[metlmangreg]

Hi, Newbie here, I have a '06 G6 GT with chrome wheels. Beautiful car, runs great, bad front brakes, and peeling chrome off the wheels. My complaint is that the dealership isn't going to replace the wheels. He is supposed to contact me with an appointment to see the GM rep.. His reason for not wanting to replace the wheels is that someone MAY have used acid on the wheels. I have owned the car since it had 11K on it, and no acid has been used on them since then (32K) now. The research I have done says that chrome should not peel even if it is chipped, the chrome bonds to the metal and unless it was a poor chrome job it shouldn't peel. The wheels are peeling from the back edge of the wheel outward, and there are a couple chips in the chrome due to scuffs that are also peeling. My question is am I the only person having this prob and how can he deny my claim on his speculation?

 

[Titanic]

When I met with a Chrysler rep over a sort of similar problem on my 300C, they agreed to four new wheels. But, yeah, they gave me the "acid" excuse at first. The real culprit was the "chrome cladding" was just plastic bonded to an aluminum wheel, and the plastic cap was rubbing off the coating on the aluminum rim, causing corrosion. They should change them for you.

 

[giagastormer]

Same exact thing is happening to my grand parent's 2006 Lucerne with the 17" chrome wheels.

 

[F14CRAZY]

Sorry to hear. I would continue to politely but firmly keep the pressure on your dealer/GM rep to replace them

 

[metlmangreg]

Hey guys,
Thanks for the info, heard from the service advisor today, I won't be talking to the rep, the service manager talked to the rep, told her that he THOUGHT the wheels had been cleaned with acid and that caused them to peel. Needless to say, I don't get to talk to her or explain my side, she hasn't seen the car, which is beautiful and clean. When I changed the front pads ( the dealership wanted to replace them and turn the rotors again and expected me to pay $250 after they just did both less than 10k ago) the underside of this car looks new. Anyway, enough rambling, The rep said she would pay for 1 wheel if I buy 3 at $300 each. My car only has 32k on it and is still under basic warranty. I am really getting aggravated, there shouldn't even be a question about this. Both the service manager and the service writer have acted nonchalant about the whole thing.
If anybody has any input please help me, I am going to contact my attorney next, but I don't think it should have ever gotten this far!

 

[01sunfire01]

they had alot of proplems on the cobalt ss sc rims doing that. i havent seen anything on my G5 GT rims but im watching. if they start to do that ill powedercoat them it will give me a reason to have it done haha.

 

[metlmangreg]

I'm back, something happened and i couldn't stay logged in. I don't know if my G6 is at the selling dealer, they never said. When we bought the car it had 11k on it and I got it from a local used car lot.

 

[69nova]

I almost purchased a Pontiac Grand Am in 2004 but nixed it when I noticed that the wheels were plastic covers that were chrome plated. They looked good but feeling the back side revealed their material. I really nixed it in favor of the Monte.
As far as acid or any caustic substance attacking the wheels, the chrome would look bubbled and have a soft edge. If the chrome peeled off (mainly due to the fact that chrome is brittle compared to plastic or steel and cannot bend) the edges would be sharp and you may even see the edges peeled up. Now, is somebody saying that the underlying surface (under the chrome) is being attacked and breaking the bond between the body and the plating? Then it would need a point of entry. A scratch, a pin hole,....Ask the tech what kind of acid.

 

[solman98]

Is it the chrome ot the clearcoat? I have seen several Chevy wheels do the same thing with the clearcoat. Especially the "black chrome" ones.

Made in Taiwan I believe.....

 

[jfnz24]

See, where they are getting you is because you aren't the original owner. Since it is a used car, that was not purchased at the dealer, I don't know of any recourse to "force" them to replace, mainly because you just don't know. I agree it shouldn't happen, but that does not mean you know the full history.

 

[Titanic]

Actually on the GM's the plastic cap has been withstanding to the elements...at least as I've experienced.

The chrome clads are in many respects covered with a tinfoil like chrome plating...some pitting from gravel, sand or salt...and they is goes from there...

Perhaps I wasn't clear. The plastic cap on the Chrysler was absolutely fine. It was where the cap met the outer rim of the wheel where the aluminum rim was corroding.

 

[metlmangreg]

Hi everyone and thanks for your tips, I hope i'm not doing something wrong , but I posted some pics on finshing.com Letter # 48729. You guys might be interested as to what they said also. I contacted GM today and naturally they are going to back the dealer, although they said I could take it to another dealer. Could anyone tell me if I have to find another Pontiac dealer or will the local Chevrolet dealer look at it?

 

[symdon]

GM won't warranty a cap over a steel wheel.

 

[BlackSilverado]

jesus, happeneing again. I am sick of Gm stealerships.

I am glad Gm will be taking back their own dealers very soon, put these retards and butchers out of a job.

Call

1-800-gm-drive, ask for a woman named ANDIE and see what happens.

 

[rimjob]

I have a 2004 Grand Prix GTP that I bought new and never put anything on the wheels. The chrome began falling in the first year. I took it to a local tire place for a flat repair just to find the corrrosion around the vavle stem was the issue. The dealer I bought it from replaced the wheels at no charge to me. about a year or so later the chome started to peel off the new set of wheels. The manager at the dealer said they would not replace them. I tried to geet ahold of someone at GM to find out why. The dealer told me they since changed the chroming process because they knew there was a problem. I could not get anyone to respond to from GM or pontiac. The wheels got so bad I could not keep air in them. I had to pay 250.00 deductable on the second set of wheels even when the car was under manufacturer's warrenty. I hate to say it, I don't think I am going to win this one.

 

[a_v_s]

Are you sure those were factory rims, and not chromed by the dealer? I thought the Grand Prix rims were polished aluminum? (That's what my GTP has).

 

[DukeD]

Gotta tell you how GM ripped me off too. 2006 Lucerne ($40,000 car mind you). Wheels began chipping at around 50,000 miles... got it into a dealer soon after and was basically told by the experts at Capitol Cadillac in Landover, Maryland that indeed they were chipping but it was out of warranty and it was too bad. When I tried logic that included that this was not about mileage but about defective plating they didn't want to hear it and essentially told me tough luck buddy.

Believe me, I tell this story to anyone who will listen when the conversation turns to cars. I have owned GM cars for about 30 years and I can assure you this is my last. I am getting ready to place my order at Tire Rack for new wheels because these are chipping so badly that the tires will not seat properly and all of them leak air constantly.

Nice job GM. You can't go out of business too fast for me.