Chrysler PT Cruiser Complaints

2,623 consumer complaints on file.

#10428084September 30, 2011
VISIBILITY
THE WINDSHIELD ON THIS VEHICLE CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE CRACK STARTED AT THE BOTTOM, JUST LEFT OF CENTER. THE CRACK RAN UP THE WINDSHIELD FOR ABOUT 3 INCHES, THEN TURNED 90 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT. OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, THE CRACK RAN ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT A-PILLAR. IT BEARS MENTIONING THAT THE CRACK STARTED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY. THE CAR HADN'T EVEN BEEN STARTED YET. I'VE SEEN MANY MENTIONS ON-LINE OF PT CRUISER'S WITH PROBLEMS IDENTICAL TO MINE, AND MY NEIGHBOR'S PT ALSO HAS THIS SAME CRACK. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE CHRYSLER DEALER, THEY DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF AN ISSUE WITH PT WINDSHIELDS, AND DENIED MY REPAIR REQUEST UNDER WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS STILL COVERED BY CHRYSLER'S 36/36 BUMPER-TO-BUMPER WARRANTY. WHEN I CALLED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER CARE, THEY AGREED, AFTER A GREAT DEAL OF WRANGLING, TO FIX MY WINDSHIELD IF I PAID A $100.00 DEDUCTIBLE. I DID, RELUCTANTLY, BECAUSE HERE IN TEXAS, A VEHICLE WILL NOT PASS A SAFETY INSPECTION WITH A CRACKED WINDSHIELD. IT'S OBVIOUS THAT CHRYSLER HAS AN ONGOING SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE PT CRUISER WINDSHIELDS. IT ALSO SEEMS OBVIOUS THAT CHRYSLER HAS THEIR HEAD BURIED IN THE SAND. CHRYSLER NEEDS TO BE FORCED TO DEAL WITH THE PT CRUISER WINDSHIELD ISSUE IN A PROPER MANNER, BEFORE IT CAUSES INJURY OR WORSE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10427878September 29, 2011
STRUCTURE:BODY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE DOOR FROM THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE AND WAS UNABLE TO. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR BY OPENING THE WINDOW AND THEN THE DOOR FROM THE EXTERIOR. THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS. THE CONTACT NOTICED A PLASTIC PIECE ON THE DOOR WOULD OVER HEAT AND CAUSE THE DOORS NOT TO OPEN FROM THE INTERIOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE DOOR PANEL HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10427908September 29, 2011
SUSPENSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER PT CRUSIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND THE BUSHINGS FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED EVERY YEAR SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN 2005. AFTER EACH FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR WARRANTIES ADDRESSING THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 121,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10427927September 29, 2011
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS PT CRUISER, PURCHASED ON NOVEMBER 22, 2000. MY MULTI-SWITCH WILL NOT TURN ON MY FOG LIGHTS AND THE INDICATOR IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DOES NOT LIGHT. I HAVE READ MANY ONLINE ARTICLES FROM OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. WHY WON'T CHRYSLER FIX THIS ON GOING PROBLEM? *TT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10425558September 15, 2011
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT SEAL ON THE BOTTOM OF THE CRANK CASE WOULD LEAK OIL. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 43,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10425600September 15, 2011
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
DEALER LOOKED AT THE OIL LEAK AND THE TECH INFORMED ME THE FRONT CRANKSHAFT SEAL WAS LEAKING AND THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF PLAY WITH THE CRANK. SEEMS THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 2.4 LITER MOTOR THAT CHRYSLER HAS IGNORED TO REPORT A RECALL. THERE IS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET. CHRYSLER HAS KNOWN IT HAS AN ENGINE FLAW AND REFUSES TO CORRECT THEIR MISTAKE. I UNDERSTAND REPLACING THE SEAL WON'T FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE PLAY WITH THE CRANK SHAFT, THE SEAL WILL START LEAKING AGAIN. AN OWNER WITH A PT CRUISER UNDER WARRANTY REPORTED THAT CHRYSLER REPLACED THE SEAL SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT FIXING THE PROBLEM. IF THE CRANK HAS TO MUCH PLAY, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE CRANK HAS EATEN INTO THE BLOCK. THE SHORT BLOCK MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. NOT CHEAP BY ANY MEANS. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND THEY STATED THAT BECAUSE OF THE MILEAGE THEY WOULD NOT OFFER ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. THIS CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF AND LOOKS BRAND NEW. THE ENGINE SHOULD GO ANOTHER 100,000 MILES. THIS IS A LEMON ENGINE! *KB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10425385September 14, 2011
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FLOOD WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE SPORADICALLY. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON FOR THE WARNING LIGHT TO DISAPPEAR. THE MANUFACTURER DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10425208September 13, 2011
STRUCTURE
DASHBOARD CRACKED FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10424439September 9, 2011
SUSPENSION
HEARD THUMPING NOISE ON RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE AND NEW TIRES WORE OUT PREMATURELY. MECHANIC INVESTIGATED AND FOUND FRONT END SEALED BEARINGS WERE COMPLETELY SHOT. SINCE CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY IT COST US $800 TO REPAIR. BASED ON THE OTHER COMPLAINTS WE HAVE FOUND, THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10424259September 8, 2011
VISIBILITY
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 75MPH SURROUNDED BY TRAFFIC WHEN SUDDENLY THE WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES STOPPED WORKING AND I HAD ZERO VISIBILITY. AFTER I MANAGED TO GET OFF THE ROAD, THEY STARTED WORKING AGAIN AFTER ABOUT 2 MINUTES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10423943September 6, 2011
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE INTERIOR WIRING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED; THEREFORE, THE WARNING LIGHTS OVERHEATED AND BECAME INOPERABLE. THE DEALER STATED THERE NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 01V288000, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: WIRING: INTERIOR/UNDER DASH WAS RELATED TO THE FAILURE; YET, HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO STATED HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10423047September 2, 2011
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V076000 (POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY) AND WAS REPAIRED PRIOR TO THE CONTACT HAVING OWNERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SWITCH GEARS. THE CONTACT WAS DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY AND THE SHIFTER CABLE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10422871September 1, 2011
STEERING
YEAR: 2003 MAKE: CHRYSLER MODEL: PT CRUISER ENGINE: 2.4L TURBOCHARGED COMPONENTS: POWER STEERING HIGH PRESSURE HOSE THE POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE WAS RUBBING UP AGAINST THE TRANSMISSION OF THE VEHICLE LISTED ABOVE. THE RESULT OF THE POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE RUPTURED DUE TO CONTACT WITH THE HOT TRANSMISSION DURING NORMAL DRIVING. THIS HAS BEEN THE FIRST INCIDENT SINCE THE OWNER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE OWNER PURCHASED NEW POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE AND HAD IT INSTALLED AT A LOCAL AUTOMOTIVE SHOP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10422744August 31, 2011
WHEELS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THE RIMS ON THE VEHICLE CAUSED THE TIRES TO LOSE AIR. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RIMS ALLOWED MOISTURE AND AIR INTO THE TIRES WHICH CAUSED THE AIR TO RELEASE. THE CONTACT STATED THE RIMS WERE FACTORY RIMS FROM CHRYSLER. THE DEALER STATED THE RIMS COULD ONLY BE RESEALED, BUT NOT REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THE TIRES WILL LOSE AIR OVER NIGHT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10421667August 26, 2011
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I PURCHASED A 2005 PT CRUISER IN JUNE 2008. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER I NOTICED THAT MY CAR WOULD SHAKE ONCE I TURNED ON MY AC. WHILE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY, I TOOK IT BACK TO THE CAR DEALERSHIP AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT I NEEDED A TUNE UP. SO I HAD MY CAR SERVICED FOR A TUNE UP TO ONLY FIND OUT THAT THE PROBLEM ON PERSISTED. I TOOK THE CAR TO SEVERAL MECHANICS AND NO ONE COULD FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. THEY ALL SAID I NEEDED SPARK PLUGS ALTHOUGH I JUST HAD THEM REPLACED. FLASH FORWARD TO NOVEMBER 2010, ON MY WAY TO WORK OUT OF NO WHERE MY CAR STARTED PUTTING AND MY ENGINE WAS SHAKING AS IF MY CAR WAS ABOUT TO EXPLODE. AGAIN I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE SAID THE SAME THING... TUNE UP. CLEARLY THIS WAS NOT THE CASE, HOWEVER I HAD MY GASKETS CHANGED TO SEE IF THAT WAS THE ISSUE...NEGATIVE. SO I DECIDED TO GOOGLE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS MYSELF JUST TO SEE IF I MISSED A RECALL OR IF THIS IS A PROBLEM. T O MY SURPRISE I FOUND SEVERAL FORUMS SPECIFICALLLY FOR TEH CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. TO TOP THE CAKE THEIR ISSUES WAS THE EXACT SAME ISSUES I WAS HAVING WITH MY CAR. ENGINE SHAKING, CAR PUTTING, AND THE CAR CUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING! I CALLED CHRYSLER TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL AND I WAS SO BAFFELED THAT THERE WAS NOT. THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE AND I'M VERY DISSAPOINTED THAT CHRYLSER IS IGNORING THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE MATTER! THIS CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE A FATAL ACCIDENT. HOW SCARY IS IT DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND YOUR CAR JUST STOPS OR STARTS PUTTING! I HAVE SPENT OVER $500 TRYING TO FIX THIS ISSUE AND OTHERS HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS ON CHRYSLERS BEHALF. MY CAR STILL HAS THE SAME ISSUES TODAY 8/26/2011. I CAN'T AFFORD A NEW ENGINE ESPECIALLY WHEN THIS IS A MORE THAN COMMON ISSUE. PLEASE GOOGLE "PT CRUISER ENGINE SHAKING PROBLEMS" AND SEE THE MANY BLOGS AND COMPLAINTS. EACH BLOG HAS THE SAME ISSUES LISTED, AND I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO CHRYSLER'S ATTENTION BUT THEY CHOOSE TO IGNORE IT. FYI.. IT ONLY TOOK TOYOTA 11 COMPLAINTS FOR THEM TO RECALL THEIR VEHICALS. *TT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10420714August 19, 2011
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:FOG LIGHTS:SWITCH
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THE FOG LAMPS WOULD REMAINED ON AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. THE CONTACT HAD TO REMOVED THE FUSE IN ORDER TO TURN THE FOG LAMPS OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SWITCH THAT OPERATED THE EXTERNAL LIGHTS WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY OF THE RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 103,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10420732August 19, 2011
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, STRUCTURE:BODY
FAULTY FIREWALL. THE FIREWALL AROUND THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER IS TWISTING AND SPLITTING. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IF THIS CAN HAPPEN AROUND THE CLUTCH, IT CAN HAPPEN AROUND THE BRAKES. THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT AND FIXED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10420776August 19, 2011
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
2002 PT CRUISER MOTOR MOUNTS KEEP GOING OUT. I HAD MY MOUNTS REPLACED 6 MONTHS AGO. THEN WITHIN 2 MONTHS THEY WENT OUT AGAIN. NOW THEY ARE MAKING NOISE AGAIN. THESE ARE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE. IF THESE MOUNTS ALL FAIL, THE ENGINE CAN FALL ON TO THE AXLE AND WHO KNOWS WHAT WILL HAPPEN? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10419967August 18, 2011
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
MY CAR HAS DECIDED TO "SOMETIMES" NOT START AT THE END OF THE DAY. IT RUNS JUST FINE IN THE MORNING, BUT THEN ON MY RETURN TRIP HOME, YOU TURN THE KEY AND NOTHING. THE LIGHTS GO ON, BUT NO IGNITION, NO SOUND OF THE ENGINE TURNING OVER. THREE BATTERY REPLACEMENTS, AND THAT IS NOT THE PROBLEM. CALLED CHRYSLER PERSONALLY AS DIRECTED BY A WEBSITE THAT SITED HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS OVER THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM, BUT THEY DENIED KNOWLEDGE OF ANY SUCH COMPLAINT. COMPLAINTS DATE BACK TO 2002. TRIED HAVING OUR TRUSTED MECHANIC LOOK AT IT, BUT SINCE HE CAN'T RECREATE THE PROBLEM, HE IS AT A LOSS. CAR HAS 100K MILES AND RAN FINE UP UNTIL THE START OF SUMMER. *KB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10419834August 17, 2011
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2006 WITH LESS THAN 60,000 MILES ON IT STARTED HARD TIME CRANKING, JERKING, SKIPPING AND LOSING POWER DOWN TO ABOUT 25 MPH. REPLACED PLUGS, WIRES, BATTERY AND CRANK SENSOR NOTHING SEEMED TO FIX IT. I WENT ONLINE TO SEE IF THIS WAS A REGULAR PROBLEM WITH THE PT CRUISER AND ON SEVERAL WEBSITES FOUND IT WAS A CONTINUAL PROBLEM HERE IS THE RESULT OF ONE OF THE SEARCHES: I RAN INTO THAT PROBLEM WITH A CUSTOMER'S PT CRUISER THE SAME YEAR AS YOURS. WHAT I FOUND BY ACCIDENT DURING DIAGNOSIS WAS THE CONNECTORS TERMINALS THAT PLUG INTO THE FRONT CONTROL MODULE LOSE TERMINAL TENSION CAUSING INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL CONCERNS. THE WAY I FOUND IT WAS BY WIGGLING THE WIRING HARNESSES THAT GO UP UNDERNEATH THE MODULE WHICH CAUSED THE PROBLEM TO SHOW UP. I HAD TO DISSEMBLE THE CONNECTORS AND RE TENSION THE TERMINALS. THE TERMINALS ARE KIND OF DINKY ON THOSE AND IT WOULDN'T TAKE MANY PLUGGING AND UN-PLUGGING OF THE CONNECTORS TO CAUSE THE TERMINAL TO LOSE TENSION. NO FIX IS LISTED ON THE CHRYSLER WEBSITE OR ANYWHERE YET THERE A NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. I BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR MY 16YR OLD (NOW 17) NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT UNTIL NOW. WHEN GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE IT WENT FROM 65 TO 25 AND SHE WAS SCARED SENSELESS. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A TRAGIC ACCIDENT. NOW THE CAR DOES IT WE PUSH THE PLUGS BACK IN RUNS FINE THEN WHEN THE CAR IS RAN FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME IT DOES IT AGAIN. PUSH THE PLUGS BACK IN RUNS FINE SO I DO KNOW IF IT IS THIS PART I HOPE FOR A FIX BEFORE SOMEONE GETS REALLY HURT FROM THE LOSS OF POWER SO ABRUPTLY. WEBSITES I REFERRED TO: CARJUNKIE.COM, ASK.COM, CHRYSLER.COM, GOOGLE.COM SEAR FOR 2006 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. *KB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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