2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE CLUTCH WAS ENGAGED AT ANY SPEED, THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR EFFECTIVELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY HAD COME APART. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL# 03V076000, WHICH PERTAINED TO THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED OUT UNEXPECTEDLY CAUSING A REAR END COLLISION. THERE WAS BRAKING PRIOR TO THE IMPACT HOWEVER, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE OCCUPANTS OF BOTH VEHICLES SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT BODY SHOP AND THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BRAKES SQUEALED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE FRONT PADS AND ROTORS. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING UP HILL THE VEHICLE LOST SPEED AND INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE SHOOK. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON A HIGHWAY ON-RAMP, THE TRANSMISSION SEIZED UP STALLING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY. ALSO, THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE CONSTANTLY FAILED TO REMAIN SECURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP FOR SERVICE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THE SERVICE DEALER WAS NOT. UPDATED 10/25/2006 - THE TECH FOUND THAT THE TRANSMISSION GEARS HAD SLOWLY BEEN GRINDING AWAY, THROWING METAL SHAVINGS INTO THE CONVERTER AND THE PUMP. *NM

THE MULTI-FUNCTION LIGHT SWITCH ON BOTH THE PT CRUISER AND SRT-4 HAS BEEN KNOWN TO MELT AND/OR CATCH FIRE. DCX HAS KNOWN THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE THE PT CAME OUT AND NOW THE SRT-4 IS SUFFERING THIS SAME PROBLEM. I AM NOW AFRAID TO USE MY FOG LIGHTS ON MY SRT-4. *JB

2003 PT CRUISER CLUTCH DOES NOT DISENGAGE. *TS THE CLUTCH WOULD NOT DISENGAGE AND AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE JUMP BACKWARDS ABOUT 6 FEET IN THE CONSUMER'S DRIVEWAY. THE FLYWHEEL AND CLUTCH ASSEMBLY WERE RECALLED, RECALL 03V076000. THE CONSUMER CONTINUE TO HAVE CLUTCH PROBLEM AFTER THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKE TO THREE DIFFERENT DEALERS ON FOUR DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN PULLED OUT OF THE VEHICLE THREE TIMES. *NM

ON 8-14-06 I EXITED US HWY 59 WEST OF BELTWAY 8 SW OF HOUSTON TX. NOTICED "WOBBLE" IN FRONT END OF CAR. ON TURNING SOUTH ON MURPHY RD I NOTICE WOBBLE GETTING WORSE AND APPEARED TO BE ON DRIVERS FRONT. I PULLED INTO CHEVRON STATION TO PUT AIR IN WHAT I SUSPECTED WAS A LOW AIR TIRE. NO LOW AIR PROBLEM EXISTED. I RAN MY HAND OVER TREAD OF DRIVERS FRONT TIRE AND DISCOVERED A LARGE BULGE ON INSIDE EDGE. THERE WAS A FIRE STONE STORE ABOUT A 1/2 BLOCK SOUTH ON MURPHY STREET WHERE I BOUGHT A NEW TIRE. NOT BEING A TIRE EXPERT I CAN ONLY TELL YOU IT APPEARS THAT ONCE AGAIN A GOODYEAR EAGLE LS FAILED ON MY 2003 PT CRUISER DUE TO A "SLIPPED BELT". MY PT CRUISER CAME WITH WITH GOODYEAR EAGLE LS TIRES. IT ALSO CAME WITH A "TIRES FOR LIFE OFFER" FROM THE DEALER, "GOODSON DODGE" IN SPRING, TX. ( THEY HAVE SINCE SOLD DEALERSHIP). THE FOLLOWING TIRES FAILED DUE TO "SLIPPED BELTS" ON ORIGINAL TIRES. TWO (2) EACH 195/65/R15 DOT#M6C6 BMAR 0403. THEY OCCURED AT SEPERATE TIMES AND REPLACED WITH OTHER TIRES AT "DISCOUNT TIRE STORE". SECOND TIME WHEN I VISITED STORE AND EXPLAINED PROBLEM AS I WALKED ACROSS PARKING LOT THE DISCOUNT TIRE STORE EMPLOYEE SAID SOMETHING LIKE, "OH, A PT CRUISER, LET ME GUESS THESE ARE GOODYEAR EAGLE TIRES. I SAID YES WHY ? HE SAID "I DON'T KNOW IF ITS A TIRE DEFECT OR A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR BUT THIS IS A FREQUENT OCCASION. I SHOULD HAVE REPORTED THIS THEN. I DID REPORT IT THEN TO YALL BUT I DID TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOT A PROBLEM AND THEIR TIRES FOR LIFE WARRANTY DID NOT COVER DEFECTS. ONLY TREAD WEAROUT. 2 OF ORIGINAL 4 TIRES ON MY PT CRUISER WERE REPLACED AT TIRE TREAD WEAR OUT. IT WAS ONE OF THOSE TIRES THAT FAILED YESTERDAY. DOT#M6C6BMAR1205. I STILL HAVE ALL 3 FAILED TIRES. RECAP: VEHICLE-2003 PT CRUISER PURCHASED AUGUST 15, 2003 ABOUT 90,000 MILES DRIVEN. DEFECTIVE TIES: GOODYEAR EAGLE LS M+S 195/65/R15 TIRES ROTAED EVERY 6000 MILES, 6 EACH TIRES OWNED 3 FAILED. 50% FAILURE RATE. THANKS, BOB SMITH. *NM

2003 PT CRUSIER BOUGHT BRAND NEW. HEAD LIGHTS, INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND DASH LIGHTS ALL FLICKER HARD TO PAY ATTENTION WHEN DRIVING. CHRYSLER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND SAYS NO FIX. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER CHRYSLER AGAIN, POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE. JUST WAITING FOR ALL LIGHTS TO FINALLY GO OUT. *JB

I HAVE A 2003 PT CRUISER THAT JUST WENT OUT OF POWER TRAIN WARRANTY 7K MILES AGO-WITH NO WARNING, NO HESITATION, LACK OF POWER, MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT TAKING THE CONVERTER, PUMP AND TORQUE CONVERTER-LEAVING ME STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION! I WAS NOT ABLE TO MOVE IN 1,2,3,D OR R-NOW I AM STUCK WITH A $2643.50 BILL. MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE CONSTANTLY VIBRATES, BEEN TO SHOP NUMEROUS TIME TO RESOLVE BUT NO BODY CAN FIND ANYTHING-TIRES ARE FINE, CV JOINT, NOTHING CAN BE FOUND. I AM ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THIS CAR ANYMORE-MY SEAT BELT UNBUCKLES BY ITSELF, POSSIBLY LEAVING ME WITH NO RESTRAINT IN THE POSSIBILITY OF A WRECK. I AM FILING COMPLAINTS WITH CHRYSLER, BBB, DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE, NHTS, LEMON LAW AND ANYTHING ELSE I CAN FIND- *NM

THERE IS NO ONE SPECIFIC INCIDENT DATE. (SEE RELATED CORRESPONDENCE 10161568.) DATE UNKNOWN: REMEDY FOR RECALL 03V-076 PROVIDED BY GOEKE DODGE. NO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS NOTICED PRIOR TO THIS DATE. 07/20/05: CLUTCH FAILED TO DISENGAGE DURING UNRELATED WARRANTY WORK AT GOEKE DODGE. RECALL REMEDY PROVIDED FOR THE SECOND TIME, AT NO COST TO OWNER. 05/01/06: CLUTCH INTERMITTENTLY FAILING TO DISENGAGE. CLUTCH FLUID FOUND LEAKING AT IMPROPERLY CONNECTED QUICK DISCONNECT BY KAHLO CHRYSLER, FLUID AND LABOR $91.98. 06/07/06: CLUTCH INTERMITTENTLY FAILING TO DISENGAGE. CLUTCH KIT AND INPUT SHAFT REPLACED UNDER EXTENDED PT WARRANTY BY CHAMPION CHRYSLER. DATE UNKNOWN: CLUTCH FAILING TO DISENGAGE. CLUTCH LINE SLAVE CYLINDER REPLACED BY CHAMPION CHRYSLER. *JB