2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser Tires & Wheels Problems

The contact owns a 2003 Chrysler equipped with Douglas, Tire line: Dug Xtra-Trac II, Tire size: 205/55R/16 91T and DOT number: N60FN11R. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed that the vehicle started to perform slowly when the front passenger side tire inadvertently exploded. No warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Walmart where the tire was replaced. The contact stated that the front passenger side tire started to leak air. The contact then stated that she noticed that a bubble had developed on the sidewall of the tire. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 157920.

WHEEL BEARINGS KEEP GOING OUT. THIS TIME IT AFFECTED MY GEAR SHIFT.

REPEATED WHEEL FAILURES CAUSING TIRE SEALS TO LEAK AIR. MULTIPLE TIRE REPLACEMENTS (5), MULTIPLE SEAL FAILURES RESULTING IN AIR REPLACEMENT. I AM FORCED TO CHECK MY TIRE PRESSURE EVERY TIME I USE MY VEHICLE SINCE I CANNOT TRUST THAT THE SEALS HAVE HELD OR FAILED AT ANY GIVEN TIME. EVERY AUTO REPAIR AND TIRE SPECIALIST I HAVE SPOKEN WITH IS WELL AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. SO FAR I HAVE SPOKEN TO 3 DIFFERENT AUTO REPAIR SPECIALISTS AND 4 TIRE SPECIALISTS. THE "WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN" OPTION BELOW ONLY AFFORDS ME 1 ENTRY, BUT, THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2013.

OEM 17" CHROME WHEELS ON 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER GT CORRODE, FLAKE OFF, AND TIRES LOSE PRESSURE OVERNIGHT. LOW TIRE PRESSURE CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO GO OUT OF CONTROL OR SKID. THE CONSUMER IS FORCED TO CHECK TIRE PRESSURE TWICE A DAY. FORGETTING TO DO THIS, EVEN ONCE, CAN LEAD TO AN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. *TR

2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER FACTORY CHROME RIMS 17" CORRODING AND FLAKE OFF CAUSING THE AIR PRESSURE TO DROP OVERNIGHT. CAUSING AN UNSAFE CONDITION RESULTING IN LOSE OF CONTROL AND UNUSUAL TIRE WEAR. *TR

THE VEHICLE HAS OEM CHROME ALLOY WHEELS. DUE TO CORROSION THE TIRES WILL NOT PROPERLY SEAL AND THE TIRES CONSTANTLY LEAK AIR PRESSURE. DUE TO CORROSION THE NUTS AND LUGS DO NOT SCREW ON/OFF WITH NORMAL TORQUE. DUE TO CORROSION THE CENTER CAPS WILL NOT STAY SECURELY ON THE WHEEL.*AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE RIM WAS ROTTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT AND CAUSING EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE TIRE. AS A RESULT, HE HAS PLACED AIR IN THE TIRE AT LEAST ONCE A DAY FOR THE PAST FOUR MONTHS. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84,655 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. THE CONSUMER STATED NOW HAS A 2ND TIRE THAT HE HAS TO MAINTAIN AIR IN EVERY OTHER DAY. THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM IS THE CENTER HUB COVER BECAUSE IT SNAPS IN PLACE AND LEAVES SPACE FOR SAIL AND OTHER MATERIALS TO ENTER. UPDATED 10/23/07 *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A DEFLATED TIRE WAS NOTICED ON THE VEHICLE. AFTER INFLATING THE TIRE, IT WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED OXIDATION ON THE RIMS CAUSED SLOW LEAKS IN ALL FOUR TIRES AND SUGGESTED REPLACING THE RIMS.

ON 8-14-06 I EXITED US HWY 59 WEST OF BELTWAY 8 SW OF HOUSTON TX. NOTICED "WOBBLE" IN FRONT END OF CAR. ON TURNING SOUTH ON MURPHY RD I NOTICE WOBBLE GETTING WORSE AND APPEARED TO BE ON DRIVERS FRONT. I PULLED INTO CHEVRON STATION TO PUT AIR IN WHAT I SUSPECTED WAS A LOW AIR TIRE. NO LOW AIR PROBLEM EXISTED. I RAN MY HAND OVER TREAD OF DRIVERS FRONT TIRE AND DISCOVERED A LARGE BULGE ON INSIDE EDGE. THERE WAS A FIRE STONE STORE ABOUT A 1/2 BLOCK SOUTH ON MURPHY STREET WHERE I BOUGHT A NEW TIRE. NOT BEING A TIRE EXPERT I CAN ONLY TELL YOU IT APPEARS THAT ONCE AGAIN A GOODYEAR EAGLE LS FAILED ON MY 2003 PT CRUISER DUE TO A "SLIPPED BELT". MY PT CRUISER CAME WITH WITH GOODYEAR EAGLE LS TIRES. IT ALSO CAME WITH A "TIRES FOR LIFE OFFER" FROM THE DEALER, "GOODSON DODGE" IN SPRING, TX. ( THEY HAVE SINCE SOLD DEALERSHIP). THE FOLLOWING TIRES FAILED DUE TO "SLIPPED BELTS" ON ORIGINAL TIRES. TWO (2) EACH 195/65/R15 DOT#M6C6 BMAR 0403. THEY OCCURED AT SEPERATE TIMES AND REPLACED WITH OTHER TIRES AT "DISCOUNT TIRE STORE". SECOND TIME WHEN I VISITED STORE AND EXPLAINED PROBLEM AS I WALKED ACROSS PARKING LOT THE DISCOUNT TIRE STORE EMPLOYEE SAID SOMETHING LIKE, "OH, A PT CRUISER, LET ME GUESS THESE ARE GOODYEAR EAGLE TIRES. I SAID YES WHY ? HE SAID "I DON'T KNOW IF ITS A TIRE DEFECT OR A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR BUT THIS IS A FREQUENT OCCASION. I SHOULD HAVE REPORTED THIS THEN. I DID REPORT IT THEN TO YALL BUT I DID TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOT A PROBLEM AND THEIR TIRES FOR LIFE WARRANTY DID NOT COVER DEFECTS. ONLY TREAD WEAROUT. 2 OF ORIGINAL 4 TIRES ON MY PT CRUISER WERE REPLACED AT TIRE TREAD WEAR OUT. IT WAS ONE OF THOSE TIRES THAT FAILED YESTERDAY. DOT#M6C6BMAR1205. I STILL HAVE ALL 3 FAILED TIRES. RECAP: VEHICLE-2003 PT CRUISER PURCHASED AUGUST 15, 2003 ABOUT 90,000 MILES DRIVEN. DEFECTIVE TIES: GOODYEAR EAGLE LS M+S 195/65/R15 TIRES ROTAED EVERY 6000 MILES, 6 EACH TIRES OWNED 3 FAILED. 50% FAILURE RATE. THANKS, BOB SMITH. *NM

PROBLEM_COMPLAINT: TIRE SHREDDING PROBLEM_DESCRIPTION: GOODYEAR EAGLE RS A TIRE PROBLEM AND GOODYEAR DOESN'T CARE, THIS IS THE SECOND SET THAT HAVE DONE THIS. SUBMIT_BUTTON: SEND TO HEY HOWARD PERSONAL INFORMATION REMOVED. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THE ORIGINAL RIMS ARE RUSTING AND FLAKING ON THE INSIDE. THE RIMS DESTROY ANY TIRE THAT IS PLACED ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.

GOODYEAR 205 50R/17 EAGLE RS/A TIRES FROM FACTORY ARE POOR QUALITY AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 22,000 MILES. PRIOR TO REPLACEMENT, BALANCING PROBLEMS WERE PRESENT. REPLACED TIRES WITH OTHER THAN GOODYEAR; DISCOVERED THAT FACTORY RIMS WERE NOT BALANCED! DISAPPOINTED IN CHRYSLER'S QC. *JB

ALL FOUR TIRES CONTAINED BULGES IN THEM, AND CRACKS. THE TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED. GOODYEAR, EAGLE RSA, 205/50 R17.*AK THE 5TH TIRE HAD A BULGE AFTER 7 DAYS. *BF *NM

CRACKS APPEARED ON ALL FOUR TIRES. CONSUMER REPLACED THE TIRES. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED. GOODYEAR, EAGLE, 205/50R17. *AK WHEN CONSUMER CALLED DEALER, CONSUMER WAS TOLD TO CONTACT GOODYEAR. CONSUMER REPORTED INCIDENT TO GOODYEAR AND THEY ACTED AS IF IT WEREN'T THERE CONCERN. CONSUMER WAS THEN TOLD TO TAKE VEHICLE TO KAUFFMAN TIRE. AT THIS TIME ONLY TWO FRONT TIRES HAVE SPLITS IN THEM AND WERE REPLACED. 6 TO 8 MONTHS LATER THE OTHER TWO DEVELOPED SPLITS AND WERE REPLACED BY MCNABB TIRE IN ROCKMART, GEORGIA. CONSUMER FEELS GOODYEAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND DONE SOMETHING ABOUT IT, BECAUSE BY THE TIRES FIRST SPLITTING IN THE FRONT IT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT.*SB

THREE OF THE TIRES HAVE DEVELOPED BUBBLES ON THE SIDE WALL. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE BUBBLES WERE CAUSED BY THE VEHICLE IMPACTING POT HOLES. THE TREAD DEPTH ON THE FRONT TIRES ARE 632, THE REAR TIRES 832. *JB *BF *NM

I HAVE A 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER WITH CHROME PLATED WHEELS. I HAD A FLAT TIRE AND BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A TIRE STORE FOR REPAIR. THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TIRE BUT THE WHEELS WERE CORRODED TO THE POINT THAT THE AIR LEAKED OUT AROUND THE VALVE STEM. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER AND THEY ORDERED NEW WHEELS AND SAID THEY WOULD BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. WHEN THE WHEELS CAME IN THEY CALLED ME AND I SETUP AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THEM INSTALLED. I TOOK THE CAR THERE AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD CALL ME WHEN IT WAS DONE. THEY CALLED THREE HOURS LATER AND SAID THEY COULD NOT REPLACE THE WHEELS UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE CHRYSLER RECENTLY CHANGED THEIR POLICY. THEY SAID THE CORROSION WAS DUE TO ENVIORNMENTAL REASONS DUE TO THE AREA I LIVE. SOUTHWESTERN NEW YORK. THE CAR HAS ONLY BEEN THROUGH ONE WINTER AND PART OF ANOTHER. THESE WHEELS WERE STANDARD EQUIPMENT ON THE MODEL I PURCHASED. I FEEL THIS IS A TREMENDOUS SAFETY HAZZARD AS YOU CAN NOT TELL THE AIR HAS LEAKED OUT UNLESS YOU LOOK AT THE TIRE. IT HAS BEEN DOWN TO FIVE LBS. OF AIR AND YOU CAN'T TELL WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. I WOULD THINK THE TIRE COULD COME OFF THE WHEEL AND CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL AND SERIOUS INJURY.*AK

DT: THE WHEELS ARE CAST ALUMINUM WITH A METAL CHROME PLATE PUT ON IT, ALLOWING AIR LEAKAGE AROUND THE RIMS. THERE WAS CORROSION BETWEEN THE WHEELS AND AXLE. A MECHANIC TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT HE HAD SEEN OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THERE WAS A HIGH CHANCE THAT THE WHEEL AND AXLE WILL SEPARATE. THE PROBLEM FIRST STARTED ON DECEMBER OF 2004. THERE HAVE BEEN NO ACCIDENTS AS OF YET. *AK UPDATED 12/07/05. *JB

DT: THE SPARE TIRE DID NOT FIT ON THE RIM OF THE FRONT TIRES. THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE TIRE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED ALSO AND THEY WERE NOT ANY HELP EITHER. THE OWNER HAS TRIED TO PUT THE SPARE TIRE ON THE FRONT WHEN SHE HAD A FLAT, BUT THAT DID NOT WORK. THE SPARE ALSO DOESN'T FIT THE FRONT. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE 2004, WHEN THE OWNER NOTICED IT. THE OWNER WENT AND BOUGHT BRAND NEW TIRES, BUT DID NOT BUY A 5TH TIRE TO MAKE A NEW SPARE. IT IS THE RIM THAT IS THE PROBLEM, NOT THE TIRE ITSELF. *NM

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. *AK

BUBBLE ON SIDE WALL RIGHT FRONT BLOW OUT ON FREEWAY JAN 2005 BUBBLE ON SIDE WALL LEFT FRONT STILL THERE JAN 23 2005 LEFT REAR BLOW OUT SUDDENLY ON RESIDENTIAL THROUGH FARE JAN 23 2005 6:00 PM CDT. *JB