2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER Complaints

ENGINE NOISE FOLLOWED BY EXHAUST FUME SMELL IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE "FLEX" PART OF THE EXHAUST PIPE BEFORE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THEY SAID THE WHOLE FLEX PART AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS ONE PART AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (COST ABOUT $1400). THE CAR WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION UNTIL THE EXHAUST SYSTEM WAS REPAIRED. TOOK VEHICLE FOR A SECOND OPINION AND THE MECHANIC SAID THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE PT AND THAT CHRYSLER SHOULD RECALL THE CARS. I HAD THE PART REPLACED SO THAT THE CAR WOULD PAST INSPECTION AND BE LEGAL TO DRIVE. *TR

2001 PT CRUISER. HORN AND RADIO/CLOCK DISPLAY INTERMITTENT. WHEN THE RADIO/CLOCK DISPLAY IS DARK, THE HORN IS INOPERATIVE. THIS HAPPENS OFTEN. SOMETIMES THE HORN DOES NOT WORK FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, OTHER TIMES FOR ONLY A SHORT TIME. TWO REPAIR SHOPS LOOKED AT IT, BUT THE PROBLEM CLEARED BY IT SELF, AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. *TR

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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