One wheel of my '07 has developed a very slow leak. On a recent tire rotation, Discount Tire said is was the chrome on the wheel chipping or pitting or something that was causing the leak at the tire bead.

Has anyone else seen this?

 

Yep. When I had my new tires put on my '08 Alpha at Discount Tire they showed me the inside bead area of the wheel was corroding from the salt here in Michigan. They wire brushed it before mounting the tire and all has been good, but I can see, over time, that it will continue to worsen and probably get to the point of no return.

 

First time you ever owned a 7+ year old vehicle with aluminum wheels?

Its not "chipping", it is simple corrosion of the wheel(s) at the tire bead, happens all the time on old cars driven in road salt states. Can happen to steel wheels too.

 

Yes, I have a 23yo Buick roadmaster (2 of them) one with steel wheels and one with aluminum wheels but have never had this issue. Not much salt in Central Texas.

I guess I'm just lucky.