2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser Conv

Routine

Owners filed 24 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Electrical System11
000
Engine and Engine Cooling5
010
Visibility1
000
Unknown or Other1
000
Trailer Hitches1
000
Steering › Column1
000
Steering1
000
Power Train1
000
Fuel/Propulsion System1
000
Electronic Stability Control (esc)1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Power Train
Filed Oct 29, 201873,399 milesCA

PT CRUISER PCM FAILURE. I BOUGHT THIS USED 2/18. CAR LOSING ITS TURBO POWER, GAS CONSUMPTION AND MILAGE HORRIBLE. 5MILES/GALLON. O2 SENSORS REPLACED 6/18. REPLACED BATTERY 7/18. CAR HAD BEEN AND CONTINUED TO HAVE HARD STARTING SINCE 6/18. OFTEN IT WOULD TAKE 2 ATTEMPTS TO START IGNITION. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR FAILURE CODES TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. 10/18 DRIVING 40MPH LARGE BUSY CITY STREET, GOING STRAIGHT, WITH NO WARNING THE CAR FAILED. 40MPH TO SUDDEN SLOW ROLL ENGINE FAILED. LOST POWER STEERING. RADIO STAYED ON. WAS ABLE TO GET TO SIDE OF ROAD BUT NOT FULLY OUT OF TRAFFIC LANE. CITY BUS ALMOST STRUCK MY CAR. NORMALLY A MOVE LIKE THAT INCLUDES BRAKE LIGHTS OR SIGNALING. THAT WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO ME, SO SCARY. STILL NO WARNING LIGHTS. CAR ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER, SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS CLOSE, BUT NEVER DID. 6 HOURS AT MECHANIC, PCM FAILED. NEEDS REPLACEMENT. $1300 FOR NEW PCM. CAN'T AFFORD IT.

Electrical System
Filed Jul 25, 201815,000 milesFL

CAR IN MOTION, ALL LIGHTS CAME ON , LOST POWER, WAS NEARLY HIT FROM CAR BEHIND ME.

Steering
Filed Mar 21, 2016130,000 milesAZ

POWER STEERING LEAKING, TOOK TO CHRYSLER DEALER . THE DEALER DID NOT TELL ME THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE POWER STEERING . THE DEALER TOLD ME TO BUY ANOTHER CHRYSLER.

Electronic Stability Control (esc)
Filed Dec 14, 201552,000 milesFL

JUST LIKE MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ON HERE, MY VEHICLE STARTS ACTING CRAZY WITH LIGHTS FLASHING, AND FEELS LIKE IT WON'T SHIFT AND GO ABOVE 40MPH. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND PCM. THIS COST ME $1200. IT STOPPED FOR A BIT, THEN STARTED AGAIN A MONTH OR TWO LATER WHEN THEY TOLD ME IT NEEDED MOTOR MOUNTS AND A NEW PCM (WHICH THEY SAID THEY CHANGED, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE IT). IT IS NOW BACK THERE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND I'M NOW ON THE 4TH DAY IT'S THERE AND I'M GETTING NO ANSWERS, JUST A BUNCH OF SALES PEOPLE CALLING. IF THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE ISSUES WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM WHY HASN'T THIS VEHICLE BEEN RECALLED? THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND I HAVE CHILDREN THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS FOR US AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD.

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Nov 21, 201538,000 milesNC

WHERE THE FUEL LINE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CONNECTS TO THE MAIN FUEL LINE FROM THE TANK AT THE FIRE WALL, THERE IS A FUEL DRIP ABOVE THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THIS LINE LEAKS FUEL WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THE MAIN LINE. IT HAS BEEN REPLACED ONE TIME ALREADY AND CONTINUES TO LEAK. THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE THIS LINE IS ONLY A FEW INCHES FROM THE TURBO OR EXHAUST AND ON A RIGHT HAND TURN COULD DRIP ON TO THE TURBO OR EXHAUST AND IGNITE. ALSO IF SITTING IN TRAFFIC OR DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS WITH THE A/C OR HEATER ON IT MUST BE KEPT IN RECIRCULATE OR THE SMELL OF FUEL ENTERS THE CABIN. THE DEALER WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE THERE IS NO RECALL ON IT. I AM PRETTY CERTAIN IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE EXPERIENCES AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. ANYONE OWNING A PT CRUISER SHOULD HAVE THIS LINE INSPECTED TO SEE IF IT IS LEAKING AND IF SO FILE A SIMILAR COMPLAINT. IT IS VERY EASY TO SPOT AS THE LINE WILL APPEAR WET OR COVERED IN MOIST DIRT AT THE CONNECTOR. ALSO WITH THE ENGINE NOT RUNNING THERE WILL BE A VERY STRONG FUEL SMELL TOWARDS THE BACK OF THE ENGINE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE.

Unknown or Other
Filed Sep 10, 201559,965 milesFL

WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW IN 2007 IT WAS HARD TO SHIFT AND I KEPT TAKING IT BACK TO THE DEALER ON BLANDING BLVD. HERE IN JACKSONVILLE, FL. THEY KEPT TELLING ME THEIR WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE WAY IT SHIFTED AND CONSEQUENTLY PUT ME OFF TIL THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTED PERIOD. WELL, MY WIFE HAS NEVER DRIVEN THE CAR BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT SHIFTS AND THE DEALER OF OF 295 HERE IN JAX FOUND THAT THE CLUTCH CABLE WAS BAD, OF COURSE THIS WAS AFTER THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTEE AND NOW THE PT CRUISER HAS BEEN DING THE SAME FOR SOME WHILE. I HAVE DRIVEN A SHIFT SINCE I WAS 16, FROM CORVETTES TO MACH 1'S AND KNOW THEIR IS NOT A CLUTCH PROBLEM. I AM 64 YEARS OLD NOW AND THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 60,000 MILES ON IT. IT'S HARD TO SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR AT ANY TIME. NO CLUTCH OR TRANNY PROBLEM AND CLUTCH CABLE SHOULD BE BAD A SECOND TIME BUT IT IS AND IT'S TOO BAD YOUR ENGINEERS COULD NOT HAVE GIVEN THE MPG MORE ATTENTION AT THE TIME OF BUILD BECAUSE IT HAS SUCKED SINCE NEW. I DON'T EVEN USE THE AC BECAUSE OF GAS GUZZLING, BUT THE CLUTCH CABLE IS MY CONCERN.

Electrical System
Filed Jul 27, 201510,000 milesOH

IF YOU INVESTIGATE MY VIN, YOU WILL SEE THAT FROM SOON AFTER I BOUGHT MY CAR, I HAD A WEIRD PROBLEM WHERE THE GAUGES WOULD GO CRAZY, THE DASH LIGHTS ALL LIGHT UP, AND SOMETIMES EXPERIENCE FULL ENGINE SHUT DOWN, IF NOT JUST HAVE AN ACCELERATOR FAIL WHILE DRIVING. FOR YEARS, I KEPT TRYING TO WORK WITH CHRYSLER TO ALLOW THEM TO DIAGNOSE AND FIX THE ISSUE AND THEY WERE NEVER ABLE TO DO SO EVEN THOUGH I HAD PHOTOS OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING. IN APPROXIMATELY JULY 2011, I MET SOMEONE WITH A CONVERTIBLE PT CRUISER LIKE MINE AND SHE ASKED IF I HAD ANY ISSUES WITH MY CAR. I DESCRIBED MY PROBLEM AND SHE SAID HERS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. SHE SAID THAT A NEW IGNITION SWITCH FIXED THE PROBLEM BUT CHRYSLER REFUSED TO HELP. I WAS THRILLED AND CALLED CHRYSER TO REPORT THAT I HAD FINALLY FIGURED OUT THE PROBLEM. I BEGGED AND PLED WITH THEM TO FIX IT BUT THE BEST THAT THEY COULD PROMISE WAS THAT IF THE PROBLEM TURNED OUT TO BE THE IGNITION SWITCH THAT I WOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF ASSESSING THE PROBLEM ($200+ FOR ASSESSMENT), BUT NOT FOR MY TIME NOR WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A RENTAL WHILE IT WAS BEING ASSESSED OR FIXED. GIVEN THAT I COULD NOT MISS WORK AND HAD LITTLE FAITH THAT THEY WOULD ADMIT THE PROBLEM WAS THEIRS, I WAS FORCED TO ALLOW THE PROBLEM TO CONTINUE TO EXIST. WHEN THE GM IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEMS CAME OUT, I CALLED AGAIN AND EVENTUALLY SOMEONE CONTACTED ME TO HELP AFTER SEVERAL MORE PLEADING CALLS FOR HELP FAILED AND I ESCALATED THE ISSUE. MY IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED AND

Electrical System
Filed Jul 16, 201572,000 milesNJ

LIKE THE OTHER COMPLAINTS, THE DASH GAUGES GO BONKERS AND TO ZERO, , ENGINE STOPS, SOMETIMES WILL RESTART OTHER I HAVE TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND RESTART MANUALLY. IT HAPPENED LAST YEAR ONLY A COUPLE OF TIMES AND DURING THE SUMMER HEAT, NO PROBLEMS LAST WINTER. STARTED AGAIN THIS PAST MONTH WORSE THAN BEFORE.

Electrical System
Filed Jul 14, 201580,000 milesFL

VERY MUCH THE SAME AS THE OTHER COMPLAINTS LISTED ON HERE. I KEPT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR SHUTTING DOWN AND / OR THE STEERING LOCKING ON ME. STARTED IN SEPTEMBER AND HAD TO "CONTINUALLY" GO BACK TO THE DEALER OVER & OVER & OVER AGAIN JUST TO HAVE THEM SAY THEY'VE CHECK THE DIAGNOSTICS AND NOTHING IS SHOWING UP. THEN NEXT TIME THEY SAID IT WAS PROBABLY NEEDING A NEW COMPUTER SWITCH....SO MORE $$$. THIS WAS NEVER RESOLVED UNTIL AFTER "MULTIPLE" INCIDENTS & "MULTIPLE" VISITS TO THE DEALER. THEN ONE DAY IN LATE OCTOBER...NOW 2 MONTHS OF FRUSTRATION....I'M IN THE PARKING LOT OF A MALL & THE CAR SLOWS DOWN & THE GAUGES START GOING CRAZY. IT SHOWS ZERO 0 SPEED & ZERO 0 IN MY FUEL TANK.....I HAD JUST FILLED THE GAS TANK 2 HOURS EARLIER.....AND THEN IT JUST STOPS. THEN STARTS UP AGAIN BUT WITH A WEIRD SOUND. SO ONCE AGAIN I DROVE "DIRECTLY TO THE DEALER" WHILE TERRIFIED THAT IT MAY JUST STOP DEAD WHILE DRIVING & BE REAR-ENDED. AND AFTER THE DEALER HOOKED IT UP ONCE "AGAIN" THEY SAID IT HAD TO DO WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. SAYING IT WAS THROWING OFF ALL THE COMPUTER MECHANISMS AND THAT'S WHY IT WOULD JUST STOP DEAD WHILE DRIVING. AND THIS WAS $1,400 LATER.....YES, $1,400 FOR THEM TO FINALLY "FIGURE THIS OUT WHEN ALL THEY HAD TO DO WAS LOOK ON HERE"....TO SEE THE "STRONG POSSIBILITY" OF WHAT WAS WRONG. AND YES, I SINCERELY THINK CHRYSLER CORP SHOULD REIMBURSE ALL OF US AS THIS IS AN OBVIOUS MECHANICAL / ELECTRICAL DESIGN ERROR ON THEIR PART. I'VE HAD A PT CRUISE IN THE PAST. BUT, BE

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Feb 12, 201579,788 milesCA

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON 2/9/2015 ALL OF A SUDDEN WHILE IN MOTION MY CAR SHUTDOWN - FROZE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. IF IT WASN'T FOR SLOW BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC I COULD HAVE BEEN IN A VERY BAD CAR ACCIDENT BECAUSE SOMEONE COULD OF HIT ME. THE CAR WOULD NOT REV OR NOTHING BUT THE LIGHTS, RADIO ALL WORKED. I GOT TOWED TO A MECHANIC THAT WAS NOT CHRYSLER AND THEY CHECKED AND THE ENGINE AND BATTERY & ALTERNATOR AND WAS FINE. BUT THEY CONTINUED TO CHECK AND FOUND IT WAS COMPUTER RELATED WHERE THE COMPUTER IS MALFUNCTIONING TO WHERE IT JUST SHUTS EVERYTHING DOWN. I WENT TO A CHRYSLER DEALER THAT DAY BECAUSE THE CAR STARTED AGAIN BUT WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF A TOW TRUCK FOLLOWING BEHIND JUST IN CASE. THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP KEPT MY CAR OVERNIGHT AND TODAY ON 2/11/2015 TOLD ME JUST TO START THE POSSIBLE FIX OF THE CAR THEY WOULD HAVE TO FIX THE TIPM (TOTAL INTEGRATED POWER MODULE) AND THEY ARE NOT SURE THIS WILL FIX IT BUT JUST TO START IT WILL COST ME $1,149.27. THEY SAID CHRYSLER IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COSTS BECAUSE MY WARRANTY IS OVER (WAS 3 YEARS). I ARGUED WITH THEM AND TOLD THEM CHRYSLER IS RESPONSIBLE AND WARRANTY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT - IT IS A DANGER ISSUE THAT THEY ARE AT FAULT FOR. YOU SEE THEY, THE DEALER, EVEN KNOW SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH CHRYSLER'S WORK THAT'S WHY THEY THEMSELVES SAY THEY CAN'T EVEN FIND EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS BUT THEY HAVE THE NERVES TO THINK THEY CAN CHEAT ME OUT OF $1,149.47 JUST TO START WORK ON A POSSIBLE FIX. I WANT CHRYSLER TO FIX M

Electrical System
Filed Dec 20, 201460,000 milesFL

SOLUTION! SOLUTION! SOLUTION! WE HAD THE SAME TYPES OF PROBLEMS AS THE BELOW PROBLEM ENTRY AND THE FIRST 4 PROBLEM ENTRIES FOLLOWING THIS ONE. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE PROBLEM WAS TRACED DOWN TO A FAULTY IGNITION KEY CYLINDER. THE METAL CONTACT ON THE INSIDE OF THE CYLINDER WAS DEFORMED, THEREBY CAUSING INTERMITTENT CONTACT. WHEN THE IGNITION KEY CYLINDER WAS REPLACED, IT COMPLETELY SOLVED ALL OF THE PROBLEMS LISTED. ALL THE DASH LIGHTS WILL COME ON AND BLINK. ALL GAUGES GO TO 0. SOMETIMES THE ENGINE WILL SHUT OFF FOR A FEW SECONDS (NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES) THEN RESTART ALL BY IT'S SELF. I CAN BE PARKED IN THE GARAGE OR GOING DOWN THE ROAD, THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO MATTER. THERE'S ANOTHER VEHICLE IN TOWN LIKE MINE DOING THE SAME THING. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED PARTS WITH NO POSITIVE RESULTS.

Electrical System
Filed Oct 21, 201435,000 milesCA

ALL THE DASH LIGHTS WILL COME ON AND BLINK. ALL GAUGES GO TO 0. SOMETIMES THE ENGINE WILL SHUT OFF FOR A FEW SECONDS (NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES) THEN RESTART ALL BY IT'S SELF. I CAN BE PARKED IN THE GARAGE OR GOING DOWN THE ROAD, THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO MATTER. THERE'S ANOTHER VEHICLE IN TOWN LIKE MINE DOING THE SAME THING. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED PARTS WITH NO POSITIVE RESULTS. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Sep 11, 201475,000 milesCA

WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY HEARD A BIG BANG.. AT AROUND 80 MILES P/H UPHILL DIAGNOSED IT WASTHECOMPUTER HAVE CHANGED THE COMPUTER 4 TIMES HAD THE COMPUTER REPROGRAMMED AND AS SOON AT IT DRIVES IT GET.. TO 30 MILES PER HR AND GOES NO FASTER RPM DO NOT GO UP .. THAN 2.5 HAVE TAKEN IT TOCOUNTLESS MECHANICS AND EVEN HAD IT REPROGRAMMED TO DEALER WITH UPDATES.. NO LUCK ..I NEED HELP I EXPORTED THIS CAR TO MEXICO BUT THERE IS ALSO A CHRYSLER DEALER IN THE TOWN THE VEHICLE IS IN.. PLEASE BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU CAR >> I HAVE SPEND OVER THOUSAND ALREADY TRYING TO FIX THE SAME UNFIXABLE PROBLEM.. I HAVE NO MORE MONEY TO SPEND ON THAT CRAP THAT YOU CALLED A CAR. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Jul 24, 201488,000 milesCA

WHILE HIGHWAY DRIVING, SEAT BELT LIGHT COMES ON, THEN INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS GO CRAZY AND VEHICLE THEN SHUTS DOWN - HAVE TO PUT IN NEUTRAL TO RESTART ENGINE AGAIN. I SEE THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME ISSUE. DANGEROUS SITUATION AND CHRYSLER NEEDS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. TOO EXPENSIVE TO PLAY HIT OR MISS WITH A DEALERSHIP. I AM FRUSTRATED AND WORRIED FOR SAFETY WHEN DRIVING. HAPPENS ON HIGHWAY AND CITY DRIVING. *TR

Electrical System
Filed May 22, 201418,000 milesNJ

WHILE HIGHWAY DRIVING, SEAT BELT LIGHT COMES ON, THEN INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS GO CRAZY AND SHUT DOWN. VEHICLE THEN SHUTS DOWN - HAVE TO POP CLUTCH TO GET VEHICLE STARTED AGAIN. TOOK TO DEALER - COULD NOT DETERMINE PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME ISSUE. DANGEROUS SITUATION AND CHRYSLER DOES NOT SEEM TO WANT TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. TOO EXPENSIVE TO PLAY HIT OR MISS WITH A DEALERSHIP THAT DOESN'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT'S WRONG AND HOW TO FIX IT. FRUSTRATED AND WORRIED FOR SAFETY WHEN DRIVING. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Sep 18, 201347,000 milesSC

WHILE DRIVING GAUGES RANDOMLY GO TO ZERO, ALL WARNING LIGHTS COME ON, SOMETIMES ENGINE STALLS FOR ONE SECOND AND THEN RESTARTS, THEN GAUGES GO BACK TO NORMAL. HAPPENED ONCE IN A WHILE A YEAR AGO, NOW HAPPENS DAILY. TOOK TO DEALER LAST YEAR AND THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE PROBLEM. HAVE SEEN THIS ISSUE ON VARIOUS INTERNET SITES INCLUDING THIS ONE BUT WITH NO SOLUTIONS. LOTS OF SUGGESTIONS - FUSES, BATTERY WIRES, BATTERY, IGNITION SWITCH - BUT NOTHING DEFINITIVE. CAR IS VERY DANGEROUS, I'M JUST LUCKY IT HASN'T STALLED AT THE WRONG TIME. FRIEND WITH A DODGE HAS SAME PROBLEM AND HIS DEALER CAN'T FIX EITHER.

Electrical System
Filed Jun 4, 201156,000 milesNJ

2006 PT CRUISER GAUGES DIE, DASH INDICATORS COME ON, ENGINE STALLS. MAY RESTART. REPLACED BATT AND ALL BATT CABLES, CLEANED ALL CONNECTORS. STILL OCCURS!! HELP!!! *TR

Engine and Engine CoolingFire
Filed Oct 1, 201035,698 milesMI

ON SEPT. 20, 2010, I WAS RETURNING HOME IN MY 2006 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER CONVERTIBLE WHEN I NOTICED A "BURNING" ODOR INSIDE THE CAR AND SAW A LOT OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE. MY HUSBAND AND I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED AND GET THE NECESSARY REPAIR. I WAS TOTALLY SHOCKED WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT THE COOLING FAN MOTOR HAD BURNT INTERNALLY. WE HAD THE REPAIR DONE AND PAID FOR IT. AS PER JUDY IN CHRYSLER CASE MANAGEMENT, I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT CHRYSLER WILL REIMBURSE ME FOR ALL BUT $100 OF THE REPAIR. THANKFULLY, NO CRASH OCCURRED AND NO DEATHS OR INJURIES RESULTED. HAD I BEEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN A BAD AREA OR IN A DESOLATE AREA, THE CONSEQUENCES COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE, I AM CONVINCED. MY VEHICLE IS ONLY FOUR YEARS OLD AND HAS JUST OVER 36,000 MILES ON IT AND I DON'T THINK A PROBLEM LIKE THIS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. *TR

Trailer Hitches
Filed Mar 6, 200940,500 milesNY

DOT APPROVED, NYS INSPECTED TRAILER HITCH INSTALLED ON A 2006 CHRYSLER, PT CRUISE. IT REMAINED OPERABLE FOR AROUND 6 MONTHS UNTIL IT WAS NOTICED THAT REAR LEFT AND RIGHT BRAKE LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE. HITCH INSTALLER RETRACED INSTALLATION PER MANUFACTURERS INSTRUCTIONS. IT APPEARS THAT ALL POWER TO OPERATE THE BRAKE LAMPS IS LOST ONLY TO THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS BUT NOT THE MID OR THIRD BRAKE LIGHT. ALL OTHER LIGHTS ARE NOT AFFECTED, FUSES ARE NOT BLOWN AND BULBS USUALLY CHECK OUT AS FINE. APPARENTLY, CHRYSLER HAS SEPARATED THE 3RD OR MID BRAKE LIGHT FROM THE TAIL LIGHT SECTION BEGINNING IN 2006. LATELY, I HAVE SEEN THIS COMPLAINT ARISE CONTINUOUSLY OVER INTERNET BLOGS AND IN DEALERSHIP SERVICE LOGS. FOR NOW, CHRYSLER IS FORCING ITS CUSTOMERS TO EITHER REPLACE ENTIRE WIRING HARNESSES OR OPERATE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT STOP TAIL LAMPS. THIS FAULT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM POSES SO MUCH DANGER IT SHOULD BE LISTED AND HANDLED AS A VERY IMPORTANT SERVICE BULLETIN OR RECALL. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Mar 2, 200932,022 milesMN

13,090 MILES MY WIFE REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE OIL LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH AS SHE DROVE DOWN THE DRIVEWAY. I CHECKED THE OIL AND IT DID NOT TOUCH THE DIPSTICK. I ADDED 2 QUARTS AND STARTED THE ENGINE TO FIND THAT IT WAS LEAKING OIL OUT THE ACCESSORIES END OF THE ENGINE. THE CAR WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE CRANKSHAFT END SEAL WAS IDENTIFIED AS BEING EXPELLED FROM THE TIMING COVER. 1ST REPAIR ATTEMPT: UPON TEST DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE CRANKSHAFT SEAL WAS AGAIN EXPELLED FROM THE TIMING COVER. THE CAUSE WAS IDENTIFIED AS EXCESSIVE CRANKSHAFT END PLAY RESULTING IN THE CRANKSHAFT END SEAL BEING FORCED OUT OF THE TIMING COVER. 2ND ATTEMPT: THE ENGINE SHORT BLOCK WAS REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE MADE AVAILABLE FOR PICK-UP ON 10/16/2007. ON 1/26/2009 AT 32,022 ODOMETER WITH 18,932 MILES ON THE REPLACEMENT SHORT BLOCK AND 13 MILES INTO A 15 MILE TRIP, THE REAR TIRES BEGAN SLIPPING AS I TRAVELED AROUND CORNERS. AS I SLOWED TO ENTER THE DRIVEWAY, I COULD SMELL THE ODOR OF BURNT MOTOR OIL. ENGINE OIL WAS COMING FROM THE ACCESSORIES SIDE OF THE ENGINE AND THE OIL NO LONGER TOUCHED THE ENGINE OIL DIPSTICK. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP ON JAN. 27, 2009 FOR REPAIR. THE CRANKSHAFT END SEAL WAS NOTED AS LEAKING WHEN IN REALITY THE SEAL HAD TO HAVE BEEN DISLODGED FROM THE TIMING COVER FOR THE VOLUME OF ENGINE OIL THAT WAS LOST IN 2 MILES. THE CRANKSHAFT SEAL AND DRIVE BELTS WERE REPLACED. THE ROOT CAUSE WAS IDENTIFIED AS EITHER THE WEATHER BEING TOO COLD OR THE FACT THAT THE DEALER SE

20 of 24 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2006
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20076000Routine
2006 — this page24010Routine

Compare every PT Cruiser Conv year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.