Hi again,
Here are a couple photos.

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Wilted leaves in the heat of the day is normal. Wilted leaves in the morning is a sign that the plant needs watering. Wilted leaves that turn brown and die is a sign of one of the following problems:

Drought: Drought can cause entire branches or entire plants to die. We have had several years of drought here and we observe that if rhododendrons and azaleas are not watered during a drought some plants will die, but others will just have one section of the plant die. It seems to be the plants way to conserve what little moisture it has. Prolonged drought weakens plants and often results in the appearance of fungal cankers on the branches of older azaleas. Look for branches that wilt in hot, dry weather in late summer and be sure to water azaleas if drought drags on more than a few weeks. Prune out the affected branches to stop the spread of fungal canker diseases.

Borers: If a Rhododendron Stem Borer, Oberea myops, or Rhododendron Borer, Synanthedon rhododendri, is in a branch, the entire portions of a plant beyond (away from the roots) will wilt and die. Borers only affect the portion of the plant away from the roots from the borer. If the borer is in the main trunk, then the entire plant will wilt and die. The plant can be save by cutting off the area with the borer and letting the plant regenerate from the roots. There are no conventional insecticides that will kill stem borer larvae once they are inside the branches. The best control option for homeowners with only a few plants is to prune out and destroy wilting branches in early spring or late summer.

Root Strangulation: This is best prevented by proper root pruning when planting. If the plant is not too far gone, it might be rescued by digging and removing the soil. Then cutting any circling roots that may be strangling other roots. The roots need to be opened up. On larger plants, some of the top must be removed to compensate for the weak state of the roots. Any time the roots are exposed, they must be kept moistened. Roots that dry out will die.

Phytophthora Root Rot or wilt: This root rot is the major killer of rhododendrons and azaleas. It develops when roots are growing in wet conditions with poor drainage and air doesn't reach the roots. The rot is more prevalent in warm summer conditions. Plants infected with crown rot caused by the fungi Phytophthora have roots which become clogged with brown fungi internally. The roots get blocked and the plant wilts and dies. There is not much of any cure for crown rot. Some varieties of rhododendrons are vulnerable (Chionoides, Catawbiense Album, Nova Zembla) and some are resistant (Roseum Elegans, Scintillation, PJM). Sphagnum moss and bark dust combined with good drainage seem to prevent crown rot, but do not cure it.

Voles: Voles, also known as meadow mice, may have chewed on the bark and roots near the crown of the plant. Sometimes they chew all the way around the trunk and kill the inner bark, resulting in death of the whole plant. Keep mulch away from the trunk to discourage voles. This usually happens in winter. However, keep your mulch from touching the stems of your plants.

Bark Split: The bark may also split when there are wide fluctuations in temperature in the winter. Rhododendrons and azaleas may begin to come out of dormancy if late winter weather is warm; if a cold snap follows, bark injury is likely, especially in sunny, exposed sites. They could have had barks split when you bought them.

Sandie, Too hot and the leaves should perk up again overnight. This is something different.

I think when newly installed plants begin to fail, the first place to look is the planting itself. Were the rootballs loosened well before they went into the ground? If planted with the roots still compressed in their pot shape, you can water well only to have the surrounding soil be moist with no moisture penetrating that tight rootball.

Planting them deeper than they were growing in the nursery container can result in those fine surface roots being unable to function. Even if planting at the same depth, if you've added soil amendments and worked the area well before planting, that loosened soil can settle and your rhododendron ends up lower after a few waterings...best to plant a little high and add a mulch over the root zone after planting.

It looks like you do have a mulch of bark - that's good, conserves water and cools the roots. They do need to be kept moist, especially this first year after planting.

Opposite of roots not getting water would be if planted in poor drainage where the soil remains soggy when you've had a lot of heavy rain....rhododendrons need a soil high in organic content (compost) that stays cool and moist, but never allows water to stand.

Thanks so much for all the great information. I knew I would get help here!
Sandie