Chrysler PT Cruiser Complaints

2,623 consumer complaints on file.

#10218073February 14, 2008
STRUCTURE
THE DASHBOARD HAS CRACKED IN HALF FROM THE CENTER OF THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD, THROUGH THE OVAL DEFROSTER GRATING, AND ALL THE WAY BACK TO WHERE THE DASH MEETS THE CENTER CONSOLE. THE DEFROSTER GRATING HAS ACTUALLY FALLEN INTO THE DASH, AND OTHER SMALLER CRACKS ARE FORMING OFF OF THE MAIN ONE. I DIDN'T COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WHEN IT HAPPENED UNTIL I RECENTLY DISCOVERED THAT OTHER OWNERS WERE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. CHRYSLER HAS BEEN MOST UNHELPFUL AND HAS HAS DENIED ANY CULPABILITY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10218091February 14, 2008
SUSPENSION:FRONT:HUB, SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
AFTER ONLY 35.5K MILES THE DEALERSHIP MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT BOTH FRONT HUBS AND BEARINGS NEED REPLACEMENT. AN ONLINE SEARCH REVEALED MANY MANY OWNERS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. UNSAT! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10217767February 12, 2008
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS ON MY WIFE'S 2004 PT CRUSER WITH LESS THAN 40K MILES WENT BAD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10217708February 11, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL, STRUCTURE
MY 2001CHRYSLER PT CRUISER DASH CRACKED IN HALF FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IT CAUSED MANY ELECTRICAL ERRORS IN THE DASHBOARD INSTRUMENTS. I AM JUST THANKFUL I WAS NOT IN A MORE SERIOUS SITUATION WHEN IT HAPPENED. I HAVE HEARD IT IS COMMON AND FEEL IT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10217443February 8, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
PURCHASED MAR 2007 THE PT CRUISER CONVERTIBLE GT. WAS GETTING 19MPG MAXIMUM. WITH 13,000 MILES, THE CRANKSHAFT SEAL ON THE ACCESSORIES END WAS PUSHED OUT BY TOO MUCH CRANKSHAFT END PLAY. 4 QUARTS LOW ON OIL WHEN IT FLASHED THE OIL LIGHT. CAR WAS HAULED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY PUT ANOTHER SEAL IN IT AND THAT ONE FAILED WHILE THE DEALER STILL HAD THE CAR. THEY REPLACED THE SHORT BLOCK CAM BELT AND SEALS. THE CAM BELT MADE EXCESSIVE NOISE ON START-UP FOR THE FIRST MONTH. I NOW HAVE 17,500 ON IT AND THE MAXIMUM FUEL MILEAGE IS 16. IT WILL BE BACK IN THE DEALERSHIP LOOKING FOR A VACUUM LEAK AND CHECKING TO SEE IF CHRYSLER HAS A NEW FUEL MAP FOR THE COMPUTER. COMPLAINT IS FUEL MILEAGE AND ENGINE DEFECT THAT CAUSES THE ENGINE TO LOSE ITS OIL WHICH COULD CAUSE THE CAR TO LOSE CONTROL FROM ENGINE OIL ON THE TIRES OR FROM THE ENGINE LOCKING UP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10217461February 8, 2008
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
BOTH FRONT BEARINGS FAILING IN 2003 PT CRUISER...HAVE BEEN GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE OVER THE PAST YEAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10217480February 8, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
THE MULTIFUCTION TURN SIGNAL SWITCH ALLOWS STOPS WORKING AND FOG LIGHTS STAY ON MAKING THE BATTERY RUN DOWN AND THE ONLY IMMEDIATE REMEDY IS TO DISCONNECT THE FOG LIGHTS. THIS PART HAS FAILED THREE TIMES ON MY PT CRUISER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10217505February 8, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A USED 2001 PT CRUISER. AFTER WATCHING A PT CRUISER CATCH ON FIRE IN MY WORK PARKING LOT, I NOTICED THAT I HAD NO HEAT. I ADDED COOLANT AND EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE UNTIL I DROVE IT FOR OVER 20 MINUTES. IT STARTED TO OVERHEAT AND SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD (IN THE DEAD OF WINTER). AFTER LETTING IT COOL I WAS ABLE TO GET IT HOME. I ADDED COOLANT AND CHECKED FOR LEAKS AND FOUND NONE. THEN I CHECKED THE INTERNET TO HELP TROUBLESHOOT THE ISSUE... AND RAN ACROSS SEVERAL WEBSITE WITH MY EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH MANY PEOPLE STATING THAT THEY HAD SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WITHOUT ANY RESULTS, AND WITH NO HELP FROM CHRYSLER RESOLVING THE ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10216828February 4, 2008
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING, SUSPENSION
PT CRUISER 2005. HEARING THUMPING NOISES FROM RIGHT FRONT. SEP. 2006 DEALER REPLACES BEARING, (20118 MILES) JULY 07 MORE NOISE DEALER FINDS AXLE SPACERS MISSING (28009 MILES) JAN. 08 MORE NOISE DEALER FINDS BAD BEARINGS AGAIN, THIS TIME OUT OF WARRANTY ($630 31406 MILES). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10216914February 4, 2008
SUSPENSION
I READ ON THE INTERNET THAT A GREAT DEAL OF OWNERS OF CHRYSLER PT CRUISERS HAVE HAD PROBLEMS SIMILAR TO MINE. MY 2003 HAS ONLY 50,000 KM. (NOT MILES) AND I HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHEEL BEARINGS. THIS SEEMS MUCH TOO SOON TO REPLACE SUCH AN ITEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10216685February 1, 2008
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BEARING IS BAD AFTER ONLY 20,000 MILES ON MY PT CRUISER. I HAVE JUST READ 65 COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM ON HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/AUTOS/CHRYSLER-PT-CRUISER/TIL09OD8D72ERULQA/P2 HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO HAVE THE PROBLEM BEFORE A RECALL IS DONE ON THIS. THIS IS CRAZY! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10216020January 25, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
BOUGHT 2007 PT CRUISER WITH 00003 MILES AT 12 MONTHS OF USE AND 13000 MI ENGINE HAD TO BE DISMANTLED,CAMSHAFT WAS PUSHING SEALS OUT FAULTY ENGINE ASSEMBLY , THESE CARS WERE MANUFACTURED IN MEXICO AND BUILT CHEAPLY, OIL DIPSTICK WAS DRY NO OIL LAMP EVER CAME ON FOUND THE PROBLEM BY THE PUDDLE OF OIL ON DRIVEWAY,COULD OF BLOWN ENGINE WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10216106January 22, 2008
TIRES:SIDEWALL
2007 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. CONSUMER STATES THAT GOODYEAR DEALER STATED THE BLOWN TIRE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY BECAUSE THE DAMAGE WAS ON THE SIDEWALL. THEY PAID FULL PRICE FOR A NEW TIRE. *KB THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED A SECOND FAILURE JUST LIKE THE FIRST OCCURRENCE, THE DAMAGE OCCURRED IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10215431January 19, 2008
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:FOG LIGHTS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THIS PROBLEM STARTED IN THE SPRING OF 2006. ALTHOUGH I DIDN'T KNOW IT AT THE TIME, THE FOG LIGHTS CAME ON BY THEMSELVES WHILE JUST SITTING IN THE PARKING LOT OR AT HOME. NO WARNING, SO I DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL I WENT TO START THE CAR AND THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. SINCE THIS WAS INTERMITTENT, NO LIGHTS ON THE DASH ADVISING ME THE FOG LIGHTS WERE ON AND DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS, I NEVER NOTICED THAT THE FOG LIGHTS WERE ON. AFTER SEVERAL TIMES OF THIS HAPPENING. THIS CAUSED ME TO REPLACE THE BATTERY. WHILE REPLACING THE BATTERY I NOTICED THAT THE ORIGINAL CABLES HAD INFERIOR BATTERY CONNECTOR LEADS. THE CABLES CONNECTORS WERE MOSTLY EATEN THROUGH CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO REPLACE THEM. (I NOTICED THAT WHEN I GOT THE NEW LEADS THAT THE CONNECTORS WERE OF A BETTER MATERIAL). DUE TO THIS NOT HAVING ANY RIME OR REASON AS TO WHY THE BATTERY KEPT GOING DEAD AND NO ONE HAD ANY IDEA WHY THIS WAS HAPPENING I SIMPLY HAD TO WAIT UNTIL I DISCOVERED THE CAUSE. IN DEC 2007 I WENT TO START THE CAR AND SURE ENOUGH THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. HOWEVER THIS TIME WHEN I JUMPED THE BATTERY THE FOG LIGHT ON THE DASH STAYED ON AND THAT IS WHEN I FOUND THE PROBLEM. I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THEM OFF SINCE THE SWITCH WAS ALREADY IN THE OFF POSITION. MY ONLY RECOURSE WAS TO REMOVE THE FOG LIGHT FUSE. SINCE REMOVING THE FOG LIGHT FUSE I HAVE HAD NO FURTHER ISSUES TO DATE. I STILL DO NOT KNOW THE CAUSE OR THE CURE SO, I LOGGED ON TO THIS SITE TO LOOK FOR A SERVICE BULLETIN OR INFORMATION TO TELL ME THAT AND HERE I AM. THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE WHEN THIS WHOLE STUFF STARTED WAS APPROX 36,000 AND IT NOW HAS 42000 MILES ON IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10215439January 19, 2008
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED AT 71,000 MILES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10215346January 18, 2008
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:FOG LIGHTS:SWITCH
FOG LIGHTS STAY ON DRAINING BATTERY. INTERNET RESEARCH INDICATES PROBLEM WITH THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH. ALSO INDICATES THAT HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM - SOME MULTIPLE TIMES - REPLACING SWITCH AT DEALER FOR APX $200 - AND MANUFACTURER HAS YET TO ISSUE RECALL OR ASSISTANCE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10214859January 15, 2008
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
WHILE DRIVING WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON I TRIED TO PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH WOULD NOT MOVE. I HAD TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL WITH THE HAND CONTROL. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN. THE BRAKE PEDAL IS FROZEN IN PLACE AND WILL NOT MOVE WITH ANY AMOUNT OF FORCE. AFTER DISENGAGING AND RE-ENGAGING THE CRUISE CONTROL, THE BRAKES BEGIN TO WORK AGAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10215077January 15, 2008
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING, SUSPENSION:FRONT:HUB
WHILE DRIVING MY 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER, I STARTED HEARING A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE CAR. IN JUST A MATTER OF DAYS I COULD TELL IT WAS GETTING LOUDER. I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE THE BRAKES BUT I JUST HAD THE FRONT BRAKES REPLACED 6,000 MILES EARLIER. I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC WHERE I HAD THE BRAKES DONE AND AFTER CHECKING THE CAR HE TOLD ME THE PROBLEM WAS THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS. IT COST ME $556.23 TO REPLACE THE FRONT LEFT HUB AND THE BEARINGS ON BOTH FRONT WHEELS. AFTER THE REPAIR, HE SHOWED ME THE OLD HUB AND BEARINGS. THE PART WAS BROKEN AND SEVERAL OF THE BEARINGS WERE MISSING. HE SAID IF I HAD CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR IN THAT CONDITION, IT WAS VERY LIKELY THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL WOULD FALL OFF, POSSIBLY CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND I BELIEVE CHRYSLER NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. THERE IS ONLY 28,560 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE. THERE IS NO WAY A CAR WITH THIS MANY MILES SHOULD BE HAVING THIS KIND OF PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10214820January 14, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
STRONG EXHAUST ODOR IN CAR WITH AC ON FRESH AIR. AFTER DOING A LITTLE TESTING I FOUND THE MANIFOLD TO EXHAUST SLIP JOINT LEAKING HEAVILY. WE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR A LONGE TIME AND ARE JUST GETTING TIRED OF CHOAKING LEVELS OF EXHAUST EVERY TIME WE COME TO A STOP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10214848January 14, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
OWNER NOTICED A SLIGHT "PUDDLE" (SIZE OF A SILVER DOLLAR) ON GARAGE FLOOR. OWNER JACKED UP CAR TO INSPECT AND IDENTIFY WHERE LEAK WAS ORIGINATING. NOTED A MISPLACED BUSHING ON THE BRACKET HOLDING THE POWER STEERING HOSE IN PLACE UNDER THE ENGINE. ONE END OF THE BUSHING HAD BROKEN ALLOWING THE HOSE TO CHAFE AGAINST THE BRACKET AND LEAK FLUID. OWNER IMMEDIATELY TOOK CAR INTO THE DEALER TO HAVE REPAIRED. UPON EXAMINATION, DEALER INFORMED OWNER THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS (2) HAD BROKEN ALLOWING THE ENGINE TO SIT LOWER ON THE FRAME AND THAT IS WHAT CAUSED THE BUSHING TO FAIL. OWNER PAID OVER $1,000 TO REPLACE MOTOR MOUNTS (2) AND REPLACE BUSHING AND POWER STEERING HOSE. OWNER FEELS THAT MOTOR MOUNT FAILURE WAS PREMATURE AS THE CAR ONLY HAS 38,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS NEVER BEEN DRIVEN HARD AND HAS BEEN GARAGED ITS ENTIRE LIFETIME. OWNER HAS IN HIS POSSESSION THE DEFECTIVE MOTOR MOUNTS. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR DEATHS, THERE CERTAINLY COULD HAVE BEEN IF THE OWNER HAD NOT BEEN SO OBSERVANT AND VIGILANT ABOUT MAINTAINING THE CAR. LOSS OF POWER STEERING FUNCTION OR ENGINE DETACHMENT WOULD BE CATASTROPHIC ON THE ROAD, PARTICULARLY AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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