Deteriorating metal in the wheel causing air leakage. Tire dealer says it can't be fixed and is dangerous to drive on, recommends replacing all four as this is a common problem with these wheels and potential splitting at highway speed could cause a serious accident. Will replace all four with aftermarket wheels for safety and peace of mind.

Apparently Chrysler has known about the defect for a long time. I guess it will take some fatality law suits before they will own up to a defective/dangerous product.

I've probably had the problem longer than I realize. I had new tires put on and the center caps corroded so bad they broke them, now they look like trash & I'm realizing the entire wheels are starting to peel. This must explain the constant lack of air in my new tires, and possibly the reason I've been through so many tires over the course of life of the car. I thought it was the GoodYears & Dunlops so I tried Yokohama's ~ guess I now have to find an alternative to fit the new tires - what an embarrassing, & EXTREMELY INCONVENIENT problem., every day someone at work tells me my tire is flat... The last thing I want to have to do after a stressful day at work is air up the tires before my long & stress filled commute home...

Less than 60,000 miles and about a year ago my rims started to get real bad with tire psi. I limped by filling tires every few days. But not any more... because after buying new tires and having them mounted at the shop, they would not hold air so I bought inner tubes, installed at the shop. Still not holding air, because "the rims need to be cleaned up on the inside, but if this doesnt work you'll have to get new rims." so now the car is sitting in the garage on the doughnut and a flat tire, untill I can have the rims shipped to northern Minnesota. Which really means that when the rims arrive I will have to take the first flat tire to the shop to be put on the new rim, then I get to take home my new tire /rim combo and put it on the car and drive back to the shop to have the next tire/ rim combo whipped up, mounted, and balanced. So lets do the math..$200;00(2 new tires) $140.00(4 inner tubes) $50.00 (when inner tubes went flat) $280.00 (2 re-habbed rims)$125.00 (gas for my brothers truck -so I can go to work) and I still get to look forward to, changing a flat tire and at least two more trips to the auto shop. But I guess I should look on the bright side--last year I had to have the water pump replaced($700.00) during my fathers funeral.

I am writing this so that everyone reading this will know that the problem has not gone away, although nobody has submitted a complaint in a Iong time.

I bought a used 2001 PT Cruiser 4 years ago. I am now on my first full set of new tires. Previously, I changed only two tires at a time and rotating the good tires to the front. After constant problems with tire air pressure (or should I say lack of air pressure) I chose to replace all 4 tires and so to speak- to solve my problem. I went to a family owned reputable tire dealer in my area. I was tired of losing air in my tires and saved-up and dished out the cash to finally get a grip on my tire air pressure issue. (I had received a multitude of reasons from the national chain where I had purchased my other tires and couldn't get a grip on the problem.) All four tires are now new and remounted correctly. After about a month it seemed as though the air pressure in my new tires should have inflated the tires since the summer heat had set in, but the opposite was the fact. When i got to the dealer, air pressure in the right front tire was 10 psi and the left 15 psi. Both tires were severely under inflated. Needless to say it appears to be a dangerous situation if the tires are not inflated properly and one is operating the vehicle on a public road. I knew the car was handling differently and I honestly did not consider the psi but rather a front end problem of sorts; after all, I had purchased new tires and they were mounted properly. The tires were remounted by the tire dealer at no cost to me. I thought this was very nice but I am sure if this loss of air pressure continues they may not be too nice to me too often! Daily, I pass a minimum if 8 speed bumps when I go to work and back. I believe that inconvenience is not a strong enough description of my situation. I do not believe Chrysler will step and do the right thing. I honestly fear I will be stuck at work with a flat tire until someone can rescue me. Or worse yet, I will run into a pot hole or road bump and lose control on a public road. Either way looks like I will be having problems for a while because I don't have the money to fix this problem or buy a new car. This situation is very stressful.

let me tell you about my dumb ass car. my tires started to leak air when i was at work it was very embarrassing. the car was to new to do that. i went to air place to put air in my car and it leaks every damm day. i am getting sick of this sh*t. crysler y'all are asses and need to f*cking man up. sh*t i see why dad does not like dodge crysler jeep cars i am not mouther f*cking buy another of yall pices of sh*t. i am mouther f*cking 25 i cant be on the road with a flat tire i have god damm kids i have been geting at 500am for nothing. i am now getting me a new car which is a scion xb my kids can not be on the side of the damm road. sh*t god dammit i was so dumb to buy this pos and my dealer says just drive it untill the engine blows... this car is not worth mouther f*cking it. i will never ever waste my damm time with this sh*t now it is siting in my damm drive way NEVER AGIAN

I have owned my '01 Cruiser since Nov '02 and in that time I think I could have purchased about 5 of my very own air compressors for the amount of $$ spent filling up the tires EVERY DAY. I finally had enough and broke down in Oct 2006 and purchased 4 new 17" American Eagle rims and 4 new tires. The car has never looked or run better since the fix. I was told by the tire guys that they have had customers complain directly to Chrysler and get $$ from them for replacement costs. I personally decided against that route as the car was WAY out of any warranty and took the old rims to the scrap yard and collected $70 from the metal man. I still love my car and will drive it until it is time for the scrap heap.

This is a concern Chrysler should address- I read about the issue with the 2001 PT Cruisers, ours is a 2004 PT Cruiser and has the same problem- peeling chrome causing tire seal to leak. Ive been driving for 25 years now and I only replaced a wheel when I bought Mags for a conversion van I bought as a Teenager. This car is 2 years old, less than 32000 miles and the wheels go? The tires will out last the rims. So far the PT Cruiser is a fun car, but if this is a problem- why continue for years putting the same tires on the car? Chrysler is just another company that doesn't get it, save a nickel by not owning up to their issue, but loses the next 10 bucks when customers switch to another maker, most times its not because of the issue, its because their lack of concern with "their" issue. Good Luck to the PT Cruisers out there!

I purchased this car used in Dec 05 and we noticed our tires running low on air. We finally had a flat and my husband took it to a local tire sales and repair company. He told us the peeling chrome is the issue with the tires running low on air or going flat. He scraped away the flakes and resealed the tire. Told us it would hold for awhile but eventually would not work. We have taken two 2,400 mile trips since then and have had to check and add air usually every 500 miles. As soon as we get thru fixing all the other issues with the vehicle we will purchase new rims. Very dissapointing BUT LOVE THE CAR. It dirves nice and rides great!!