Chrysler PT Cruiser Complaints

2,623 consumer complaints on file.

#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
#10585743April 30, 2014
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
MY TRANSMISSION WILL NOT GO INTO THE LAST GEAR AND WAS SLIPPING. CAR HAS 38,000 MILES ON IT AND WHEN I HAD IT CHECKED OUT THE MECHANIC SAID THERE WAS A CELLINOID BAD IN THE TRANSMISSION AND WHEN HE REPLACED IT THE TRANSMISSION STILL WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY BY NOT CHANGING GEARS AND WHEN HE TOOK THE PART BACK TO THE PARTS STORE HE WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH CHRYSLERS TRANSMISSIONS. I HAD A TOWN & COUNTRY VAN SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND THAT TRANSMISSION ALSO WAS DEFECTIVE. NOW I CANNOT GET MY MONEY BACK FROM BUYING A PART THAT REALLY WASN'T NEEDED BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION IT SELF IS DEFECTIVE. MY MECHANIC FELT SO BAD ABOUT THIS THAT HE CHECKED THE INTERNET AND DISCOVERED CHRYSLER HAS A PROBLEM WITH THEIR TRANSMISSIONS. WHAT RIGHTS OR WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT THIS? I DO NOT HAVE MONIES TO SQUANDER AND I AM STILL PAYING FOR MY CAR. THANKS. *JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10585532April 29, 2014
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKERED INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE PROGRESSED AND THE LIGHTS REMAINED OFF FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME. ADDITIONALLY, THE INTERIOR LIGHTING ILLUMINATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 167,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10584794April 25, 2014
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
EVERYTIME I TURN ON THE AC UNIT THE FAN DOESN'T COME ON RIGHT AWAY AND WHEN IT DOES IT POPS AND THE CAR BEGINS TO OVER HEAT. AT THE TIME I TURN OFF THE POWER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10585000April 25, 2014
SERVICE BRAKES
I STOPPED AT OUR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT MAIL CENTER. WHEN I BACKED OUT, THE BRAKING HAD LOST ITS POWER ASSIST AND I HAD TO APPLY A LOT OF PRESSURE TO THE PEDAL TO ACHIEVE A MINIMUM OR BRAKING. I TOOK THE CAR TO A NEARBY GARAGE AND THEY QUICKLY NOTED THAT THERE IS A 3 WAY CHECK VALVE IN THE VACUUM SYSTEM THAT GOES TO THE BRAKE CYLINDER AREA. FOR WHATEVER REASON, ONLY A 2 WAY VALVE IS NEEDED AND A RUBBER CAP IS PLACED OVER THE UNUSED PORT AND THIS CAP HAD SOMEHOW CAME OFF. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE MAIL CENTER, I FOUND THE MISSING CAP WHICH IS A SOFT RUBBER WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS INADEQUATE FOR THE PURPOSE. THE MECHANIC SAID HE DIDN'T SEE WHY CHRYSLER USES A 3 WAY WHEN A 2 WAY CHECK VALVE IS ALL THAT IS NEEDED. HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THERE ARE TWO SUCH VALVES, BOTH WITH THE SOFT RUBBER CAP ON THE UNUSED PORT. HAD THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 2 MINUTES SOONER I MIGHT HAVE CRASHED INTO THE COMPOUND GATE AND IT CERTAINLY COULD HAVE BEEN VERY SERIOUS AT HIGHER SPEEDS SINCE SUDDENLY, YOUR BRAKES HAVE APPARENTLY STOPPED WORKING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10585010April 25, 2014
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE MULTIFUNCTION LIGHT SWITCH CAUSES THE FOG LIGHTS TO TURN ON AND OFF AT RANDOM, EVEN WHEN IGNITION IS OFF. ISSUE HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10585008April 25, 2014
AIR BAGS
VEHICLE AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES ON AND OFF WHEN A PERSON AROUND 75-150LBS SITS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THIS HAPPENS AT ANY SPEED. OCCASIONALLY THE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL WORK NORMALLY; ISSUE SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO WHETHER THE SEAT IS OCCUPIED WHEN THE ENGINE IS STARTED, OR OCCUPIED AFTER THE ENGINE IS STARTED. MANY OTHERS ON PT CRUISER FORUMS REPORT SIMILAR SYMPTOMS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10583468April 18, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
LAST YEAR (2013) I WAS DRIVING AROUND 35MPH, ALL PANEL LIGHTS FLASH ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THEN ONE DAY IT STARTED AGAIN ALL PANEL LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN AND ALL GAUGES DROPPED DOWN, FUEL TANK GAUGE DROPPED TO EMPTY, ETC AND ENGINE DIED. PLACED CAR IN PARK AND THANKFUL THE CAR STARTED UP AGAIN. TOOK CAR TO CHAPMAN DEALERSHIP AND NO ERROR CODES APPEARED AND THEY COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. NOW IT IS APRIL 2014 AND THE SAME PROBLEM IS STARTING AGAIN ALL PANEL LIGHTS ARE BLINKING ON AND OFF AND I AM AFRAID THE CAR WILL SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING AT A HIGHER SPEED. I BELIEVE THIS IS AN SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10583384April 17, 2014
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING AND CAUSING A GRINDING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED A STEERING HYDRAULIC POWER ISSUE. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 170,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10583049April 16, 2014
POWER TRAIN
PULLED INTO WORK SHUT CAR OFF NOTED LEAKAGE PART ON GROUND WAS TOLD PRESSURE SWITCH. *TT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10583081April 16, 2014
ENGINE
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED FROM FRED BEANS, BOYERTOWN, PA ON 8/1/13 WITH APPROX. 78K MILES ON IT. I WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC, SLOWING DOWN FOR A TRAFFIC, WHEN MY VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THEN BEGAN TO HESITATE WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO PICK UP SPEED. THERE WAS NO ACCELERATION AND IT APPEARED THE CAR WOULD STALL. IT NEVER STALLED BUT I DID PULL OVER AND SHUT THE CAR OFF, STARTED IT AGAIN AND AFTER A FEW MOMENTS, WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY FOR A FEW MILES. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AND THE CAR HESITATED AGAIN. THIS WAS LOOKED AT AND DETERMINED, SINCE THERE WAS NO OTHER OCCURRENCE, TO BE A "GLITCH" AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS RESET BY THE GARAGE (NO CHARGE AND NO DIAGNOSTICS). IN JANUARY THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AND THE GARAGE REPLACED THE CAM SENSOR. SHORTLY AFTER THAT THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN AND THE SENSOR WAS AGAIN REPLACED. IT IS NOW APRIL AND AGAIN THE PROBLEM IS OCCURRING, ALL OF THESE INCIDENCES WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING AN UNNECESSARY SLOW DOWN WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A REAR END COLLISION. I'VE SPOKEN WITH THE DEALERSHIP WHO REFERRED ME TO THE ORIGINAL SHOP THAT REPLACED THE SENSOR (SCOOTY'S, PENNSBURG, PA) AND TO AUTO ZONE WHO SOLD ME THE NEXT SENSOR. I STILL OWE MONEY ON THIS VEHICLE AND APPARENTLY IT'S NOT WORTH HALF OF WHAT I OWE DUE TO THESE PROBLEMS AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT DRIVING IT MORE THAN A MILE IN CASE THIS PROBLEM OCCURS AGAIN. *TT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10583176April 16, 2014
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR. YOU WILL BE DRIVING ALONG AND IT JUST QUITS. TIME AFTER TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. I HAVE READ MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS AND AM WONDERING WHY NOTHING IS BEING DONE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A MECHANIC AND THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG. IT IS VERY SCARY TO BE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND YOUR CAR JUST STOPS. ALL THE ENGINE LIGHTS COME ON AND IT STOPS.IT VARIES WITH SPEED SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS IN A PARKING LOT AND SOMETIMES ON THE FREEWAY AT 60MPH. VERY SERIOUS. *TT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10582890April 15, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, ALL OF THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FLICKERED FOLLOWED BY THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY STALLING. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS, WHO BOTH STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,500. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 66,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10579031April 10, 2014
AIR BAGS
PT WAS HEADING SOUTH ON BEECH ST IN MANCHESTER NH. WHEN A DODGE CARAVAN WENT THOUGHT A STOP SIDE. HIT THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT FENDER AND PUSH THE PT ABOUT 5 FEET WEST. SO THE PT WAS NOW LOOKING AT CONER OF PROCEST AND BEECH ST. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10578718April 8, 2014
ENGINE
CPSC: I1430176A. 2007 PT CRUISER. CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE TURNS ITSELF OFF DURING DRIVING, THEN RESTARTS. *LN THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE DASH LIGHTS WOULD LIGHT UP, FLICKER, AND BOUNCE AROUND. WITHIN SECONDS TO A MINUTE, THE ENGINE WOULD SHUT DOWN. THE CONSUMER STATED IT WOULD HAPPEN RANDOMLY WITHOUT WARNING. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10577641April 5, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY WIFE'S CAR HAS HAD ISSUES SINCE WE GOT THE CAR. I HAVE HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED AND IT IS STILL NOT HOLDING A CHARGE. I FOUND THAT WHILE JUMP STARTING THE CAR, YOU GET SPARKS AS YOU ATTACH THE CABLES. THIS IS EVIDENCE OF A SHORT SOMEWHERE IN THE VEHICLE. THE ISSUES THAT I HAVE FOUND ARE NONFUNCTIONAL INTERIOR LIGHTS, MIRROR CONTROLS, DOOR LOCKS, AND RADIO. I HAVE FOUND RECALL INFORMATION ON VEHICLES WITH THIS SAME YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL. UPON CALLING DAIMLER CHRYSLER I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THIS RECALL. I MA HAVING THE SAME ISSUES AS VEHICLES IN THIS RECALL. *TR
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
#10576880April 2, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT ALL THE ISSUES WITH THIS CAR. ON MARCH 29TH MY FOG LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN OFF EVEN WHEN IGNITION SWITCH WAS TURNED OFF. I WENT ON LINE AND SAW SEVERAL "BLOGS" ABOUT THIS ISSUE - I AM AN OLDER WOMEN WITH MINIMAL KNOWLEDGE OF THESE THINGS SO I WENT TO A PARTS STORE THAT WAS OPEN AND THE CLERK PULLED THE #8 FUSE OUT - FOR THE FOG LIGHTS SO MY BATTERY WOULD NOT RUN DOWN BEFORE SERVICE/REPAIR WAS OPEN ON MONDAY- THE MECHANIC STATED HE COULD FIX IT AND ALSO THAT THE DEALERSHIP JUST TOOK IN A USED CRUISER AND THE FOG LIGHTS DID NOT WORK - THEY FOUND THAT SOMEONE HAD TOOK THE FUSES OUT FOR THAT CRUISER ALSO - IS THIS A DEFECTIVE ISSUE- APPEARS NOW ACCORDING TO THE INTERNET THE REPLACEMENT PART HAS BEEN IMPROVED. I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE COMPUTER AND AGAIN SEEMS OTHER CRUISER OWNERS HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE ALSO - THIS IS A LOT OF EXPENSE AND WITH THE LOAN ON THE CAR IS DIFFICULT TO NOW GET A DIFFERENT CAR AS THIS DOES SEEM TO BE A LEMON - BUT I HAVE TO KEEP IT TILL I CAN AFFORD TO GET A DIFFERENT CAR - WITH ALL THESE ISSUES - NO ONE WILL WANT THIS ONE EITHER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10576950April 2, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I BOUGHT THIS PT CRUISER FROM A LOCAL DEALER, THE FIRST TIME IT TURNED OFF I WAS AT A STOP SIGN AND THOUGHT IT JUST STALLED FROM NOT BEING WARMED UP. ABOUT A WEEK LATER I WAS DRIVING DOWN A LOCAL ROAD DOING 50 MILES PER HOUR WHEN I BUMPED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION WITH MY KNEE. THE CAR TURNED OFF. LUCKILY IT WAS A STRAIGHT ROAD WITH NO TRAFFIC AND I WAS ABLE TO GUIDE THE CAR TO A STOP THEN RESTART IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES MORE, ALL WITH BUMPING MY KNEE AGAINST THE IGNITION KEY. IT INSTANTLY TURNS THE CAR OFF. WITH THE GM RECALL IN THE NEWS I WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION SINCE I DON'T HAVE A GM CAR BUT DECIDED TO LOOK WHEN I HEARD IT INVOLVED THE IGNITION TURNING THE CAR OFF. I SAW THAT IT IS SIMILAR YET NOTHING BEING DONE ABOUT MY IGNITION SO I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT. I HAVE NOTIFIED CHRYSLER OF THIS PROBLEM I AM EXPERIENCING. I KNOW THAT MANY PARTS ARE USED ACROSS BRANDS AND THESE PARTS MAY BE THE SAME. I AM WORRIED I MAY BUMP MY KNEE ON A WINDY ROAD WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR AND NOT BE ABLE TO RECOVER STABILITY AND STEERING IF IT TURNS OFF. PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS IMMEDIATELY!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10576270April 1, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ABOUT 10-15 TIMES OVER A PERIOD OF ABOUT 6 MONTHS I HAVE HAD REPEATED, IRREGULAR, INTERMITTENT MALFUNCTIONS AS FOLLOWS. ALL HAVE HAD THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS. AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS, DIFFERENT TIMES, DIFFERENT ACCELERATION, DIFFERENT DRIVERS, ETC. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND ENGINE GO OUT MOMENTARILY THEN IN ABOUT 1 SECOND IS RESTORED. RARELY IT IS NOT RESTORED FOR 4-5 SECONDS. HEADLIGHTS STAY ON BUT ALL OTHER ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TURN OFF FLEETINGLY. THE INSTRUMENT LIGHTS GO OFF AND THE DIALS DROP TO ZERO THEN ALMOST IMMEDIATELY POWER IS RESTORED, INSTRUMENTS RESUME THEIR PREVIOUS LEVELS AND EVERYTHING RETURNS TO NORMAL. THERE IS NO SPUTTERING, BACKFIRING OR WARNING OF AN IMPENDING EVENT. THERE IS NO CONSISTENT CIRCUMSTANCE WHICH PRECIPITATES THIS MALFUNCTION. I HAVE TAKEN IT TWICE TO THE DEALER BUT THE MALFUNCTION HAS NEVER RECURRED WHILE THEY WERE DRIVING AND ALTERNATOR, BATTERY, ETC. ALL CHECK OUT NORMALLY. THIS PROBLEM SOUNDS VERY SIMILAR TO THE CURRENTLY IDENTIFIED GM MALFUNCTION..ARE THE ELECTRICAL HARNESSES MADE BY THE SAME COMPANY? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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