Chrysler PT Cruiser Complaints (2001)

618 consumer complaints on file.

#10253869January 5, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
FACTORY INSTALLED KEY ALARM SYSTEM IS SHORTING OUT, ALARM WILL NOT DEACTIVATE BY REMOTE ONLY ON IGNITION SWITCH, DOORS WILL LOCK AND UNLOCK WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR 300.-500.00. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10253872January 5, 2009
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
HATCH BACK WILL NOT STAY UP IF THE TEMPERATURE GETS BELOW 60IN TEMP. THE HYDRAULICS SLIP AND THE HATCH COMES DOWN ON PERSON WITHOUT WARNING. ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIRS 250.00 - 600.00. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10253868January 5, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
FOG LIGHTS STAYED ON UNTIL THE HIGH BEAMS WHERE TURNED ON THEN THEY WOULD GO OUT. HAD TO HAVE ENTIRE LEFT ARM CONTROL SWITCH REPLACED AT A COST OF 189.00. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10253644January 3, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
FOG LIGHT SWITCH IS ALWAYS ON UNLESS SIGNAL ARM IS PLACED IN LEFT TURN. IF I DON'T DO THIS, THE BATTERY DRAINS FROM THE FOG LIGHTS STAYING ON. INTERNET SEARCH AND COMPLAINT SEARCH ON THIS SITE REVEALS THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH, COSTING APPROX $200 TO FIX. FROM INTERNET RESEARCH, APPEARS TO BE HAPPENING NOT ONLY WITH 2001 PT CRUISER BUT ALSO LATER YEARS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10253023December 29, 2008
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
DRIVERS SIDE - SIDE AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY ON CRASH TO DRIVERS SIDE OF 2001 PT CRUISER. PT CRUISER T-BONED OVER CAR SPEED APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10252748December 24, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
MY 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER HAS BURNED A QUART OF OIL APPROXIMATELY EVERY 900 MILES OF DRIVING SINCE IT WAS NEW. IT CURRENTLY HAS 96,000 MILES ON IT AND STILL ONLY GETS 900 MILES TO A QUART. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT CHRYSLER TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD BURN LESS AS I DROVE IT. IT NEVER DID. AS A RETIRED MECHANIC, I CAN SAY I HAVE NEVER PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM EITHER DIRECTLY OR VICARIOUSLY WITH A CUSTOMERS CAR THAT WAS PURCHASED NEW. THOUSANDS OF OTHER PT OWNERS HAVE HAD THIS EXACT SAME OIL BURNING PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10250647December 3, 2008
SEAT BELTS, AIR BAGS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE CONTACT REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN PROPERLY AND FORCED THE DRIVER INTO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES AND THE POLICE AND AMBULANCE WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE COLLISION CENTER AND WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 151,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10250237December 1, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I STARTED DRIVING MY 2001 PT CRUISER AND NOTICED THE FOG LAMP INDICATOR WAS ON. THE LIGHTS WERE NOT TURNED ON, I CHECKED ALL THE SWITCHES. A COUPLE MILES DOWN THE ROAD I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE COLUMN THROUGH THE HAZARD BUTTON. I PULLED OVER AND PULLED THE FUSE FOR THE FOG LAMPS WHICH STOPPED THE SMOKING BEFORE A FIRE STARTED. THE FUSE WAS VERY HOT. I SEE THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM VIA THE INTERNET ON THE PT. WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN RECALLED IF ITS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH POSSIBLE FIRES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10248988November 17, 2008
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH FOR TURN SIGNAL, HEADLIGHTS AND FOG LIGHTS IS DEFECTIVE. ELECTRICAL FAILURE CAUSES MELTING, SMOKE, BURNING AND MALFUNCTION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10248950November 16, 2008
VISIBILITY
AFTER PURCHASING MY 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER 4 YEARS AGO WITHIN THE PAST 2 MONTHS MY DASHBOARD HAS STARTED TO CRACK. IT BEGAN W/ THE AIR VENT @ THE WINDSHIELD AND NOT EVEN 2 MONTHS LATER IT HAS REACHED TO THE EDGE OF THE DASH CLOSER TO THE DRIVER. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THERE HAS BEEN PLENTY OF SAME ISSUES REGARDING THIS SAME ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10248230November 10, 2008
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
HOLE IN EXHAUST SYSTEM NEAR FUEL TANK CAUSED THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK TO LITERALLY MELT AND LEAK FUEL. THE METAL SHIELD NEAR THE TANK DOES NOT ADEQUATELY PROTECT THE TANK. IT IS A MIRACLE THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT CATCH FIRE. THE ENTIRE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY AND FUEL LINES NEAR THE TANK HAVE TO BE REPLACED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10247801November 5, 2008
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE A FAULTY PART IN MY 2001 PT CRUISER IT IS CALLED A FOG LIGHT SWITCH IT GOES BAD IN 2001 AND 2002 CRUISERS. I HAVE A WEBSITE YOU CAN GO ON AND SEE OVER 300 MORE PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. GOOGLE SEARCH WORD FOR WORD TROUBLE WITH MULTIFUNCTION CONTROL SWITCH FOR PT CRUISER HEADLIGHTS. PLEASE HELP ALONG WITH HUNDREDS OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO ALMOST LOST THERE LIVES DUE TO THERE LIGHTS GOING OUT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10247412November 1, 2008
POWER TRAIN
DURING ROUTINE OIL CHANGE THE MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE THREADS WELDED INTO THE OIL PAN HAD COME LOOSE. CAR NEEDED A NEW OIL PAN. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A "FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM" BECAUSE THE PAN IS ALUMINUM AND THE THREADED PIECE IS STEEL AND SINCE THE TWO METALS HAVE DIFFERENT EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION TEMPERATURES THAT OVER TIME THE WELD IS BROKEN AND THE THREAD "BREAKS LOOSE" FROM THE PAN. SEEMS TO ME THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AS IT IS A POOR DESIGN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10245121October 11, 2008
STRUCTURE
THE DASHBOARD OF MY PT CRUISER IS SUFFERING FROM MULTIPLE CRACKS THAT SEEM TO CONTINUALLY GROW AND INCREASE IN NUMBERS. THE CRACKS HAVE SHARP EDGES AND SEEM TO PRESENT THE POTENTIAL OF AN EVENTUAL DASHBOARD FAILURE OF THIS PADDED SURFACE. THE CRACK ALSO PRESENT SHARP EDGES. THE PROTECTIVE ASPECT OF THIS DASHBOARD IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH IS SUSPECT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10243317September 24, 2008
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE PERTAINING TO THE FUEL SYSTEM. AFTER THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. THE ENGINE AND ALL THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SHUT OFF WHILE IDLE AS WELL AS DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 70 MPH, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND CAUSED AN 18-WHEEL VEHICLE TO SWERVE OVER THE MEDIAN TO AVOID CRASHING INTO HER VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE TRANSMISSION CONTROLLER MODULE. ON JULY 10, 2007, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR THE SAME FAILURES. THE ETAX RELAY AND THE CONTROLLER SOFTWARE WAS UPDATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER ON AUGUST 30, 2007. THE FLASH CONTROLLER WAS REPLACED AND THE AIR BAG SENSOR WAS REPROGRAMMED; HOWEVER, THE REPAIRS DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURES. ON DECEMBER 28, 2007, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER DUE TO TRANSMISSION HESITATION. THE MODULAR ENGINE CONTROLLER WAS REPROGRAMMED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,780 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS LESS THAN 62,000. UPDATED 10/16/08. *LJ UPDATED 10/17/08. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10243324September 24, 2008
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE PERTAINING TO THE FUEL SYSTEM. AFTER THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. THE ENGINE AND ALL THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SHUT OFF WHILE IDLE AS WELL AS DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 70 MPH, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND CAUSED AN 18-WHEEL VEHICLE TO SWERVE OVER THE MEDIAN TO AVOID CRASHING INTO HER VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE TRANSMISSION CONTROLLER MODULE. ON JULY 10, 2007, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR THE SAME FAILURES. THE ETAX RELAY AND THE CONTROLLER SOFTWARE WAS UPDATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER ON AUGUST 30, 2007. THE FLASH CONTROLLER WAS REPLACED AND THE AIR BAG SENSOR WAS REPROGRAMMED; HOWEVER, THE REPAIRS DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURES. ON DECEMBER 28, 2007, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER DUE TO TRANSMISSION HESITATION. THE MODULAR ENGINE CONTROLLER WAS REPROGRAMMED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,780 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS LESS THAN 62,000. UPDATED 10/16/08 *BF
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10243252September 23, 2008
STRUCTURE:BODY
MY 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER HAS DISCOLORATIONS (WHITE STRIPES) ON THE DARK GRAY FRONT AND BACK BUMPERS BECAUSE THE AUTO MAKER PUT PLASTIC AND TAPE ON THEM TO PROTECT THEM IN DELIVERY. THE ADHESIVE IN THE TAPE HAS DESTROYED THE FINISH ON THE GRAY PLASTIC. THIS STARTED TO SHOW UP AFTER 6 YEARS OF OWNING IT WHEN IT SAT IN THE SUN. MOST OF THE TIME I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE IT WAS PARKED IN A GARAGE. FOR THE PAST YEAR IT HAS BEEN PARKED OUTSIDE. THIS WAS WHEN THE STRIPES STARTED TO SHOW UP. CHRYSLER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND SAYS THEY HAVE A "TSB" ON IT BUT SAYS THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO FIX IT AND THAT I (THE CONSUMER) HAVE TO GO BUY PRODUCTS TO FIX IT MYSELF, WHICH I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU CAN MAKE SUN BLEACHING AND FADING GO AWAY, IT'S PERMANENTLY DAMAGED. THEY STATED THAT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE WILL THIS BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE DRIVEN AROUND TO SEE IF OTHER PT'S ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND EVERY PT CRUISER I HAVE SEEN WITH A GRAY PLASTIC BUMPER HAS THE SAME DEFECT. I HAVE TAKEN PHOTOS OF 5 DIFFERENT ONES JUST TODAY. THIS IS IRRESPONSIBLE FOR CHRYSLER TO DENY THEY ARE AT FAULT WHEN CLEARLY THEY CAUSED THE PROBLEM BY PUTTING TAPE ON OUR BUMPERS. IF MY CAR HAD BEEN IN TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THEY HAD PLACED TAPE ON THE BUMPERS THEY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE AND LIABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS. I AM FRUSTRATED THAT THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THESE DISCOLORATIONS ARE A PERMANENT PROBLEM AND ARE SUN BLEACHED, THEY WON'T JUST GO AWAY. I WOULD LIKE MY BUMPERS EITHER REPLACED OR PAINTED TO MATCH THE REST OF THE CAR. I AM ALSO SPREADING THE WORD TO OTHER PT CRUISER OWNERS, IN HOPES THAT CHRYSLER WILL SEE THAT THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM AND IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY ON ITS OWN. THIS WILL CAUSE A FINANCIAL HARDSHIP ON MY FAMILY TO REPAIR THIS OURSELVES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10242805September 18, 2008
STRUCTURE
2001 PT CRUISER: MULTIPLE CRACKS IN THE DASHBOARD FROM THE WINDSHIELD TO THE FRONT CONSOLE RUNNING THROUGH THE CENTER VENT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10242817September 18, 2008
STRUCTURE
MY 2001 PT CRUISER HAVE 3 HUGE CRACKS ON THE DASHBOARD. HAVE ALWAYS USED PROTECTION AGAINST THE SUN AND STILL GOT THEM. I FEAR THAT IF EVER HAVE AN IMPACT THE PIECES OF THE DASHBOARD WILL BE DANGEROUS DEBRIS IF AIRBAGS OPEN (IF THEY DO OPEN AND DOESN'T GET STUCK). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10242459September 16, 2008
TIRES
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE DEFLATED. AS A RESULT, THE TIRE DETACHED FROM THE RIM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT ALL FOUR RIMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY DIFFERENCES BEFOREHAND. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 42,367.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Chrysler PT Cruiser