Chrysler PT Cruiser Complaints

2,623 consumer complaints on file.

#10078737June 24, 2004
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
I AM WRITING TO YOU TO ALERT YOU TO A HORRIBLE HAZARD IN CARS WITH ELECTRIC WINDOWS. IN NOVEMBER 2003 MY FAMILY AND I WERE ON VACATION IN SAN DIEGO AND WE RENTED A PT CRUISER. AT ONE POINT WE WERE PARKED IN A PARKING LOT WITH THE CAR RUNNING TALKING TO ANOTHER GROUP WHEN MY 6 YEAR OLD STUCK HER HEAD OUT THE WINDOWE TO JOIN THE DISCUSSION. WHEN SHE DID, SHE ACCIDENTIALLY KICKED THE POWER WINDOW BUTTON WITH HER FOOT. THE BUTTON WAS LOCATED NEAR THE FLOOR IN THE BACKSEAT ON THE MIDDLE CONSOL. SHE ROLLED THE WINDOW UP ON HER OWN HEAD AND WAS STUCK IN THE WINDOW. SHE ONLY LIVED THROUGH THE EVENT BECAUSE 1) HER HEAD WAS TILTED AT THE TIME SO THE WINDOW ROLLED UP ON THE SIDE OF HER NECK AND NOT ON HER TRACHEA; AND 2) HER 8 YEAR OLD SISTER IN THE BACK SEAT WITH HER HEARD HER SCREAMS AND GOT HER FOOT OFF THE BUTTON AND ROLLED THE WINDOW BACK DOWN. IT WAS TERRIFYING AND PAINFUL AND TOTALLY PREVENTABLE. THE BUTTON SHOULD BE IN A DIFFERENT PLACE WHERE IT CANNOT BE KICKED OR BUMPED SO EASILY, AND THERE SHOULD BE A MECHANISM THAT ALLOWS THE WINDOW TO ROLL BACK DOWN IF IT MEETS RESISTANCE. I AM WILLING TO TESTIFY OR TO SIGN AN AFFIDAVIT OR HELP IN ANY WAY THAT I CAN TO GET THIS MATTER RESOLVED THROUGH CHANGES TO INDUSTRY STANDARDS. I KNOW THAT OTHER CHILDREN HAVE DIED FROM THIS. PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO THE APPROPRIATE DIVISION IF I HAVE SENT THIS TO YOU IN ERROR OR PLEASE NOTIFY ME SO THAT I CAN CONTACT THE APPROPRIATE DIVISION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10078752June 24, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
WHEN DRIVING A NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT END. EACH TIME I MENTION THE NOISE TO THE DEALERSHIP DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON 12/30/04 AND1/7/04, I WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKES MADE NOISE ON THE PT CRUISERS. *AK ON 4/6/004 THE AUTO WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACE. THE CHARGE WAS $527.47. AFTER THE ROTORS WERE REPLACE THE NOIS CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED A SECOND TIME FOR SERVICE ON 6/15/04.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10074298June 23, 2004
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP
WHILE DRIVING, THE EMISSION WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS PERTAINING TO THEIR GAS CAP. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. *NM THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT 2000 GAS CAPS HAVE FAILED BEFORE HIS VEHICLE. *SC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10078528June 21, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
REPORTED ON 11/18/2003 TO SERVICE ADVISOR 15 TIMOTHY M COY SR OF NICK ABRAHAM CHRYSLER THAT PARKING BRAKE WILL NOT HOLD VEHICLE FROM MOVING. THEY ADJUSTED BRAKE.IFE PARKED SUBJECT VEHICLE ON 4 GRADE PARKING LOT OR SLIGHT GRADE.*AK SHE SET PARKING BRAKE AND LEFT CAR PARKED, SHE RETURNED TO FIND THAT THE VEHICLE HAD ROLLED 100 FT. DOWN THE HILL AND WAS SITTING AGAINST PARKING LOT GUARD RAIL. CAR WAS LOCKED AND PARKING BRAKE LEVER WAS IN SAME POSITION AS SHE HAD LEFT IT. AFTER LOOKING AT CAR'S DAMAGE I TRIED PARKING BRAKE AND I FOUND THAT IT WOULD NOT HOLD AS WELL, IN SAME LEVER POSITION
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10078509June 20, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM
THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS ARE FAILING ON THE PT CRUISERS. THIS IS CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IF THEY GET BAD ENOUGH. THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHING IS SEPARATING AND ALLOWING THE CONTROL ARM TO DROP DOWN AND HIT THE FRAME. THE OCCURRENCE IS HAPPENING TO MANY OF MY CAR CLUB MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE PT FORUM I FREQUENT. AND A LOT OF THEM STILL HAVE LOW MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLES. THIS IS A CONTROL PROBLEM AND POORLY DESIGNED (BAD RUBBER) DESIGN THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE HAVE MANAGED TO CATCH THE FUEL LINE RUB THRU PROBLEM AND DC HAS TAKEN CARE OF THAT. BUT NOW THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED ALSO.. THIS ISN'T JUST CONCENING THE USA MODELS BUT ALSO THE MODELS IN OTHER COUNTRIES. AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10078321June 16, 2004
SEATS
NORMAL WEAR WTHIN 3 MONTHS OF A NEW PURCHASE GT LEATHER SEAT CUSHIONS IN BOTH FRONT SEATS HAD THE STITCHING SPLIT IN THE CENTER. *AK DEALER REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE SEATS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10079294June 16, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:WHEEL CYLINDERS
WHILE DRIVING A NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT REAR BRAKE WAS LEAKING. MECHANIC REPLACED NEW CYLINDER AND CLEANED THE SURFACE OF THE BRAKE PADS. ONE MONTH LATER, CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10076172June 14, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED IGNITION LIGHT CAME ON, AND VEHICLE STALLED. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED FOUR TIMES SINCE 2001. DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE NUMEROUS TIMES ,AND COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10076108June 11, 2004
WHEELS:RIM
THE TIRES WERE LOSING AIR PRESSURE ON A DAILY BASIS WHICH CAUSED THE TIRES TO FILL UP WITH WATER. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE GOODYEAR FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE RIMS CORRODED, CAUSING THE TIRES TO LOSE PRESSURE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10075842June 8, 2004
STEERING:COLUMN
WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TOWARDS THE LEFT THE STEERING WHEEL SKIPPED. CONSUMER NOTIFIED THE DEALER ABOUT THIS ISSUE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10075014June 8, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
JUST PAID FOR AN ISSUE WITH A VEHICLE THAT WAS ADDRESSED BY NHTSA RECALL # 01V288000, BACK IN 9/01. (THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE SELLING DEALER AT THAT TIME, FOR THE RECALL. NOW, THE EXACT PROBLEM EXPLAINED IN THE RECALL HAPPENED TO THE CAR, AND THE DEALER CHARGED FOR THE REPAIR, CLAIMING A HARD WIRING ISSUE THAT HE REFUSED TO SHOW ME. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10075933June 8, 2004
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE MERGED IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, RESULTING IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD AND NECK INJURIES, AND WAS TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10074890June 6, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, INTERIOR LIGHTING
THE COMPUTER IN THE CAR KEEPS LOCKING UP, ALL THE DASH EMER LIGHTS COME ON AND NO DASH COMPONETS WORK, SPEEDOMETER, MILEAGE INDICATOR, TACK0METER INSTRUMENT PANEL OFF . ONE DOESN'T KNOW IF CAR IS WORKING PROPERLY OR NOT. COULD SHUT DOWN IN TRAFFIC AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR A PERSON TO BE STRANDED ANYWHERE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10074854June 5, 2004
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
BOUGHT A NEW 2002 PT CRUISER. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WENT COMPLETELY BAD AT 37,000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 72,000 MILES. CHRYSLER REPAIRED THE FIRST TIME UNDER THE STANDARD WARRANTY. THE SECOND TIME, I PAID $100.00 SINCE I HAVE A 100,000 MILE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10074857June 5, 2004
PARKING BRAKE
PARKING BRAKE OCCASIONALLY FAILS TO ENGAGE. IT ALSO HAS DISENGAGED BY ITSELF. ONCE IT ROLLED AWAY AND KNOCKED OVER A SIGN. DEALER UNABLE TO REPLICATE PROBLEM.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10075696June 4, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
UPON PARKING THE VEHICLE ENGINE EXPLODED, BURNING THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION WHICH IS POSTED ON NHTSA WEBSITE REGARDING THE ENGINE.*AK PE04028_CAT
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10074791June 4, 2004
SUSPENSION:REAR
REAR SUSPENSION MADE UP OF MANY LINKS WITH GROMMETS INSIDE THEM THAT WEAR OUT PREMATURELY AND MAKE A LOUD CLANGING BANGING NOISE. I THOUGHT IT WAS MY SPARE TIRE W/O AIR AND DID NOT GET TO THE DEALER BEFORE THE 36,000 MILE WARRANTY EXPIRED (PLUS THIS DEALER DOES NOT REALLY REPAIR THINGS). LOCAL MECHANIC GOT AHOLD OF LOCAL DEALER WHO IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS VERY FREQUENT PROBLEM. EITHER IT IS A POOR DESIGN OR THE SUPPLIER BLEW IT BUT IT IS GODDAWFUL AND I AM FEARFUL OF FAILURE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10074792June 4, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
05/19/2004, WHILE TRAVELING FROM KNOXVILLE TN, ON I-40 IN A RENTED PT CRUISER, A CHEVY BLAZER CHANGED LANES IN FRONT OF US AS TRAFFIC CAME TO A STOP. WE WERE ALREADY SLOWING FOR A CONSTRUCTION ZONE AND WERE TRAVELING AT LESS THAN 45 MPH. WE APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THEY LOCKED UP AND STARTED TO SKID, THE CAR ALMOST STOPPED IN TIME BUT THE BRAKES WENT SOFT AND THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD, PROPELLING US INTO THE PERSON IN FRONT OF US, TOTALING THE PT. WE LEFT 25 FEET OF SKID AND THE CAR ONLY HAD 500 MILES ON IT. WE RENTED THE CAR FROM BUDGET AND IT HAD 5 MILES ON IT WHEN WE GOT IT. I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION FROM THE OWNERS MANUAL THAT THERE IS A BREAKING IN PROCEDURE FOR THE CAR. THIS WAS NOT FOLLOWED IF IT IS A RENTAL WITH 5 MILES ON IT. I HAVE FILED A CLAIM WITH CHRYSLER THEY SENT ME A LETTER CLAIMING THEY "INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT." I DON'T BELIEVE THEM FOR A SECOND. THE VN IS [XXX], MY FIANCEE AND I WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND TREATED FOR MINOR INJURIES. IF YOU NEED AND MORE INFORMATION I CAN FURNISH IT UPON REQUST.*AK UPDATED 07/25/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#10074728June 3, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ELECTRIC FAILURES: 1) 4/29/03 PLACED KEY IN IGNITION; ALARM SOUNDS AND WARNING LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD, CAR WOULD NOT START. TOWED TO DEALER. REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH. 2) 11/15/03 DROVE CAR TO WORK; PLACED CAR IN PARK, TURN KEY IN OFF POSITION AND REMOVED KEY FROM IGNITION, CAR ENGINE REMAINED RUNNING. PLACED KEY BACK INTO IGNITION TURN TO ON POSITION, THEN BACK TO OFF POSITION, ENGINE TURNED OFF. CALLED DEALER AND WAS TOLD NOTHING COULD BE DONE ABOUT THIS UNLESS I COULD MAKE IT HAPPEN AGAIN. 3) 6/3/04 UNLOCKED CAR, GOT IN DRIVER'S SEAT AND WARNING LIGHTS ON DASH WERE ON (ENGINE, OIL, AIR BAG, SEAT BELT AND ALARM), TURNED KEY TO ON POSITION, CAR STARTED THEN CUT OUT. TURN KEY TO OFF POSITION, THEN BACK TO ON POSITION. ENGINE WOULDN'T START. ALL WARNING LIGHTS STAYED ON. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10073306May 28, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, STEERING
I HAD NO ADVANCE WARNING THAT MY WATER PUMP WAS FAILING. LUCKILY, I WAS JUST PULLING IN AT HOME WHEN THE TEMPERATURE BELL SOUNDED AND THE THERMOSTAT WAS ADVANCING NEAR THE RED AREA. WHEN I SHUT THE CAR OFF, I HEARD A NOISE AND LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD. THE WATER IN THE RESERVOIR WAS DOWN TO THE ADD LIN AND WAS BOILING FURIOUSLY. HAD I BEEN ON THE INTERSTATE, I FEAR THAT MY CAR COULD HAVE BLOWN WHILE DRIVING. MY CAR IS A PT CRUISER AND I HAVE HEARD ABOUT A SIMILAR INCIDENT FROM A FRIEND WHO HAS AN INTREPID. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED AND UPSET ABOUT THIS INCIDENT! I HAVE HAD RECURRING PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING, AND THE SERVICE PEOPLE TOLD ME THAT THEY COULDN'T HEAR THE SOUND AND THAT IT WAS JUST "THE CAR". I AM BECOMING APPREHENSIVE ABOUT DRIVING MY CAR - ESPECIALLY ON BIG ROADS OR A FEW MILES FROM HOME. I AM THANKFUL THAT, SO FAR, ONLY MY FINANCES AND TEMPERAMENT ARE DAMAGED. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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