2002 Chrysler Sebring Tires & Wheels Problems

WHY IS CHRYSLER ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH THEIR RIM PROBLEMS? WE HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH TWO SEPARATE CHRYSLER VEHICLES' RIMS BEING UNSUITABLE FOR CONSUMER SAFETY. ONE CAUSED A BLOWOUT ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, THE OTHER CAUSES CONSTANT AIR PRESSURE ISSUES. THE RIM ACTUALLY HAS A CORROSION CRACK ON THE FLAT PART OF THE RIM, NOT EVEN ON THE BEAD (THAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE OTHER RIM). IF YOU HAVE A CHRYSLER, HAVE YOUR RIMS CHECKED REGULARLY. CHRYSLER CONVENIENTLY KEPT THIS OFF THEIR WARRANTY PROGRAM. PERHAPS THEY KNEW SOMETHING??? *TR

MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN HAVING LOW AIR PRESSURE AND FLAT TIRES FOR SEVERAL YEARS. I WAS FINALLY TOLD THAT IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE WHEEL RIMS DUE TO CORROSION/FLAKING OF THE CHROME. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS MAKE OF CAR THAT THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE TIRE DEALER TOLD ME THE SAME THING. IT IS A CHRYSLER PROBLEM. *TR

SINCE I HAVE PURCHASE MY NEW CAR, 2002 CHRYSLER SEBRING, KEEPING THE TIRES INFLATED HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS THE TIRES. THE CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED BY GOODYEAR AND THE CAR STILL HAS PROBLEMS HOLDING AIR IN THE TIRES. LATER I CHANGED TIRE MANUFACTURERS AND HAD FIRESTONE TIRES PUT ON. THE TIRES STILL NEED AIR PUT IN THEM EVERY 2-3 DAYS. FIRESTONE HAS SERVICED THE LEAK ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. WE TRIED PUTTING TUBES IN THE TIRES AND I HAVE GONE THROUGH 3 TUBES IN TWO WEEKS. THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE RIMS STOCKED FROM CHRYSLER. IT IS NOT A TIRE PROBLEM. THESE ALUMINUM RIMS ARE NOT COVERED UNDER STANDARD OR EXTENDED WARRANTY. FIRESTONE MENTIONED THAT THEY HAVE A CHRYSLER 300M WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AS MINE. THE TIRES WON'T SEAL ON THE RIMS. I HAVE HEARD OF OTHER CHRYSLERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND WOULD LIKE TO LAUNCH A FORMAL COMPLAINT TO HAVE THIS LOOKED INTO. IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE THE CAR WITH THIS PROBLEM (LOW TIRE PRESSURE AND FLAT TIRES). LAST NIGHT I WALKED TO THE DARK PARKING LOT AFTER WORK TO FIND ANOTHER FLAT TIRE ON MY CAR AGAIN. PLEASE HELP MAKE CHRYSLER OWN FIXING THIS PROBLEM. *TR

FOR SOME TIME NOW I HAVE BEEN FORCED TO REPLACE ALL MY TIRES ONCE, AND BRING MY CAR INTO NTB MULTIPLE TIMES REGARDING MY TIRES GOING FLAT DESPITE THAT THE CAR COULD SIT IN MY GARAGE ALL WEEK, AFTER SPEAKING WITH NTB THEY SAID THEY DEAL WITH THESE THINGS ALL THE TIME, A CHRYSLER PULLS IN AND HE CAN TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT. THE WHEEL RIM ON THE CHROME ONES, ARE CORRODING CAUSING A RIM LEAK, THIS CAUSES MANY UNINFORMED CUSTOMERS TO GO OUT AND BUY BRAND NEW TIRES WHEN THIS IS NOT NECESSARY, IT ALSO FORCES CUSTOMERS TO WASTE TIME EITHER BY HAVING THEIR CAR CHECKED OUT EVERY MONTH B.C OF THESE LEAKS OR MAKE THEM STOP AT A GAS STATION AND FILL THEIR TIRES UP WITH AIR LIKE I DO. I PLEASE ASK YOU ALL WHO READ THIS TO WRITE TO CHRYSLER TO EXPLAIN TO THEM THIS POOR PERFORMANCE, I HAVE READ OTHERS COMPLAINTS WHICH COULD LEAD TO BLOW OUTS, AS FAR AS I LAST CHECKED THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND ADDRESSED NOW! CHRYLSER GET OFF YOUR LAZY BUTTS AND DO SOMETHING BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR WORSE KILLED, AND IF THAT HAPPENS I HOPE THEY SUE YOUR COMPANY TO BANKRUPTCY AND I'LL BE HAPPY BUYING FOREIGN. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ALUMINUM WHEELS HAVE BECOME PITTED OVER TIME WITH NORMAL USE. THE PITS ALLOWED AIR TO ESCAPE THROUGH THE SIDEWALL, WHERE THE RIM AND TIRE MEET. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE WHEELS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITH STAINLESS STEEL IN ORDER TO AVOID THE SAME PROBLEM IN THE FUTURE.

I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY TIRES. THEY KEEP LEAKING AND LUG NUTS WON'T TIGHTEN. I'VE BEEN TOLD BY TWO GARAGES THAT MY RIMS ARE DEFECTIVE AND OF POOR QUALITY. RIMS ARE OXIDATED AND CORRODED ON MY 2002 CHRYSLER SEBRING. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT DRIVING THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS. *JB

FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS , MY TIRES HAVE BEEN LOSING AIR- I THOUGHT THAT PERHAPS THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE EXTREME TEMPERATURES. I CONTINUED TO MAKE SURE MY TIRES WERE AT THE CORRECT LEVEL. THREE WEEKS AGO, I HAD A BLOW-OUT WHILE TRAVELING HOME FROM ATLANTIC CITY, NJ.. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED THE NEXT DAY... A FEW DAYS LATER, THE NEW TIRE, AS WELL AS THE OTHERS, CONTINUED TO LOSE AIR..I BROUGHT BACK TO THE SERVICE STATION AND WAS TOLD I WOULD NOW NEED ANOTHER TIRE. ALL TIRES CONTINUED TO LOSE AIR- I BROUGHT TO THE SERVICE STATION AGAIN AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT ALL MY RIMS ARE CRACKING AND THE SHARP EDGES ARE CUTTING INTO THE STEM VALVES AND CAUSING MY TIRES TO GO FLAT. I HAVE NOW HAD TO REPLACE 2 TIRES THAT SHOULD HAVE LASTED ME QUITE A BIT LONGER AND THIS PROBLEM WILL CONTINUE TO OCCUR AS LONG AS MY RIMS ARE IN THE CONDITION THEY ARE. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS INADVISABLE TO GO ANYWHERE LONG DISTANCE UNTIL THIS PROBLEM IS RESOLVED. I HAVE MADE AN APPOINTMENT TODAY AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR THEM TO INSPECT AND HOPEFULLY WORK WITH ME ON THIS DEFECTIVE ISSUE. I HAVE ALSO CONTACTED CHYSLER'S CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER AND REPORTED TO THEM THIS SAFE ISSUE. PLEASE DOCUMENT AND CONTACT ME WITH ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. THANK YOU-JO ANN WORBETZ. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED ALL 4 RIMS ON THE VEHICLE ARE CORRODING. THE ALUMINUM IS SHREDDING OFF THE RIMS, WHICH IS CAUSING THE TIRES TO LOOSE AIR PRESSURE. THE LEFT REAR TIRE SEAL WILL NOT HOLD AIR AT ALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE MANUFACTURER INSPECTED THE RIMS AND AGREED THE RIMS WERE CORRODING AND WOULD REPLACE ONLY 2 OF THE RIMS HOWEVER REPAIRS WERE NOT MADE. THE VEHICLE IS NOT BEING DRIVEN.

DT: THE WHEELS CORRODED FROM THE INSIDE AT THE CENTER HUBS. THIS HAPPENED ON ALL FOUR WHEELS. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A STATE INSPECTION LAST WEEK AND THE INSPECTOR FOUND THIS PROBLEM. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, AND WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONSUMER WAS GOING TO REPLACE ALL FOUR WHEELS, ONE WHEEL WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY CORRODED. CONSUMER WAS STILL DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO MAILING ADDRESS PROVIDED FOR THE DEALER BY THE CONSUMER. *AK

MY FRONT PASSENGER TIRE WAS LOW AND WOULD NOT KEEP AIR. MY TIRES ARE ORIGINAL TO THE CAR. I THOUGHT THAT I JUST HAD A SLOW LEAK. TOOK THE CAR TO REPAIR SHOP TO HAVE TIRE CHECKED OUT. WAS TOLD BY TECHNICIAN AT REPAIR SHOP THAT THE CHROME IS SEVERELY PEELING OFF THE RIM CAUSING BEAD NOT TO SEAL. THE TECHNICIAN SAID HE HAS NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT AND THAT MY WHEEL LOOKED LIKE IT WAS TEN YEARS OLD ALREADY. WAS INFORMED BY THEM THAT THE CHROME CONTINUALLY FLAKES OFF AND DOESN'T ALLOW THE BEAD TO SEAL TO THE RIM. THEY NOTED THIS PROBLEM ON MY INVOICE.

CONSUMER STATES: NOTICED AIR LEAKING FROM TIRES. CHROME WHEELS WERE CORRODED, AND IT CAUSED THE TIRES TO LEAK. HOWEVER, DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THEY WANTED TO CHARGE CONSUMER OUT OF POCKET TO FIX IT. *AK

DT: THE CONSUMER STATES THAT AT APPROXIMATELY SIX OR SEVEN WEEKS AGO HE NOTICED AIR LEAKING FROM A TIRE AFTER CHECKING THE TIRE WITH A GAUGE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE TIRE TO A TIRE REPAIR COMPANY, AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ALUMINUM RIM. THEY STATED THAT THE CHROME FLAKES OFF AND DOESN'T ALLOW THE BEAD TO SEAL TO THE RIM. THIS IS THE ORIGINAL TIRE FOR THE VEHICLE. THE TIRE IS LOCATED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. *AK *SC *JB

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION AND SEPARATED FROM THE SIDEWALLS. *AK *JB

THERE WAS A SLIGHT VIBRATION AT 60 MPH. THE DRIVER HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND TEMPORARILY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE HAD SEPARATED. THE CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE DESCRIBE FURTHER. *NLM