Chrysler PT Cruiser Complaints

2,623 consumer complaints on file.

#10726409June 21, 2015
ENGINE
OUR PT CRUISER OVERHEATED ONE DAY AFTER MY WIFE HAD LEFT WORK, THANKFULLY SHE MADE IT HOME BEFORE IT GOT WORSE. I HAVE REPLACED ALL COMPONENTS KNOWN TO CAUSE OVERHEATING PROBLEMS SUCH AS THERMOSTAT, RADIATOR, SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES, WATER HEATER, FLUSHED THE BLOCK OUT, EVEN CHANGED THE TEMP SENSOR. I HAVE ALSO CHECKED ALL THE HOSES AND GAVE IT AN OIL CHANGE AND YET IT STILL OVER HEATS. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ONLINE AND HAVE FOUND THAT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10726210June 19, 2015
POWER TRAIN
AS WITH THE OTHER IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS, REGARDING MANUAL TRANSMISSION SHIFTING AND, WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS ABOVE 80 DEGREES SHIFTING GEARS BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT AND AT TIMES IMPOSSIBLE. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED YEARS AGO AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE. IT'S AS IF THE BUSHINGS IN THE SHIFT MECHANISM EXPAND WHEN HEATED AND THE SHIFTER STICKS IN ITS CURRENT GEAR; WITH GREAT FORCE YOU CAN KNOCK IT OUT AND WITH GREAT FORCE YOU CAN RE-ENGAGE. THE NEXT MORNING AT 50 DEGREES THE SHIFTER WORKS PROPERLY ONCE AGAIN. LATER IN THE DAY ABOVE 80 DEGREES THE PROBLEM RE-OCCURS; THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME THE TEMPERATURE IS ABOVE 80 DEGREES. THE RESULTING HAZARD LEAVES YOU STUCK IN TRAFFIC UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS, WHICH IN TURN MAKES YOU A HAZARD TO OTHER DRIVERS. I HAVE HAD TWO NEAR MISS (REAR END) COLLISIONS AS A RESULT. CHRYSLER STOPPED PRODUCTION OF THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION PT TWO YEARS BEFORE DISCONTINUING THE AUTOMATIC PT. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL. CHRYSLER DID NOT AND AS A RESULT I'M SURE THE OTHER AFFECTED CUSTOMERS DID AS I HAVE DONE AND WALKED AWAY FROM THE BRAND. I'VE PURCHASED 4 VEHICLES SINCE THAT TIME AND THEY WERE CERTAINLY NOT A CHRYSLER PRODUCT. THE LATTER IS COSTING CHRYSLER MORE THAN THE $300 IT WOULD HAVE COST TO CHANGE THE BUSHINGS TO A TYPE THAT IS NOT AFFECTED BY HEAT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10725945June 18, 2015
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE TURN SIGNALS FAILED TO ACTIVATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRE OF THE TURNING SWITCH BURNED OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10725509June 16, 2015
SUSPENSION
THE LOWER CONTROL BUSHINGS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES IN 46,197 MILES OVER 12 YEARS. THE LAST TIME CONTROL ARM AND BUSHING WERE REPLACED. FIRST TIME WAS 5-21-07 WITH 20,204 MILES ON THE CAR. SECOND TIME WAS 5-21-08, ONLY ONE YEAR LATER, 22,309 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, JUST OVER 2000 MILES FROM A YEAR AGO WHEN IT WAS DONE. THE DEALER COVERED IT BECAUSE IT WAS WARRANTY FROM A YEAR AGO. WONDER IF IT WAS EVER DONE THE FIRST OR SECOND TIME. WE JUST HAD THE CONTROL ARM AND BUSHINGS REPLACED 5-27-2015 AT 46,197 MILES. NOW THE DEALER ORIGINALLY TOLD MY WIFE THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN UNTIL THE VEHICLE HAS ABOUT 80,000. WOW LOOKS LIKE A MAJOR ISSUE FOR THEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10725607June 16, 2015
TIRES, TIRES:TREAD/BELT
AFTER REGULAR ROAD DRIVEING FOR A MONTH HAD FRONT TIRES WEAR DOWN TO STEEL BELT, PURCHASED TIRES AT WALMART SO TOOK CAR BACK IN TO HAVE TIRES LOOKED AT WAS TOLD IT WAS AN ALIGNMENT ISSUE. I KNOW THIS IS NOT THE CASE BECAUSE CAR HAD JUST BEEN SERVICED AND ALIGNMENT CHECKED THE SAME DAY TIRE WERE PUT ON CAR. THE WEAR OUT IS ON THE INSIDES OF BOTH FRONT TIRES, AND MINOR WEAR ON THE INSIDES OF THE REAR TIRES AS WELL AS MAJORITY OF THE TREAD IS WORN OFF AS WELL ON ALL 4 TIRES. THIS WEAR DOWN CAUSED ME TO GO INTO DITCH IN SNOWY CONDITIONS, WHILE DRIVEING AT SAFE SPEEDS.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10733139June 10, 2015
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, STEERING, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
CAR STOPPED AT RED LIGHT. ENGINE DIED AND SMOKE BEGAN TO RISE FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THEN FLAMES SHOT OUT. DRIVER COULD NOT GET DOOR OPEN AT FIRST THEN AFTER SHORT TIME LOCKS RELEASED AND DRIVER WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE. FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED FLAMES AND SAID FIRE APPEARED TO BE STARTED BY FLUID LEAKAGE. THIS MODEL HAD BEEN SUBJECT TO RECALL DUE TO FIRES. CAR HAD RECALL FIX ON 9/23/04. IT NOW APPEARS THE RECALL FIXES WERE NOT PERMANENT AND THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM CAN RECUR. IT IS POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING. ATTEMPTS TO DISCUSS THE PROBLEM WITH CHRYSLER WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. CHRYSLER STONE WALLED AND FALSELY RIGGED THEIR RESPONSE PROCEDURE SO AS TO AVOID ANY RESPONSIBILITY. CHRYSLER REFUSED TO ALLOW ME TO SPEAK WITH ANY PERSON IN A POSITION OF AUTHORITY. THE CLERKS I SPOKE WITH STATED THAT SOMEONE WOULD BE IN TOUCH WITH ME. FINALLY AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE AT CHRYSLER, AND AFTER MORE THAN ONE MONTH FROM ORIGINAL CONTACT, A LETTER DATED MAY 13, 2015 WAS RECEIVED FROM CHRYSLER STATING THEY HAD TRIED NUMEROUS TIMES TO CONTACT US AND THE CLAIM WOULD BE DROPPED IF WE DID NOT RESPOND IN 10 DAYS. THIS QUITE SIMPLY IS A LIE! NO ATTEMPT WAS EVER MADE TO CONTACT US, EVEN AFTER WE CONTACTED CHRYSLER ON THREE OCCASIONS ASKING TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE. THE LETTER INSTRUCTED US TO CONTACT DEKRA AUTOMOTIVE TO ARRANGE AN INSPECTION. WE DID AND GAVE THEM ALL THE INFORMATION ONCE AGAIN. WE OFFERED TO SEND PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE BUT DEKRA WAS NOT INTERESTED. ON MAY 27 WE RECEIVED A LETTER STATING THEY WERE UNABLE TO INSPECT THE CAR SINCE IT HAD BEEN SOLD (SALVAGED) AND WERE CLOSING THE FILE. THUS, CHRYSLER HAD CREATED CIRCUMSTANCES THROUGH OBFUSCATION AND MANIPULATING THE RESPONSE TIME WHICH THEY FELT RELIEVED THEM OF ANY RESPONSIBILITY, EVEN THE NEED TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE WITH US. THIS FIRE HAZARD STILL EXISTS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10723270June 3, 2015
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED SWITCHED LANES AND CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE WINDOWS SHATTERED, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOORS WERE JAMMED, AND THE DRIVER HAD TO BE REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE PASSENGER SEATED IN THE REAR WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES AND BACK PAINS AND THE CHILD PASSENGER SUSTAINED WHIPLASH AND MINOR BRUISES. BOTH THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#10722559June 1, 2015
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, STEERING, POWER TRAIN
WITHOUT WARNING, THE ENGINE TURNS OFF AND ALL POWER IS LOST. THE IGNITION SWITCH DOES NOT MOVE. ONCE THE CARE IS STOPPED, YOU HAVE TO TURN THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION AND THEN TURN IT BACK ON. WHEN PUT ON THE DEALER'S COMPUTER, THE COMPUTER ONLY SAYS "THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER." DEALER SUGGESTS PUTTING IN A NEW IGNITION BUT DOES NOT GUARANTEE THIS WILL FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CAR CAN NO LONGER BE TRUSTED ON THE HIGHWAY OR INTERSTATE. I CAN ONLY DRIVE IT IN TOWN AT SLOW SPEEDS SO I WON'T CAUSE A CRASH IF IT SUDDENLY DIES ON ME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10722604June 1, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE GOING 55 MPH AND DASHBOARD FAULTS OUT WITH INCOHERENT READINGS AND TRANSAXLE SHIFTS SELF INTO NEUTRAL. I SHIFT GEAR SELECTOR INTO NEUTRAL AND BACK INTO DRIVE. DASHBOARD READINGS GO BACK TO NORMAL AND TRANSAXLE GOES BACK INTO DRIVE. 15 SECONDS LATER BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON. CONTINUE DRIVING TO FIND A PLACE TO PARK. AFTER ABOUT 10 SECONDS ENGINE STALLS OUT. SHIFT GEAR SELECTOR INTO NEUTRAL AND TRY TO RESTART VEHICLE BUT IT WON'T START. COAST TO A STOP AND OPEN HOOD. NOTICE AN ODD SMELL. OPEN HOOD AND ALTERNATOR IS ON FIRE. CLOSE HOOD AND GRAB PERSONAL BELONGINGS (EXCEPT FOR PHONE CHARGER) OUT OF VEHICLE. CALL 911 AS VEHICLE BURNS UP. FIRE AND POLICE ARRIVE AND EXTINGUISH FIRE BUT VEHICLE BADLY DESTROYED BY BEING ENGULFED IN FLAMES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10721999May 28, 2015
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE SPEEDOMETER AND FUEL GAUGE FLUCTUATED AND THE ENGINE STALLED. THE FAILURES RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE CAMSHAFT, ALTERNATOR, BATTERY POST, AND BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 98,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10721339May 25, 2015
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
DASHBOARD STARTED CRACKING AND CONTINUED TO CRACK FROM WINDSHIELD AREA ALL THE WAY DOWN TO BOTTOM,THEN ANOTHER CRACK STARTED AND DID THE SAME.THESE DASHBOARDS ARENT MADE PROPERLY AND BOTH CRACKS ARE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE.IM AFRAID THE AIRBAG WILL DEPLOY SOMEDAY.MY WIFE HAS A CHRYSLER 300M 1999 AND SHE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HER DASHBOARD.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10721114May 23, 2015
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THE CONTACT LOST VISIBILITY AND PULLED OVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,872.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10717802May 21, 2015
WHEELS, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
FRONT TIRES KEEP GOING FLAT AND I AM TOLD BECAUSE CAR HEAVY IN FRONT. I AIR THEM ONCE EVERY 2-4 WEEKS. FRONT LAMPS ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH AND HARD SEEING AT NIGHT. CAR PURCHASED FROM BELLEVUE, WA FORD WHICH JUST BURNED DOWN FEW WEEKS AGO AS A USED CAR AND WAS NOT INFORMED OF THIS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10717443May 20, 2015
AIR BAGS
VEHICLE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT INDICATES AIR BAG IS DISABLED - DUE TO FAULTY CLOCK SPRING. UPDATED 08/18/15*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10716415May 14, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
I WAS DRIVING THROUGH TOWN WHEN I SMELLED SOMETHING LIKE RUBBER BURNING, SAW SMOKE BILLOWING OUT FROM PASSENGER FRONT SIDE OF CAR. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF OF ROAD, TURNED CAR OFF & LOOKED TO SEE WHAT WAS CAUSING THIS. NO LEAKS OF ANY KIND. MY MECHANIC IS IN THE PROCESS OF REPAIRING MY PT. THE FRONT PASSENGER BRAKE SEIZED & BURNED UP MY CALIPER, ROTOR & BRAKE PADS. IT WAS SO HOT, IT LITERALLY MELTED PARTS. I CAME CLOSE TO A MAJOR FIRE & IT WAS A GOOD THING I WAS NOT ON A HIGHWAY. I HOPE THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. I DO NOT KNOW IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE DUE TO BRAKE PROBLEMS- BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW AS I FEEL THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10716566May 14, 2015
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
VEHICLE IS NOT SHIFTING CORRECTLY. DOES GOOD IN FIRST 3 GEARS BUT WHEN INCREASING SPEED TO 70 MPH (LEGAL LIMIT ON FL HWY)...VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT INTO HIGH GEARS BUT RPMS REV TO 4 AND STAY THERE UNTIL I BACK OFF GAS PEDAL. ADDITIONALLY, CAR LOSES POWER WHEN ATTEMPTING TO INCREASE SPEED AND ESPECIALLY WHEN GOING UP AN INCLINE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AND THEIR CLAIM OF REPAIR NEEDED: PERFORMED A FLASH UPDATE TO THE PCM MODULE AND THAT THE MODULE IS FAULTY. WILL COST 830.00 FOR PCM/TCM AND NOT ABLE TO GUARANTEE THAT IS EVEN THE PROBLEM. BUT IF NOT THE PCM, THEN WE ARE STUCK WITH REPAIR AND POSSIBLY BE SOMETHING ELSE WRONG WITH VEHICLE. HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD A PROBLEM LIKE THIS? IF SO, PLEASE CONTACT ME SO I KNOW WHICH DIRECTION TO TAKE AS I CANNOT AFFORD THIS REPAIR. THANK YOU.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10716089May 12, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE A CROURSER PT TURBO IN 2006 WHEN IT BEGAN THE INSTALLATION OF DEFECTIVE TIPM AND COMES FROM ERRATIC IN DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS: 1 - DOES NOT CHANGE SPEED BOX, ABLE TO RANDOM START, WHEN I TURN OFF FROM NEUTRAL (N) SOMETIMES CORRECTS THE PROBLEM AT THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY AND THEN IS REPEATED EITHER ON OTHER OCCASIONS. 2. ALSO NOT START ON SOME OCCASIONS. 3 SLATE IN OPPORTUNITIES DOES NOT INDICATE THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE OR INDICATED INCORRECTLY AND ALSO LEAVES DIAL SPEEDOMETER. 4. THE SPEED OF THE FAN MOTOR DOES NOT CHANGE WHEN THE TEMPERATURE OF THE MOTOR INCREASES AND IS OVER HEATS UP TO THE POINT THAT YOU MUST STOP IT. 5 AIR CONDITIONING SOMETIMES WILL NOT COOL AND I HAVE TO STOP AND TURN IT OFF AND START IT AGAIN. I'VE SPENT ON MECHANICS SOME HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS WITHOUT RESOLVE THE SITUATION, UNTIL A MECHANIC FRIEND INFORMED ME THAT THE MODELS FROM 2006 THAT HAVE TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10715674May 11, 2015
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE VALVE STEMS CORRODE & HAVE TO BE REPLACED ??????? WHY SHOULD I AS THE CONSUMER NEED TO REPLACE BECAUSE SOMEBODY CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF "NEW IMPROVED " STEMS ??????NOT ONLY IS THIS AN INCONVIENCE, BUT ALSO A GREAT EXPENSE !!!!!! PEOPLE WHO LIVE A LIMITED INCOME SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THIS... I HAD THE CAR 1 YEAR & HAD TO "REBUILD" MY STEMS BECAUSE I COULD NOT AFFORD THE PRICE OF NEW ONES . NOW I AM HAVING PROBLEMS AGAIN ??? THIS IS NOT FAIR. I NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH MY OTHER CRUISER, HOW CAN YOU VERIFY THIS AS NOT BEING A PROBLEM ???
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10714032May 1, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIGHTS GO ON AND OFF. THE FUEL, MPH, AND RPM GAUGES GO UP AND DOWN. THE CAR LOSES POWER AND THE ACCELERATES BY ITSELF. I LOOKED IN YOU TUBE FOR INFORMATION AND FOUND THAT I WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM! SOME PEOPLE STATE THAT ONCE THEY REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10714083May 1, 2015
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE STALLED, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED, AND THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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