Chrysler PT Cruiser Complaints (2004)

217 consumer complaints on file.

#10790134November 13, 2015
SEAT BELTS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE SEAT BELT FAILED AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO HIT HER HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10705776April 15, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
NEED TO PUT THIS VEHICLE IN SHOP TO HAVE THE RECALLS DONE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10704194April 7, 2015
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL WAS ACTIVATED AND THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL SWITCH NEAR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FOG LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED AND THE CONTACT HAD TO LIFT THE STEERING WHEEL UPWARDS IN ORDER TO ENGAGE THE HORN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURES RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10679543January 28, 2015
STEERING, SUSPENSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE BEING INSPECTED, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE SUSPENSION NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED AND THAT THE POWER STEERING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 04V268000 (STEERING) AND 08E033000 (SUSPENSION) HOWEVER IT WAS INFORMED THAT THE RECALLS HAD EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,000. UPDATED 3/31/15*CN UPDATED 7/8/2015*JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10669268December 31, 2014
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A TURN, THERE WAS A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. ON ONE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING HOSE WAS EXPOSED TO THE TRANSMISSION AND RUPTURED CAUSING THE POWER STEERING FLUID TO LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10669297December 31, 2014
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING HOSE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE POWER STEERING HOSE ON TWO OCCASIONS BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING HOSE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V268000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10664840December 17, 2014
AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS
AS I WAS DRIVING THERE WAS SUDDENLY A LOUD EXPLOSION AND THE SMELL OF BLACK POWDER (LIKE A GUNSHOT) AND I WAS HIT VERY HARD IN THE UPPER RIGHT CHEST, DRIVER'S SIDE, BY A SHOCK WAVE THAT FELT AS IF I HAD BEEN SHOT. THE ODOR WAS COMING FROM THE AREA NEAR THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDALS. THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAD BEEN COMING ON AND OFF RANDOMLY FOR MONTHS. IT NEVER STAYED ON MORE THAN A FEW SECONDS. I HAD THE CAR IN FOR ITS BIG VA STATE INSPECTION, TO THE TUNE OF $2059.03, IN APRIL AT THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAVE TAKEN IT FOR ONE YEAR. AIR BAGS ARE NOT PART OF A REGULAR INSPECTION SO IT WAS NOT CHECKED. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR INTO THE NEAREST CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP, BY LUCK IT WAS WITHIN A MILE OF WHERE THE INCIDENT HAPPENED), AND ASKED THE MEN IN SERVICE, WHO KNOW ME AND HAD SERVICED THIS CAR FOR TEN YEARS, TO COME OUT AND SMELL IT. THEY CONCURRED IT SMELLED AS IF AN EXPLOSION HAD HAPPENED INSIDE THE CAR. THE AIRBAG HAD NOT DEPLOYED; NOR SHOULD IT HAVE...THERE WAS NO CRASH OR ANYTHING. I LEFT THE CAR THERE. MY CHEST HURT. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER IN DETROIT AND A WEEK LATER THEY SENT THEIR SPECIAL VA ENGINEER WITH HIS COMPUTER TO CHECK THE COMPUTER IN THE CAR. THE OTHER DAY I RECEIVED AN OFFICIAL LETTER THAT MY CLAIM WAS BEING DENIED; NOTHING HAD BEEN FOUND. SO I WENT OVER TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE MAN DROVE IT AROUND THE LOT TO GIVE TO ME. I WAS GOING TO TAKE IT HOME. HE HAD NOT PUT THE SEAT BELT ON TO DRIVE IT TO ME. I GOT IN AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON ALL THE TIME AND THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT EXTEND. I CANNOT DRIVE THE CAR WITH AN INOPERABLE SEAT BELT AND WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON. IT MUST HAVE BEEN THE PROPELLANT THAT HIT ME IN THE CHEST, AS THE BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. IT WAS SO FAST, SO HARD, AND SCARED ME TO DEATH. I REPORTED THIS TO YOU AFTER IT HAPPENED, BUT AM RE-REPORTING IT NOW BECAUSE OF THE "RESULTS" OF CHRYSLER'S OFFICIAL INSPECTION.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10664555December 16, 2014
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD BANG AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN AROMA OF SMOKE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. UPDATED 1/21/15*CN UPDATED 9/11/2017*CN
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10660201November 22, 2014
AIR BAGS
I HAVE HAD THE CAR TUNED AND INSPECTED THIS PAST YEAR AND HAD MENTIONED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON SPORADICALLY. LIKE THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT," IT APPARENTLY MEANT NOTHING, I WAS TOLD, AS IT WAS THE ORIGINAL, NEVER USED, AIRBAG. YESTERDAY AS I WAS DRIVING ON A FOUR-LAND HIGHWAY THERE WAS A LARGE EXPLOSION AND THE SMELL OF CORDITE, AS IF I HAD BEEN SHOT. MY CHEST FELT CRUSHED, AS IF IT HAD BEEN HIT, COMPRESSED, WHATEVER...AND THE SEAT BELTS TIGHTENED, BUT THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I DID NOT KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I THOUGHT I HAD BEEN SHOT. NO BLOOD, NO BULLET HOLE. CHEST HURT. CHEST DID NOT HURT BECAUSE OF A SEATBELT, BUT THE COMPRESSION FROM THE BLAST. I WAS IN THE RIGHT LANE AND JUST HELD THE CAR STEADY, VERY DISORIENTED AND SHAKEN. CHEST HURT. I REALIZED I WAS WITHIN A MILE (A MIRACLE) OF ONE OF THE TWO CHRYSLER DEALERSHIPS THAT HAS WORKED ON THIS CAR OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS, SO I DROVE IT IN AND STUMBLED, BREATHLESS, INTO THE SERVICE AREA,, WHERE THEY KNEW ME AT ONCE BY NAME. THEY KNEW I WAS SHAKEN AND WAS HAVING TROUBLE TALKING AND WALKING. MY CHEST HAD BEEN HIT VERY HARD AND I FOUND OUT THE AIR HAD BEEN KNOCKED OUT OF MY LUNGS. THEY HAVE THE CAR, HAD NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE. NO ONE HAS WORKED ON IT YET. I AM GOING OVER THERE TODAY TO ASK THEM NOT TO WORK ON IT UNTIL MY LAWYER DECIDES IF IT IS "EVIDENCE" FOR SOME NEW KIND OF AIR BAG HAZARD. I HAVE NO CAR NOW. I WANT OTHER DRIVERS AND OWNERS TO KNOW THAT A TEN-YEAR-OLD CAR AND TEN-YEAR-OLD AIRBAG ARE DANGEROUS. THIS CAR HAS NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT AND THIS IS THE ORIGINAL AIRBAG. MY IDEA: AIRBAGS NEED TO BE ROTATED OUT AND CHANGED EVERY FEW YEARS SO THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10659441November 19, 2014
SERVICE BRAKES
OUR BRAKES NEEDED REPLACED FOR INSPECTION THE COMPANY REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS WE DIDN'T DRIVE MORE THE 15,000 MILES AND BRAKES STARTED GRINDING AND MAKING NOISE THEY NEEDED REPLACED AGAIN IT SEEMS THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THESE PT.CRUISERS SINCE THEY WERE MADE. HAVING TALKED TO SEVERAL OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A MAJOR COMPLAINT AMONG THE OWNERS OF PT CRUISERS NO MATTER WHAT YEAR MADE WE STILL HAVE OURS AND IT HAS HAD IT'S BRAKES REPLACED MORE OFTEN THAN WHAT IT WAS DRIVEN WE CURRENTLY HAVE 88,000 ON OURS AND THE BRAKES START THIS NOISE THEN FAIL AFTER 20,00 MILES THIS APPEARS TO BE VERY UNSAFE IT ALSO APPEARS TO HAPPEN ON THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE FIRST THEN MOVES AROUND. THIS MAKES ANY PT CRUISER UNSAFE AND THEY SHOULD BE RECALLED TO FIX THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM BEFORE SOMEONE DIES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10654460November 12, 2014
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PIPE AND PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10640693October 2, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE MULTIFUNCTION TURN SIGNAL SWITCH STARTED TO SMOKE AND WE COULDN'T TURN OFF THE FOG LIGHTS. WE HAD TO PULL THE FUSE SINCE THERE CONTINUED TO COME SMOKE OUT OF THAT SWITCH -- WE HAD TO OPEN THE WINDOWS TO DRIVE HOME IN ORDER TO GET RID OF THE SMELL/SMOKE. OUR CHRYSLER DEALER SAID THAT THIS PART IS IN HIGH DEMAND. THE PART WAS $275 AND A SIMILAR HIGH AMOUNT FOR LABOR THE FIRST TIME. FROM THAT TIME ON I ORDERED ONLINE AND REPLACED THE SWITCH TWO MORE TIMES. TODAY, 10/01/2014, THE SWITCH STARTED TO SMOKE AGAIN. THIS WOULD BE THE FOURTH SWITCH. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE A RECALL SINCE IT CAN CAUSE A FIRE AND DRAIN THE BATTERY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10639352September 26, 2014
STEERING:COLUMN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ON TWO OCCASIONS BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10630505September 3, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHEN I TURN THE KEY SWITCH MY RADIO COME ON AND THEN GO OFF. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10604337June 18, 2014
AIR BAGS
WHEN ENTERING THE FREEWAY ON THE ON-RAMP, A VAN IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED. I CRASHED INTO THE VAN. I HIT MY CHEST HARD ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT GO OFF. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10593994May 26, 2014
STEERING
I LEFT MY RESIDENCE AT APPROX 8:45AM ON 5/19/2014 TURNED NORTH STEERING WAS FINE, THE SPEED LIMIT IS 40MPH, CHANGES TO 45, THEN 55, THEN DOWN TO 35MPH APPROX.5.5 MILES FROM MY RIGHT TURN, I TURNED LEFT (WEST) ENTERING A GAS STATION BREAKINNG AT 35MPH AND FOUND I HAD NO POWER STEERING. IT TOOK ALL I COULD DO TO AVOID HITTING THE GAS PUMPS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10594130May 26, 2014
ENGINE
CAR MAKING NOISES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10585666April 30, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
DRIVING ON FREEWAY WHEN ALL THE ENGINE LIGHTS ON THE DASH LIGHT UP, FLICKER, THEN GO DEAD. THEN THE CAR LOSES POWER, INCLUDING STEERING AND BRAKES AND CANNOT BE CONTROLLED. IT WILL START AGAIN LATER AND WILL BE OK FOR A FEW DAYS OR WEEKS WHEN THE PROBLEM RE-OCCURS. NEITHER AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC NOR CHRYSLER CAN FIND THE PROBLEM. IT HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING AT ANY SPEED AND CIRCUMSTANCE. I MANAGED TO GET VIDEO DURING ONE SUCH EPISODE ON SURFACE STREETS. THIS IS SIMILAR TO THE PROBLEM GM IS HAVING AND SHOULD LEAD TO A RECALL BEFORE ANYONE IS KILLED. I CAN'T IN GOOD CONSCIENCE SELL THE CAR, AND AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT BUT HAVE NO CHOICE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY OTHER PT CRUISER OWNERS AND CHRYSLER HAS TURNED A DEAF EAR TO THE PROBLEM. *JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10576869April 2, 2014
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, SUSPENSION
ROUGH IDLE AT STOPPED INTERSECTIONS, LUNGES AND STALLS. STALLS A APPROXIMATELY 15-25 MPH WHILE MAKING LEFT OR RIGHT TURNS MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN WHILE PLACING THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND STARTING THE ENGINE AGAIN. THE FOG LIGHTS TURN ON BY ITSELF AFTER THE VEHICLE IS PARKED AND THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF DRAINING THE BATTERY. HAD TO DISCONNECT THE FUSE IN ORDER TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. TO THIS DATE NON-FUNCTIONAL FOG LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE HAS SEVERAL ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS FROM INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NOT FUNCTIONING WHILE DRIVING TO RADIO AND CLIMATE CONTROL NOT WORKING UNTIL YOU STOP THE VEHICLE AND TURN IT OFF. THEN START THE VEHICLE AGAIN THEN IT WORKS PROPERLY FOR ANOTHER FEW DAYS. THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM. WHEEL BEARING HAS BEEN AN ISSUE TOO AND CURRENTLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10565059February 20, 2014
STEERING, SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP AFTER APPLYING BRAKES. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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