZARD. IT IS UNREASONABLE OF CHRYSLER TO EXPECT THE CONSUMER TO HAVE TO REPLACE RIMS ON A CAR THAT WAS WELL TAKEN CARE OF. *JB

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...

ALL 4 CHROME RIMS LEAK AIR. HAVE TRIED TO REPAIR BUT STILL NO LUCK. TOLD BY TIRE DEALER THE RIMS ON THESE VEHICLES ARE JUNK. DEALER WILL NOT STAND BEHIND PRODUCT. *JB

WHEELS ON CAR ARE SPLITTING. PHYSICALLY SEPARATING. TIRES CONSISTENTLY LOSE AIR. PEOPLE AT DEALERSHIP HAVE TOLD US THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM, AND THEY HAVE REPLACED ON OTHER CARS. SERVICE MGR STATED THAT " HE WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON WHEELS. THE CONDITION HAS CAUSED PREMATURE TIRE WEAR AND FLATS. I AM CONCERNED REGARDING WHEELS ACTUALLY SEPARATING TOTALLY WHILE ON ROAD AND CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. CHRYSLER AND DEALER BOTH SAY THEY WILL NOT REPLACE. *JB

I OWN A 2001 PT CRUISER. STARTING IN 2003 I BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE LOSS OF AIR IN THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE. I JUST RETURNED FROM THE GARAGE WHERE I HAVE THE CAR SERVICED. THE MECHANICS SHOWED ME THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL WHICH HAS OXIDIZED. THEY ATTEMPTED TO SEAL THE BEAD WITH "GOOP," BUT ADVISE THAT I WILL NEED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE WHEEL IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THEY STATE FURTHER THAT THEY SEE THIS PROBLEM ON JEEPS AND OTHER CHRYSLER PRODUCTS AS WELL.

CHROME WHEEL CENTER CAPS CAME OFF THE 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER WHILE DRIVING.*MR *NM

FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS, I HAD BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS GETTING WITH MY TIRES BEING FLAT WHEN I GOT UP IN THE MORNINGS. AFTER HAVING ALL OF THE TIRES CHECKED FOR FLATS, IT WOULD STILL DO THIS OFF AND ON DURING THE WINTER. FINALLY, I TOOK IT TO A FIRESTONE SHOP AND THEY SAID MY TIRES WERE FINE, BUT THE CHROME WAS PEELING OFF THE WHEELS CAUSING THE SLOW LEAKS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND MY 36K/3Y HAD EXPIRED (BY 1/2 YEAR, AS I ONLY HAVE 30K MILES) AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY WOULD DO, I'M GOING TO CALL CHRYSLER AND LODGE A FORMAL COMPLAINT, NOW THAT I SEE I"M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM.*AK

THE CHROME ON 3 OF THE WHEEL RIMS PEELED, CHRYSLER REPLACED ALL 3 RIMS. THE 4TH RIM STARTED TO PEEL AT THE STEM OF THE TIRE WHICH MADE THE TIRE LEAK AIR. *TC *NM

MY 2001 PT CRUISER HAS A PROBLEM WITH CHROME PEELING FROM THE RIMS. ON 5/24/04 CHRYSLER REPLACED 3 OF THE RIMS BECAUSE THEY TOLD US THE CHROME WAS PEELING BECAUSE THEIR CHROME WAS TO BLAME. WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE 4TH RIM BUT NOW THE CHROME IS PEELING AROUND THE STEM WHICH INTURN IS MAKING THE AIR LEAK AND NOW CHRYSLER HAS SAID THEY WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE NOW IT IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE. ON 11/22/04 WHILE DRIVING I LOST AIR PRESSURE AND THE CAR PULLED FROM ME, I HAD CONTROL BECAUSE I WAS ONLY GOING 20 MPH. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND CHRYSLER HAS REPLACED SOME RIMS AND NOT OTHERS, THERE IS A WHOLE WEB SITE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND CHRYSLER DOESN'T WANT TO HELP OR HEAR ANYTHING MORE. MY CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND I FEEL THIS IS A...

THE RIMS ARE LOSING AIR. THEY HAVE BEEN REPAIRED 3 TIMES BY TIRE MANUFACTURER FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE INSIDE OF THE CRONE WHEELS, WHERE THE TREAD BEADS SIT ON THE RIM, HAVE PITS AND BLISTERS IN THE CRONE. DEALERSHIP ATTEMPTED TO PUT A SEALER IN TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, BUT IT DIDN'T WORK. THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE WHEELS.*AK *TC

THE TIRES WERE LOSING AIR PRESSURE ON A DAILY BASIS WHICH CAUSED THE TIRES TO FILL UP WITH WATER. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE GOODYEAR FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE RIMS CORRODED, CAUSING THE TIRES TO LOSE PRESSURE. *AK

IHAVE A DEFECTIVE RIM RESULTING IN A WHEEL THAT LOSES 1-2 POUNDS OF AIR PRESSURE PER WEEK. CHRYSLER HAS HAD THE CAR FOR SERVICE 4 TIMES IT THE LAST SIX WEEKS AND DENIES THERE IS A PROBLEM. *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

WHEEL RIMS OUT-OF-ROUND . *AK

CONSUMER STATES WHEN HITTING ANY TYPE OF BUMP IN THE ROAD TIRES BLOWOUT. ALL FOUR RIMS HAVE PITTED CRACKS IN THEM WHICH CAUSES THE BLOWOUTS. *AK

OUTCOME OF MY COMPLAINT #769146 DATED MAY 1, 2001. THE PROBLEMS WITH THE CHROME WHEELS WAS FINALLY RESOLVED WHEN CHRYSLER REPLACED THE FRONT TWO CHROME WHEELS AT 24,000 MILES BECAUSE THEY WERE BOTH OUT-OF-ROUND SINCE NEW, CREATING THE WOBBLE IN THE STEERING, UNEVEN STEERING, VIBRATION AND TIRE WEAR. I AM STILL AWAITING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE TWO NEW PRO-RATED (BY GOODYEAR) EAGLE GT TIRES ON THE FRONT, AS WELL AS AWAITING WORD ABOUT A PROMISE TO REEPLACE THE TWO REAR EAGLE GT TIRES AS WELL. ANYONE WITH THE SAME WHEEL AND/OR TIRE PROBLEMS CAN WRITE TO ME AND I WILL ADVISE YOU AS TO WHAT TO [email protected]

CONSUMER STATES OF HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE RIMS ON THE VEHICLE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. NLM