Chrysler PT Cruiser Complaints (2008)

115 consumer complaints on file.

#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
#10574948March 26, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TRUNK LOCK WILL NOT OPEN. THERE IS NO TRUNK KEYED LOCK FOR INSERTION OF A PHYSICAL KEY AND THERE IS NO EMERGENCY MANUAL RELEASE ON THE TRUNK DOOR ITSELF. LOCK ONLY HAS FUNCTIONALITY FROM KEY REMOTE OR LOCK RELEASE ON DRIVER DOOR WHICH IS NOT WORKING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10574954March 26, 2014
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR TRUNK INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LOCKS FAILED TO RELEASE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10573573March 19, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DRIVING ON FRWY SPEEDOMETER AND RPM GO CRAZY CAR TURNS OFF AND TURNS BACK ON. VERY CLOSE TO GETTING REAR ENDED SEVERAL TIMES IT IS VERY SCARY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10568146March 10, 2014
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER PT CRUISE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE HORN WAS ENGAGED, IT REMAINED ACTIVATED AND WOULD INDEPENDENTLY DISENGAGE UNTIL MUCH LATER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE AIR BAG HORN ASSEMBLY HOWEVER THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52,000. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10560900January 21, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE ISSUES STARTED AT THE END OF NOVEMBER EARLY DECEMBER 2013. MY CAR BATTERY WAS UNABLE TO HOLD A CHARGER AND MY CAR CONTINUOUSLY WOULD NOT START. I SPENT ABOUT 200 TO HAVE THE ALTERNATOR AND STARTER TESTED AS WELL AS GET A NEW BATTERY PUT INTO MY CAR. I THEN HAD THE SAME SITUATION HAPPEN THE MECHANIC TRIED A NEW BATTERY AND MY CAR WORKED FOR A WEEK. THEN IT DIED AGAIN THE MECHANIC SENT ME TO AN ELECTRICIAN THE ELECTRICIAN STILL CLAIMED IT WAS THE BATTERY. THEN TODAY I HAD THE CAR JUMP STARTED AGAIN ONLY TO FIND I GOT NOT EVEN HALF A MILE FROM WHERE I WAS AND MY CAR LIGHTS ALL OVER STARTED FLICKERING THEN MY CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF TO THE POINT MY EMERGENCY FOUR WAYS WOULD NOT EVEN WORK THIS HAPPENED RIGHT AT A GREEN LIGHT MY CAR WASN'T EVEN STOPPED. THIS HAPPENED LATE AT NIGHT SO IT WAS DARK OUT AND I HAD TO CALL 911 BECAUSE I WAS UNSAFE AND SO WAS ANYONE ELSE TRYING TO GET DOWN THE ROAD BECAUSE I HAD NO ABILITY TO SIGNAL TO PEOPLE IN A SAFE WAY TO MOVE INTO THE OTHER LANE. I HAVE ALSO FOUND NUMEROUS REPORTS BY PEOPLE DRIVING MY YEAR AND OTHER YEARS OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL WHO HAVE HAD VERY SIMILAR ISSUES TO MINE. WITH A CONSTANT RESPONSE OF BEING TOLD THAT THERE EITHER IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE CAR OR THEY CAN SAY THERE IS BECAUSE THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AT THE TIME. THESE CARS ARE WALKING DEATH TRAPS TO THERE OWNERS WHEN THIS HAPPENS CAUSE IT COMES OUT OF NOWHERE WITH NO EXPLANATION AND THE COMPANY/DEALER REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. I REALLY DON'T THINK IT IS RIGHT FOR THIS TO GO UNSPOKEN ANY LONGER BECAUSE IF NO ONE HAS BEEN KILLED BY IT YET ITS A HUGE CHANCE SOMEONE WILL/COULD! A VEHICLE CANNOT BE PERFECTLY FINE IF IT JUST QUITS WHILE DRIVING FOR NO REASON AT ALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10548320October 17, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHEN DRIVING THE CAR, DASHBOARD LIGHTS START FLICKERING, GAUGES START BOUNCING. SOMETIMES THIS IS ALL THAT HAPPENS, OTHER TIMES IT'S AS IF THE CAR STALLS AS I HAVE NO ACCELERATION. A COUPLE OF TIMES, THE ENGINE HAS SHUT ITSELF OFF. IN RESEARCHING THIS ONLINE, I FIND DOZENS AND DOZENS OF INSTANCES OF THIS SAME THING HAPPENING WITH PT CRUISERS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10536253August 20, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
JUST AFTER I BOUGHT THIS CAR, I HAVE HAD THIS INTERMITTENT PROBLEM...WHILE DRIVING, AT SOME POINT, ALL THE DASH LIGHTS GO ON, SEAT BELT ETC. AS WELL AS ALL THE NEEDLES, SPEEDOMETER, GAS ETC WILL GO DOWN...THIS CAN HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES IN A ROW, AT WHICH POINT THE CAR HAS STALLED OUT. ABOUT APRIL 2012 THE IC PANEL WAS REPLACED. AFTER SEVERAL TIMES AT THE DEALER AND THEY COULDN'T GET THE CAR TO MAKE THE PROBLEM HAPPEN. WELL, IT DOESN'T END THERE...LAST FALL THE PROBLEM STARTED HAPPENING ALL OVER AGAIN!!!! THE DEALER HAD IT AGAIN SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THIS TIME THEY NEVER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM. SO, I FIGURED I COULD DRIVE THE CAR WITH NO HEAT, OR AIR CONDITIONING, NO RADIO, NO CRUISE CONTROL AND THE PROBLEM HASN'T OCCURRED, UNTIL JUST RECENTLY...THIS TIME IT GOES OFF CONTINUALLY, SOMETIMES. THIS IS SO SCARY! THE CAR CAN STALL ANYWHERE! I HAVE BEEN SEEING THIS SAME ISSUE ON SEVERAL BLOGS...STILL UNRESOLVED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10532156July 27, 2013
ENGINE
MY PT CRUISER FROM TIME TO TIME ON A REGULAR BASIS WILL SUDDENLY STALL. ALL GAUGES ON INSTRUMENT PANEL WILL LIGHT UP AND FALL OF AT WHICH CALL WILL STALL. THIS ACTION OCCURS EITHER WHILE IDLING AND OR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHILE DRIVING. THE ACTION SOMETIMES WILL SHUT CAR DOWN THEN AFTER A FEW SECONDS START BACK UP. PLEASE FIND A SOLUTION. I'VE BEEN INVESTIGATING THIS SITUATION AND KNOW ONE SEEMS TO CARE OR NO WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE 2006. I WOULD LIKE TO NO WHAT HAS BEEN DONE SO I CAN GET THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM FIXED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10514566May 31, 2013
SEAT BELTS
RE: #10510796, PART RECEIVED FRIDAY 24 MAY 2013 PART INSTALLED FRIDAY 31 MAY 2013 PROBLEM RESOLVED. THANK YOU.[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10510796May 6, 2013
AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT AND CHIME ACTIVATED. INDICATES NO AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AND POSSIBLY NO SRS CAPABILITY. PER LITHIA DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP #4, "WITECH TEST CODES SET, B1B57, B1B55, B1B56, B1B54". "REPLACE PASS SIDE FRONT SEAT BELT RECEIVER (BUCKLE), ON NATIONAL BACKORDER NO ETA AT THIS TIME". PROBLEM, REDUCED PASSENGER SAFETY, CONTINUES CHIMING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 SECOND INTERVALS AND BRIGHT RED WARNING LIGHT; NO FIX AVAILABLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10509985April 29, 2013
POWER TRAIN
THE CLUTCH STARTED TO MAKE IT HARD TO SHIFT THE TRANSMISSION. THIS IS ARIZONA SO IT STARTS TO WARM UP TO ABOUT 100 DEGREES AROUND THIS TIME (END OF APRIL). THIS THEN OCCURRED AGAIN IN 2011 AND 2012 FROM APRIL TO THE END OF OCTOBER (WHEN IT STARTS TO COOL OFF BELOW 100 DEGREES). EVERY YEAR IT HAS BECOME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND TODAY IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SHIFT. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL SINCE THIS AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH ALL WARM WEATHER LOCATED PT'S. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10493048January 15, 2013
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE AS THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AFTER ONE HOUR AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESUME NORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10485684November 27, 2012
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
2008 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO VEHICLE FUEL LINE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED SHE HAD TO PAY $ 109.25 TO HAVE THE FUEL LINE REMOVED AND REPLACED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10482949November 2, 2012
TIRES:VALVE
VALVE STEM FAILURE AND RAPID LOSS OF TIRE PRESSURE DUE TO GALVANIC CORROSION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10472115August 23, 2012
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
THE CAR TENDS TO STALL WHEN DRIVING IN EXCESS OF 50, IT WILL JERK A COUPLE OF TIMES BEFORE GOING FORWARD. IT HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR TWO WEEKS, I BOUGHT THIS CAR ABOUT A MONTH AGO. WHEN GOING ONLINE TO SEE IF OTHERS WERE HAVING THIS PROBLEM, I FOUND IT TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE SEEKING AND TRYING ALL TYPES OF SOLUTIONS. EVEN TAKING THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND STILL HAVING THE SAME STALL AND ROUGH IDLING. IT APPEARS TO BE A DEFECT IN THE MANUFACTURING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10471398August 18, 2012
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
IN APRIL 2012 MY AIR CONDITIONER STARTED TURNING TO WARM AIR WHILE WAITING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND ACTING AS IF IT WANTED TO CUT OFF. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. ON AUGUST 6, 2012 I RETURNED TO THE DEALER WITH SAME PROBLEM, I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE LINE, AND IF MORE PROBLEMS BRING IT BACK. ON AUGUST 8TH THE AIR CONDITIONER NOT ONLY TURNED WARM THE CAR CUT OFF. AS LONG AS I'M RUNNING STEADY ON THE HIGHWAY IT WORKS FINE.I ACTUALLY HAVE TO TURN THE AIR OFF AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS OR NOT RUN IT AT ALL AROUND THE CITY,I RETURNED AGAIN TO THE DEALER TO NO AVAIL. I WENT ON LINE TO JUST ANSWER TODAY, CHRYSLER EXPERT INFORMING ME THAT POSSIBLY THE ELECTRIC COOLING FAN NEEDS REPLACING WHICH IS COMMON IN PT CRUISER.I AM CONCERNED IT WILL CAUSE MORE PROBLEMS TO MY CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10463195June 26, 2012
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
MY INFANT NEPHEWS AND MY NIECE WERE IN CAR SEATS IN THE BACK, I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 2 MONTHS. I HAVE NOTICED THE CAR LOCKING ITSELF WHILE I DRIVE, BUT THIS TIME IT LOCKED ITSELF AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THE CLICKER (REMOTE) OR THE KEY TO UNLOCK UNTIL MY NEPHEWS WERE PANICKED (ABOUT SEVEN/TEN MINUTES THAT TIME) IT OPENED AND I GOT THEM OUT, BUT IT UPSET ME SINCE THEN IT HAS HAPPENED WITH MY PASSENGERS AND THIS MORNING, IT LOCKED ME IN FROM THE INSIDE AND NOTHING WOULD RELEASE THE LOCKS, NOT THE DOOR NOT THE REMOTE, NOT THE MANUAL. I LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND THEY ARE BEING TOLD ITS THE RKEM, THIS IS A HAZARD AND A HALF, I WAS ABOUT READY TO BUST THE WINDOWS FOR MYSELF (I WAS LOCKED IN FOR ALMOST TWENTY MINUTES/HAD TO KEEP RESTARTING THE CAR TO GET AIR IN, BECAUSE IT WAS HOT. I CANNOT IMAGINE HOW THIS WOULD NOT BE A RECALL ITEM. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10462413June 20, 2012
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE BRAKES ALSO EMITTED A SQUEAKING NOISE DURING THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT DEALER, WHO CONDUCTED A DRIVABLE PERFORMANCE CHECK AND A BODY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CHECK BUT COULD NOT FIND THE FAILURE. THE DEALER INSPECTED AND READJUSTED THE REAR BRAKES. THE DEALER THEN ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO PERFORM ANOTHER DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,954 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10460831June 6, 2012
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WHILE DRIVING MY 2008 PT CRUISER HOME, ALL OF THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON AT ONE TIME AND STAYED ON FOR THE TEN MINUTES IT TOOK ME TO GET HOME. THEY CAME ON AGAIN BRIEFLY TWO MORE TIMES FOR NO KNOWN REASON. I SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND SEVERAL POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS, WROTE THEM DOWN AND I TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE CHRYSLER DEALER IN ESCONDIDO, CALIFORNIA. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE SYMPTOMS AFTER CHECKING EVERYTHING ON THE VEHICLE SO THERE WAS NO REPAIR MADE. I TOOK THE CAR HOME. AGAIN IN MAY, 2012, THE CAR'S INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS CAME ON ALL AT ONCE AND BRIEFLY WHILE DRIVING HOME. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE ISSUE FOR CONSUMERS TO DEAL WITH AND I ALSO URGE AN INVESTIGATION AND RECALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANELS ON THE 2008 PT CRUISERS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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