2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHENEVER THE CONTACT APPROACHES A STOP OR BEGINS TO DECELERATE, THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF COMPLETELY. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, HE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE IDLED ROUGHLY WHILE AT A STOP. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER WAS MANUFACTURED INCORRECTLY. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 134,000. UPDATED 07/31/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE POWER STEERING FAILED. UPDATED 08/05/08

THERE IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH 2001 TO 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISERS OVERHEATING TO THE POINT OF DISABLING THE CAR, AND SOMETIMES DAMAGING THE CAR BEYOND REPAIR. THERE APPEARS TO BE NO SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION THREAD HAS OVER 250 PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, AND ONLY A SMALL FRACTION OF THEM HAVE HAD SATISFACTORY SOLUTIONS. HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/AUTOS/CHRYSLER-PT-CRUISER/T3QTLFA0VL7R6IS09 THE ABOVE LINK IS ONE THREAD OUT OF MANY DOZENS OF SIMILAR DISCUSSIONS ON MANY DOZENS OF WEB SITES OUT THERE. AND THEN THERE ARE ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT TURNED TO THE WEB FOR HELP AND ADVICE... THIS IS A SERIOUS AND ONGOING PROBLEM THAT CHRYSLER NEEDS TO ADDRESS. PEOPLE'S CARS ARE BEING COMPLETELY RUINED WITH NO CHANCE OF REPAIR, AND CHRYSLER WILL NOT EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM. *TR

THE AIR CONDITIONER FAILED AND A FOUL PUNGENT ODOR WAS COMING OUT OF THE BLOWER. SINCE IT WAS THE END OF SUMMER AND THE COST TO FIX IT WAS SO MUCH, WE WAITED UNTIL THIS YEAR TO REPAIR IT. THE BLOWER WAS USED DURING THE WINTER WITH THE SAME FOUL ODOR BLOWING OUT OF IT. THE CAUSE OF THE SMELL WAS INVESTIGATED AND NOTHING WAS FOUND. THE FAN WAS REPLACED BUT THAT DID NOTHING. THEY (THE DEALER REPLACED THE FAN AGAIN BUT NOTHING. WE HAD TO SPRAY DISINFECTANT IN THE CAR ON A DAILY BASIS TO ELIMINATE THE ODOR. AS A CONSEQUENCE, I GOT A SEVERE UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTION. FINALLY, THE DEALER SAID WE NEEDED AN EVAPORATOR WHICH THEY REPLACED. THE CAR HAD LESS THEN 50,000 MILES. WE REALIZED AFTER THIS WAS REPLACED THAT THE ODOR WENT AWAY AND THE AIR WAS SO COLD THAT I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER WORKED WELL FROM THE FIRST DAY THAT WE HAD IT. WHEN WE COMPLAINED ABOUT IT NOT THROWING OUT COLD AIR (WHEN IT WAS NEW), WE WERE TOLD THAT IT IS BECAUSE IT IS A 4 CYL. CAR. NOW I FIND THAT I AM LEAKING ANTIFREEZE. THEY SAID IT WAS THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING, SO IT WAS REPLACED. STILL LEAKING........NOW THEY WANT TO TRY THE WATER PUMP. WHAT'S NEXT? *TR

2001 PT CRUISER, TIRES WERE ALWAYS DEFLATING AND I HAD TO KEEP ADDING AIR TO KEEP THEM AT PROPER INFLATION. I WENT TO A TIRE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE CHROME RIMS. THEY WERE BASICALLY FALLING APART. I HAD TO BUY NEW RIMS TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE PT CRUISER. *TR

THE RIMS/WHEELS HAVE BEEN CORRODING SEVERELY OVER THE LAST 1.5 YEARS, CAUSING MULTIPLE FLAT TIRES ON MY CAR. THIS HAS PROVEN TO BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I'VE BEEN TO VARIOUS MECHANICS WHO HAVE STATED THAT SEVERAL OF THE PT CRUISERS HE'S WORKED ON, HAVE HAD THIS SAME FLAW. IF THERE ISN'T A RESOLUTION, I WILL NOT PURCHASE ANOTHER CHRYSLER PRODUCT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I HOPE FOR A JUST RESOLUTION IN THIS MATTER. DONNA KLOSS *TR

DRIVING LIGHT SWITCH FAILING CAUSING DRIVING LIGHTS TO COME ON WHEN SWITCH IS NOT ACTIVATED RESULTING IN BATTERY DRAIN. HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES IN THE PAST 2 WEEKS. PULLED FUSE RATHER THAN PAY TO HAVE FIXED. *TR

REAR SUSPENSION BUSHINGS WORE OUT AT 40,000 MI AND NOW AGAIN AT 75,000 CAUSING THE REAR END TO BOUNCE AND SWAY UNCONTROLLABLE AT HIGH SPEEDS (45-65 MPH). INDICATION OF WORN BUSHINGS: LOUD CLUNKING NOISE IN REAR END. *TR

IN 2001 BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. IN THE LAST 2 YEARS THE DASHBOARD HAS STARTED COLLAPSING ON ITSELF. THIS HAS EXPOSED THE WIRING HARNESS IN THE DASH TO DIRECT SUNLIGHT AND I AM AFRAID WILL MELT THE WIRING. I HAVE DONE NOTHING TO CAUSE THIS PROBLEM. CHRYSLER SHOULD REPLACE THIS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING OVER A BUMP AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE CONTROL ARM BUSHING FAILED. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE BEGAN JERKING AND SWAYING ACROSS THE ROAD, WHICH CAUSED GREAT STEERING DIFFICULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE CONTROL ARM BUSHING. THE CONTROL ARM BUSHING WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES. THE CONTACT WAS VERY CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

MY 2001 PT CRUISER HAS SUDDENLY DEVELOPED LARGE CRACKS ON THE DASH. I'VE NEVER PUT ANY HEAVY THINGS ON IT OR USED IT TO HOLD MYSELF WHEN CLEANING THE WINDSHIELD AND OUT OF THE BLUE, IT'S CRACKED. OF COURSE IT'S OUT OF WARRANTY AND THE PURCHASE PRICE THROUGH THE DEALER IS ONLY $40.00 OR SO MORE THAN THE INSTALLATION PRICE. THE PART COSTS ABOUT $250.00. CHRYSLER IS GOUGING US. THERE IS NO WAY THAT PART TAKES OVER 2 HOURS TO REPLACE AND THAT'S WHAT IT WOULD BE AT TODAY'S MECHANIC'S LABOR PRICES! *TR