Chrysler PT Cruiser
Owners filed 2,523 complaints across 10 model years of the Chrysler PT Cruiser. The 2001 drew the most (618); the 2010 the fewest (22).
Model years10
Complaints2,523
Recalls25
Fires109
Deaths7
Every Chrysler PT Cruiser model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 22 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2009 | 97 | 0 | 1 | 4 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2008 | 115 | 0 | 6 | 11 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2007 | 149 | 0 | 3 | 18 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2006 | 349 | 1 | 5 | 35 | Electrical System | Fatalities reported | |
| 2005 | 187 | 5 | 12 | 11 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2004 | 217 | 3 | 15 | 16 | Electrical System | Fatalities reported | |
| 2003 | 258 | 4 | 15 | 22 | Electrical System | Fatalities reported | |
| 2002 | 511 | 5 | 34 | 40 | Electrical System | Fatalities reported | |
| 2001 | 618 | 7 | 17 | 36 | Structure | Above average |
Which Chrysler PT Cruiser years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 2001 is the weakest year on record, with 618 complaints concentrated in the structure. It carries 7 recalls.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.