CATASTROPHIC TIRE FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION - COOPER RESPONSE TOURING 205/55 R16 91H ON 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. TREAD DEPTH = 5/32, TIRES WERE NEW ON USED CAR PURCHASED IN 07/2014. NO DRY ROT OR VISIBLE CRACKING ON TIRES, 23K MILEAGE ON TIRES. IN 07/2018, TWO OF THE TIRES IN THE SET OF 4 WERE REPLACED DUE TO THE BEGINNINGS OF TREAD SEPARATION (WOULD NOT BALANCE). I AM A FORMER TIRE DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER FOR A MAJOR US TIRE MANUFACTURER AND I HAVE ANALYZED HUNDREDS OF FAILED TIRES RETURNED TO THE MANUFACTURER. BASED ON MY ANALYSIS, I BELIEVE THAT THIS TIRE FAILED BY DELAMINATION OF THE TREAD DUE TO IMPROPER CONSTRUCTION OR CURING AND NOT DUE TO A TIRE PUNCTURE. SINCE 3 OF 4 OF THESE TIRES HAVE FAILED, I BELIEVE THAT THE ENTIRE BATCH MAY BE DEFECTIVE.
2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible
Owners filed 69 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system. No safety recall has been issued.
55 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 30,000–40,000 miles.
| Component | Reports | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Suspension › Front › Wheel Bearing | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Wheels | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Steering | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Air Bags | 4 | 2 | 0 | 4 | |
| Tires › Sidewall | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Tires | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Suspension › Front | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
What owners reported
Newest filingsA HOLE WAS MADE IN THE POWER STEERING LINE. ALL THE FLUID DUMPED OUT. I WAS DRIVING FORWARD AND SUDDENLY IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE LINE SHOULD NOT BE RUN LIKE THAT. I ATTEMPTED TO PUT IN MORE FLUID AND IT ALL JUST POURED RIGHT OUT!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER CONVERTIBLE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO BECOME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING HOSE WAS FAULTY AND CAUSED THE POWER STEERING FLUID TO LEAK OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER (JEFF WYLER CHRYSLER, 1117 STATE RT. 32, BATAVIA, OH) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER CONVERTIBLE. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE DID A NOSE DIVE AND FLIPPED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. SOME OF THE VEHICLE'S OCCUPANTS WERE EJECTED AND OTHERS WERE STUCK IN THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT AND TWO OTHER OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 06/15/16*LJ *TR
CAR STOP AT RED LIGHT HIT FROM BEHIND BY 2016 CAR DRIVEN BY GIRL JUST GOT LISCENSE CAR WAS DRIVEN INTO A ULITEY TRUCK AIR BAG NEVER ENGAGED WAS HIT WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO SEND TRUCK FORWARD ABOUT 2 FEET
CAR INTERMITTENTLY WILL NOT START. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED SO MANY TIMES THAT THE INSURANCE RATE WENT UP AND WE PAID FOR REPAIRS THAT WE DID NOT NEED BECAUSE IT NEVER FIXED THE PROBLEM. REPAIRS INCLUDE (BATTERY, STARTER, IGNITION, SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES) WE NOW BELIEVE THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE TIPM. THE OTHER PROBLEMS WE ENCOUNTERED ARE WINDOW WON'T GO UP OR DOWN. DEALERSHIPS DO NOT KNOW HOW TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM SO THEY CONTINUE TO CHARGE US FOR UNNECCESARY REPAIRS.
CAR WENT COMPLETELY DEAD AT CAR WASH AT NIGHT LEAVING ME AND MY YOUNG GRANDDAUGHTER STRANDED UNTIL WE COULD GET A JUMP. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WITH THE BATTERY NOT HAVING ANY PROBLEMS NOR ANY LIGHTS BEING LEFT ON IN INTERIOR. HAPPENED TO NOTICE THE OTHER DAY THE FOG LAMPS WERE ON BUT THE SWITCH WAS NOT TURNED ON. IT WAS DRAINING THE SYSTEM. HAD TO PULL THE FUSE TO FOG LAMPS IN ORDER TO STOP THE DRAINAGE. THIS HAS LEFT ME STRANDED WITH SMALL CHILDREN FORCING RELIANCE UPON STRANGERS IN ORDER TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. NOW THE FOG LAMPS ARE INOPERATIVE UNTIL A FIX CAN BE FOUND, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A POTENTIAL COLLISION IF DRIVING IN FOGGY CONDITIONS WHICH COULD PROVE FATAL DUE TO IT BEING A CONVERTIBLE. THIS IS A GT TURBO EDITION...UPDATED 09/28/15 *BF *CN
FOG LAMPS INTERMITTENT ON AND OFF WITH SWITCH OFF. DRAINED BATTERY AND SHORTED FUSE. *TR
DRIVING ON ENTRANCE RAMP TO HIGHWAY WHEN THERE WAS A VIOLENT SHUDDER. CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO STEER (SEVERE VIBRATION). PULLED OFF ON EMERGENCY SHOULDER. THERE IS A LARGE HOLE IN TIRE SIDEWALL. SIDEWALL WAS SHREDDED. TREAD WAS NOT AFFECTED. 4500 MILES ON TIRES. TIRE WAS REMOVED AND SPARE TIRE WAS MOUNTED. *TR
DEC 2013 HAD TO REPLACE RIM ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE 2014SEPT RIM CRACKED ON PASSENGER SIDE REAR.T. THE REAR PASSENGER RIM HAS BEEN CRACKED TWICE. TOTAL OF THREE TIMES RIM CRACKED.COMING HOME AND GOING TO GYM.FIRST TIME I HAD RIM REPAIRED SECOND TIME BOUGHT NEW RIM. THE THIRD NOTHING BUT TOOK OFF AND PUT DONUT TIRE ON. THE FIRST TIME I DON'T REMEMBER THE DATE.I BOUGHT 4 NEW TIRES. 2014. *TR
THE PROBLEM I HAVE BEEN HAVING WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT OF MY 2005 PT CONVERTIBLE CRUISER HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 7 YEARS AND 6 ATTEMPTS TO FIX IT. CHRYSLER CUSTOMER CARE SERVICE HAS AUTHORIZED THE NAPLETON DEALERSHIP IN LAKE PARK, FLORIDA, TO FIX THE PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT TWICE: ONCE IN SEPTEMBER 2012, AND MOST RECENTLY IN MAY 2014. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT PERFORMS THE SAME REPLACEMENT OF THE HARNESS BUCKLE APPARATUS EACH TIME, BUT THAT IS CLEARLY NOT THE UNDERLYING REASON THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AFTER EVERY ATTEMPT TO FIX IT. AFTER THE FOURTH ATTEMPT TO FIX IT FAILED BY A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP IN TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA, IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM WAS PROBABLY WITH THE ENTIRE WIRING SYSTEM OF THE CAR, BUT DURING THE 5TH AND 6TH ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR THE AIR BAG LIGHT, THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT SEEM WILLING TO LOOK INTO THIS AND ENDED DOING THE EXACT SAME REPAIR THAT HAS BEEN ATTEMPTED FOR 7 YEARS. MEANWHILE I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE WHEN THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON. *TR
THE MULTIFUNCTION LIGHT SWITCH CAUSES THE FOG LIGHTS TO TURN ON AND OFF AT RANDOM, EVEN WHEN IGNITION IS OFF. ISSUE HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS. *TR
VEHICLE AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES ON AND OFF WHEN A PERSON AROUND 75-150LBS SITS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THIS HAPPENS AT ANY SPEED. OCCASIONALLY THE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL WORK NORMALLY; ISSUE SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO WHETHER THE SEAT IS OCCUPIED WHEN THE ENGINE IS STARTED, OR OCCUPIED AFTER THE ENGINE IS STARTED. MANY OTHERS ON PT CRUISER FORUMS REPORT SIMILAR SYMPTOMS. *TR
GOING OVER A SPEED BUMP MY UNDERBODY SCRAPPED THE BUMP. WHEN I GOT HOME I HAD A SMALL AMOUNT OF RADIATOR FLUID UNDER MY CAR THE NEXT MORNING. A FEW DAYS LATER THERE WAS STILL SMALL AMOUNTS OF LIQUID UNDER MY CAR. JACK FURRIERS REPAIR SHOP SAID THE OIL COOLER WAS DAMAGED AND HAD A SMALL HOLE FROM THE FINS BEING BENT. REPAIR IS QUITE EXPENSIVE BECAUSE CHRYSLER HAS CHANGED THE STYLING OF THE PART AND IT HAS TO BE REPLACED WITH THE NEW PART. THE NEW PART I WAS TOLD WOULD BE BEING PUT IN THE PLACE WHERE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUT IN THE FIRST PLACE TO BE SAFER FROM THE TYPES OF DAMAGES I GOT. SHOULD BE A RECALL COVERED REPAIR. THE CAR COULD OVERHEAT AND CAUSE OTHER PROBLEMS. *TR
ENGINE LITE CAME ON. REPLACED RECOMMENDED PARTS. LITE CAME OFF AND ON OVER A YEAR OR SO WITH SAME DIAGNOSTIC. REPLACED SAME PART IN LATE 2013 AND LITE STILL STAYS ON. I AM TOLD NOW IT IS THE COMPUTER ITSELF. HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR PT CRUISER OWNERS AND THAT MANY REPLACE THE SAME PARTS I DID AND IT IS TO NO AVAIL. TO MY BEST OF RECALL IT IS THE UPPER/IN LOWER/OUT OXYGEN 2 SENSOR. WITH THE COMPUTER (ENGINE LITE) CAUSING THIS PROBLEM CHRYSLER SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON IT. *TR
CHRYSLER PT CRUISER CONVERTIBLE 2005, REPEATED LOSS OF AIR, TIRE FLAT, TIRE BLEW OUT ON HIGHWAY, TIRES REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES. GOODYEAR REPORTS RIM ISSUES. CHRYSLER NON-RESPONDENT, GOODYEAR SIMPLY REPLACES. RESEARCH YIELDS MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ON MULTIPLE WEBSITES STATING THE SAME ISSUE. THIS IS A ROAD HAZARD AND SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
APPROXIMATELY 3 -4 MONTHS AGO I TOOK MY CAR TO THE MECHANIC BECAUSE THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS INTERMITTENTLY COMING ON. A COMPLETE DIAGNOSTIC WAS COMPLETED AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT "NOTHING IS WRONG WITH IT." A WEEK LATER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED AND THE BATTERY LIGHT BECAME COMING ON. ABOUT A WEEK AFTER THAT, I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40 MPH WHEN ALL OF THE LIGHTS (BATTERY, TRACTION OFF, ABS, BRAKE, AIRBAG, OIL, ETC) CAME ON AND BEGAN FLASHING AT DIFFERENT INTERVALS. MY HEADLIGHTS AND DASHLIGHTS ALSO BEGAN TO FLICKER BEFORE THE CAR DIED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. I HAD PURCHASED A NEW BATTERY JUST WEEKS PRIOR, SO THIS WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. I AGAIN TOWED THE CAR TO THE SHOP WHERE I WAS AGAIN TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS. I'VE BEEN DRIVING THE CAR FOR TWO WEEKS AND TRYING TO IGNORE THE BATTERY AND AIRBAG LIGHTS FLASHING. LAST NIGHT WHILE TRAVELING ON A MAJOR ROAD AT 50 MPH, THE CAR'S LIGHTS AGAIN BEGAN FLASHING, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT, AND THE CAR EVENTUALLY DIED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE CAR WAS TOWED HOME AND AFTER SITTING FOR AN HOUR, IT RESTARTED, BUT THE LIGHTS WERE STILL FLICKERING. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS IDLE. HOWEVER, THERE WERE TIMES WHEN SHE APPROACHED A STOP SIGN WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SURGE AND STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BOTH AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC A TOTAL OF FOUR TIMES. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE ENGINE NO LONGER BEING PRODUCED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.
WHEELS ON CAR ARE DEFECTIVE, FLAKE AND TIRES WILL NOT HOLD AIR . BOUGHT THE CAR IN DECEMBER, 2012 WITH -53,000 MILES ON IT. AFTER RESEARCHING, I FOUND THIS IS COMMON WITH THE 2005 PT CRUISER'S. I OWN A 2011 CHRYSLER PRODUCT AND 2005 PT CRUISER AND THEY REFUSE TO REPLACE THE WHEELS. SAID WHEELS ARE $884/PER WHEEL+60 LABOR/PER WHEEL+TAX. WENT TO CEO OF CHRYSLER. CORPORATE OFFICE CALLED, ACTED LIKE THEY WERE GOING TO HELP, THEN BACKED OUT. COST TO REPLACE MY WHEELS/TIRES TODAY (CHEAPEST I CAN GET IS $1,600.00). TWO OF MANY COMPLAINTS ON INTERNET: CONTACT OWNS 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER AND STATED THAT THE CHROME WHEELS WERE FLAKING. AS A RESULT, THE AIR PRESSURE WAS SEEPING OUT AND CAUSING THE TIRES TO GO FLAT. CONTACT STATED HE HAD TO REPLACE THE TIRES A TOTAL OF 7 TIMES. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED PROBLEM WAS NOT WITH THE TIRES BUT WITH THE RIM ITSELF. MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF FAILURE, OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE AND VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED.FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 91,000. MARYVILLE,TN; I HAVE A 2005 PT CRUISER TURBO CONVERTIBLE WITH FACTORY 17" CHROME WHEELS AND CHROME IS FLAKING OFF OF INSIDE OF WHEEL RIMS PREVENTS TIRE FROM GRIPPING PROPER SEAL. TIRES REPEATEDLY GO FLAT WHILE PARKED AND WHILE DRIVING. HAVE REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES WITH NEW ONES, HAD TIRES CLEANED/RE-MOUNTED/RESEALED MULTIPLE TIMES. THREE DIFFERENT TIRE PROFESSIONALS TELL ME IT IS A FACTORY DEFECT. TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING LAST WEEK AND ALMOST LOST CONTROL.
I HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY P.T. CRUISER WITH PROBLEM STARTING. IT HAS GONE ON FOR MANY YEARS. I WAS LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ON ANY RECALLS. IT WAS SAID IT WAS THE STARTER, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED SPORADICALLY. I STILL DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. THE CAR WONT START BUT THERE IS CONNECTION WITH THE BATTERY. I HAVE BEEN TOLD ITS THE MANUFACTURES ALARM HAVING A KILL SWITCH, THAT IT MAY BE ELECTRICAL, THE FOG LIGHTS DO NOT TURN OFF UNLESS THE FUSE IS PULLED AND IT DRAINS MY BATTERY. THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM WENT OUT OF BUSINESS. I WANT TO KNOW IF CHRYSLER HAS HAD ANY ISSUES WITH THIS TYPE OF CAR.SINCE THEY ARE NOT MAKING THEM ANYMORE. *TR
20 of 69 complaints, reproduced as filed.
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.