2001 Chrysler Pt Cruiser Other / unspecified 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.

NHTSA ID

10818823

Incident

Jan 6, 2016

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

NHTSA ID

10566127

Incident

Nov 1, 2009

Mileage

69,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10541698

Incident

Aug 31, 2013

Mileage

59,700 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10428291

Incident

Oct 8, 2008

Mileage

50,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10428283

Incident

Oct 1, 2009

Mileage

50,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10422744

Incident

May 12, 2009

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

NHTSA ID

10375572

Incident

Mar 23, 2010

Mileage

36,706 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10372174

Incident

Jan 6, 2005

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

NHTSA ID

10361055

Incident

Oct 15, 2010

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

NHTSA ID

10336092

Incident

Jun 13, 2010

Mileage

91,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10233194

Incident

May 30, 2006

Mileage

30,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10233054

Incident

Jul 2, 2008

Mileage

85,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10211831

Incident

Dec 12, 2007

Mileage

81,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10210299

Incident

Nov 25, 2006

Mileage

40,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10206302

Incident

Oct 10, 2005

Mileage

38,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10205840

Incident

Oct 16, 2007

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.

NHTSA ID

10192659

Incident

Jun 6, 2007

Mileage

25,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10190452

Incident

Jan 12, 2007

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

NHTSA ID

10189732

Incident

Apr 19, 2001

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

NHTSA ID

10188584

Incident

Apr 22, 2003

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.

NHTSA ID

10185776

Incident

Mar 14, 2007

Mileage

114,000 mi

(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

NHTSA ID

10184992

Incident

Mar 6, 2007

Mileage

70,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10182406

Incident

Feb 11, 2007

Mileage

40,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10172763

Incident

Oct 27, 2006

Mileage

46,400 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10172290

Incident

Oct 31, 2006

Mileage

45,680 mi