2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED; HOWEVER, AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC PERFORMED A FUEL INJECTOR FLUSH, CLEANED THE BATTERY, INSTALLED FUEL SYSTEM CLEANER IN THE TANK, AND ALSO CLEANED THE THROTTLE BODY. THE REPAIRS DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL REPEATEDLY. THE CONTACT HEARD A THUMPING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE WENT FROM 55 TO 15 MPH BEFORE STALLING. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR HAS REMAINED ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

I JUST FOUND A RECALL ON MY PT CRUISER ON THE WEB AND I HAVEN'T GOTTEN A NOTICE TO DATE. I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALER MANY TIMES TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND I THINK THEY KNEW ABOUT THE RECALLS. MY PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR ARE PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE RECALL ISSUES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO HEAR A CLUNKING NOISE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD "GET AWAY FROM HER" WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS ON THE HIGHWAY. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE TIRE, BUT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS AND TIE ROD END REPAIRS WERE COMMON. THE DEALER OFFERED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT THE COST OF MORE THAN $600. THEY ALSO STATED THAT A FRONT END ALIGNMENT WOULD BE NEEDED FOLLOWING THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,000. UPDATED 11/17/08 *CN UPDATED 11/24/08. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD HUMMING NOISE COMING FROM HER VEHICLE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED. POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKED OUT AND CAUSED THE AIR CONDITIONER TO FAIL. THE UNIT WAS REPLACED AT THE COST OF $1,583. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V268000 (STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS); THEREFORE, THEY WOULD NOT ASSUME FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR. SEVERAL WEEKS AFTER THE REPAIR, THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT FAILED AGAIN. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, IN WHICH SHE HAD TO REPLACE THE WATER PUMP, THE THROTTLE BODY, THE RADIATOR, AND VARIOUS COMPONENTS IN THE POWERTRAIN AND STEERING UNIT. THE REPAIRS COST $4,000. TYPICALLY, THE FAILURES IMMEDIATELY RECUR AFTER THE REPAIRS ARE MADE. THE MANUFACTURER GAVE HER A SMALL REIMBURSEMENT OF $878. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,208 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 66,500.

SHORTLY AFTER LEAVING THE HOUSE, THE FOG LIGHT INDICATOR CAME ON EVEN THOUGH THE HEADLIGHTS THEMSELVES WERE OFF. PRESSURE ON THE END OF THE STALK TURNED THE INDICATOR OFF BUT IT CAME BACK ON WHEN PRESSURE WAS RELEASED. AFTER PARKING AND SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE, THE INDICATOR (AND THE FOG LIGHTS THEMSELVES) REMAINED ON. REMOVING THE KEYS FROM THE IGNITION HAD NO EFFECT. THE ONLY THING THAT TURNED THE FOG LIGHTS OFF WAS SETTING THE TURN INDICATOR IN THE 'LEFT TURN' (DOWN) POSITION. FURTHER TESTING FOUND THAT THE ONLY OTHER WAY TO TURN OFF THE FOG LIGHTS WAS TO REMOVE THE APPROPRIATE FUSE FROM THE INTERIOR FUSE PANEL. RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM ONLINE TURNED UP SEVERAL MESSAGE BOARDS WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF DRIVERS REPORTING THIS EXACT PROBLEM GOING BACK AT LEAST THREE YEARS, WHICH TURNS OUT TO BE CAUSED BY A FAILING MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH. (ONE SUCH FORUM: HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/AUTOS/CHRYSLER-PT-CRUISER/TF81KHBDLDVT92AH2/ ). *TR

APPROACHED VEHICLE AFTER VISIT AND NOTICED STRONG FUEL SMELL FROM 20 FT. AWAY. OPENED CAR DOOR, FUMES EVEN STRONGER. FELT DIZZY & DISORIENTED. CALLED SERVICE TO HAVE IT TOWED (DID NOT WANT TO START CAR WITH STRONG FUMES). WAS TOLD THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH FUEL LINE (RECALL) AND THAT IT WAS REPAIRED. NEARLY 1 YEAR LATER, SAME PROBLEM, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. 1/2 TANK OF GAS LEAKED IN ONE DAY. NO OBVIOUS SOURCE OF LEAK FROM EXTERIOR. LINGERING GAS SMELL IN INTERIOR. WAS TOLD NVLD PUMP WAS REPLACED. VERY CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY, POSSIBLE ADVERSE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES, LIKELIHOOD OF FIRE. CAR HAS HAD MANY OTHER ISSUES AS WELL, INCLUDING SMELL FROM AC SYSTEM (ORIGINALLY NON-FUNCTIONAL) WHICH SMELLS LIKE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE/BURNING PLASTIC. DEALERSHIP IS DISMISSIVE. POSSIBLE LEMON. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CONTACT FELT ROUGHNESS AND VIBRATING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT END CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,300 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 39,330.

FOG LIGHTS ARE TURNING ON BY THEMSELVES EVEN WHEN LIGHT SWITCH IS NOT ON AND WHEN CAR IS NOT RUNNING CAUSING BATTERY TO DRAIN AND MANY HEADACHES! THIS HAPPENS 3 OR 4 TIMES A DAY! *TR

I HAVE A 2003 PT CRUISER BOUGHT IT USED AND SINCE THEN HAVE KEPT UP WITH THE MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE . WHILE COMING HOME FROM AUSTIN TO SAN ANTONIO AT 9:30 PM THE LIGHTS ON THE CAR HEADLIGHTS COMPLETELY WENT OUT THAT INCLUDED THE FOG LIGHTS. I HAD NO BLINKERS NO LIGHTS AND HAD MY WIFE AND CHILD WITH ME. PROCEEDED TO EXIT AND HAD A RELATIVE MEET ME UP IN SAN MARCOS TEXAS I FOLLOWED HIM ALL THE WAY TO SAN ANTONIO WHERE I MADE IT HOME USING MY RELATIVES CAR LIGHTS AS HELP. THE NEXT MORNING WENT OUT TO BUY THE PART THAT I NEED IT 70.25 AT THE LOCAL DEALER SHIP HERE IN SAN ANTONIO SINCE THIS HAPPEN I HAVE NO HAZARD LIGHTS AND NO TURN SIGNALS. I HAVE LOOKED AT THE CAR AND HAD TROUBLE SHOOT THE CAR WITH NO AVAIL I HAVE REPLACE THE PART AND TOOK THE ONE FROM MY DODGE INTREPID AND HAVE HAD NO LUCK TO GET BLINKER BACK ON CHRYSLER SURE ONE HELL OF A CAR ONE THAT CAN GET YOU KILL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A TURN, THE STEERING FAILED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE SWITCHED BACK TO MANUAL. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO A MECHANIC AND THE HOSE WAS REPLACED ON THREE OCCASIONS, THE MOST RECENT TIME BEING ON MAY 28,2008. ON JUNE 2, 2008, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 37,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000.