2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser Tires & 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.

AFTER REGULAR ROAD DRIVEING FOR A MONTH HAD FRONT TIRES WEAR DOWN TO STEEL BELT, PURCHASED TIRES AT WALMART SO TOOK CAR BACK IN TO HAVE TIRES LOOKED AT WAS TOLD IT WAS AN ALIGNMENT ISSUE. I KNOW THIS IS NOT THE CASE BECAUSE CAR HAD JUST BEEN SERVICED AND ALIGNMENT CHECKED THE SAME DAY TIRE WERE PUT ON CAR. THE WEAR OUT IS ON THE INSIDES OF BOTH FRONT TIRES, AND MINOR WEAR ON THE INSIDES OF THE REAR TIRES AS WELL AS MAJORITY OF THE TREAD IS WORN OFF AS WELL ON ALL 4 TIRES. THIS WEAR DOWN CAUSED ME TO GO INTO DITCH IN SNOWY CONDITIONS, WHILE DRIVEING AT SAFE SPEEDS.

ALL 4 MICHELIN HYDROEDGE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE BEGAN SEPARATING TREAD FROM SIDEWALL AFTER LESS THAN 2 YEARS AND 14000 MILES USE. PHOTO DOCUMENTATION IS AVAILABLE. THE RETAILER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE REFUSED TO HONOR ANY WARRANTY, CONSUMER HAS REPLACED TIRES DUE TO SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER WITH COOPER DOMINATOR ALL SEASON 55 TIRES, LINE SIZE (P205/55/R16). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A LOUD NOISE AS THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE SIDEWALLS OF THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE SEPARATED, CAUSING THE WIRES TO PROTRUDE FROM THE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE FAILURE WAS CONFIRMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,000. UPDATED 07/20/11*LJ THE TIRE WAS REPLACED AT THE CONSUMERS EXPENSE. UPDATED 08/29/11

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 INSTANCES. *TR

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

MICHELIN HYDROEDGE P205/55R16 INSTALLED PERHAPS 3--5 YEARS AGO WENT FLAT DURING A ~20 MILE DRIVE, BUT MIGHT HAVE BEEN UNDERINFLATED (COLD WEATHER) BEFOREHAND. I WAS UNABLE TO FIND AN OPERATING TIRE PUMP FOR ~10 MILES. WHEN I APPLIED AIR THE TIRE WOULDN'T HOLD PRESSURE. REPLACING IT WITH THE SPARE ENABLED ME TO SEE THAT ON THE INSIDE THE TREAD HAD SPLIT OVER A LARGE CIRCUMFERENCE. *TR

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

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 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.

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. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE DEFLATED. AS A RESULT, THE TIRE DETACHED FROM THE RIM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT ALL FOUR RIMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY DIFFERENCES BEFOREHAND. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 42,367.

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

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

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

DRIVING AT 65MPH ON I75 THE CAR BEGAN TO VIBRATE. INSPECTION SHOWED APPROXIMATELY 10 CM X 2 CM SEPARATION ON THE OUTBOARD SIDE OF THE LEFT REAR TIRE BETWEEN THE STEEL BELTS. (NYLON OVERLAY MAINTAINED THE INTEGRITY OF THE TIRE). LATER INSPECTION OF THE RIGHT REAR TIRE SHOWED A BELT EDGE SEPERATION OF 3 CM.

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 MERELY ''NOT RECOGNIZE IT AS A PROBLEM'' AND NOT WARN THE OWNERS OF YOUR VEHICLE TO ALERT THEM TO THIS COMMON PROBLEM IS UNCONSCIONABLE, CALLOUS AND CONSTITUTES AN EXTREME HAZARD TO THE DRIVING PUBLIC.

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.

(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