2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPING AFTER DRIVING 10 MPH THROUGH A PARKING LOT WITH BRAKE PRESSURE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD INTO A CONCRETE PILLAR AND THE FRONT AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT AND SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. MODERATE DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE POLICE WERE ON THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE A FAILURE OR DEFECT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 09/15/06. *JB UPDATED 9/20/2006 - *NM

CAR HAD SHAKE IN FRONT THROUGH STEERING WHEEL AND RT. FLOORBOARD. CHANGE TIRES AND WHEELS. CHANGES TIRES TWICE. REPLACED LEFT FRONT AXLE WITH SINGLE AXLE. REPLACED SAME AXLE WITH TWO PIECE AXLE. STILL HAS SHAKE IN IT. FACTORY TECH SAID LIVE WITH IT. *NM

FOG LAMPS REMAIN ON WHEN SWITCH IS IN THE OFF POSSITION. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN MANY "PT" FORUMS ON THE INTERNET. THE SOLUTION IS THE REPLACEMENT OF THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH THAT CONTROLS ALL THE LIGHTS.*NM

WHILE DRIVING MY TURN SIGNALS AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING. TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS A BLOWN FUSE. THEY REPLACED THE FUSE AND AWAY WE WENT. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES ALTOGETHER WITHIN THE LAST 2 MONTHS, AND THE DEALER CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. WHAT ACTIONS DO I TAKE NEXT? THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN I HAVE TO TURN SIGNALS OR WIPERS ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS RAINING. *JB

VIBRATION IN REAR END OF VEHICLE; VEHICLE DRIFTS TO RIGHT; EXCESSIVE/UNEVEN TIRE WEAR SINCE NEW. *NM

THE DEFECTS IN MY VEHICLE ARE PRIMARILY RELATED TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILING RESULTING IN THE ENGINE SHUTTING OFF. ALL OF THE POWER GOES OUT; THE ENGINE DIES AND COMES BACK ON AFTER EITHER A FEW MOMENTS OR A FEW MINUTES. DURING THIS TIME THE VEHICLE IS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER AND NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO BRAKE. THIS OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY, ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WHILE AT SPEED ON THE INTERSTATE. TO DATE (1/16/2006) THIS HAS OCCURRED 18 TIMES ON MY VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS TOLD ME ON MANY OCCASIONS THAT THEY ARE NOT CONFIDENT ON WHAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. THIS CONDITION HAS BEEN WITNESSED BY OTHERS. I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW IN APRIL 2005. I BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IT AT AROUND 12000 MILES IN SEPTEMBER 2005. THIS PROBLEM IS STILL PRESENT AND DC DOES NOT KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING IT. THEY OFFERED A SIMILAR 2005 PT BUT REFUSED TO BUY THE VEHICLE BACK. FROM WHAT I HAVE FOUND SO FAR, THERE HAVE BEEN 9 SIMILAR OCCURRENCES OF THIS AND NONE HAVE BEEN SOLVED. THEREBY, I REFUSED TO TAKE ANOTHER 2005 PT CRUISER. I DO NOT HAVE ANY CONFIDENCE IN THE CAR SO IT SITS PARKED WHILE I MUST CONTINUE TO MAKE PAYMENTS WHILE THIS MATTER GOES THROUGH THE COURTS. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THEY WERE ONLY ATTEMPTING WHAT DAIMLER CHRYSLER DIRECTED THEM TO DO. THE DEALERSHIP HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM WITH NO SUCCESS ON FOUR OCCASIONS (10/06-10/07, 10/20-10/24, 10/24-10/28, 11/07-11/17). THE DEALERSHIP PROMISED TO MAKE NECESSARY PART REPLACEMENTS AND THEN DRIVE IT ONE TO TWO HUNDRED MILES AFTER. THEY DID NOT DO EITHER. THEY SAID THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE THE MANPOWER TO HAVE SOMEONE DRIVE IT SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. MOST TIMES THE CAR IS ON THE HIGHWAY FOR SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE IT DIES. I HAVE GIVEN THE DEALERSHIP PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS AND SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE FOR BOTH ME AND OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. *JB

WHILE DRIVING IN CITY I NOTICED A KNOCKING IN THE ENGINE. I PULLED OVER AND SAW OIL POURING OUT OF FRONT OF ENGINE. I SHUT ENGINE OFF. AT NO TIME DID OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT COME ON. CALLED AAA AND HAD CAR TOWED TO NEAREST CHRYSLER DEALER. DEALER DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS BLOWN CAMSHAFT SEAL. REPLACED SEAL BUT WHEN RUNNING ENGINE STILL MADE KNOCKING SOUNDS. WAITED FOR ENGINE SPECIALIST TO COME BACK FROM VACATION. HE SAID ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND HE WOULD CONTACT CHRYSLER. CHRYSLER INSISTED ENGINE BE TORN DOWN TO IDENTIFY SOURCE OF PROBLEM. PROBLEM WAS CRANKSHAFT THRUST BEARING BROKEN IN HALF ALLOWING CRANKSHAFT TO MOVE LATERALLY FORCING OUT CRANKSHAFT SEAL, HENCE ALL THE OIL, AND MORE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO OTHER ENGINE COMPONENTS. I REQUESTED A "CRATED" ENGINE BE INSTALLED. DEALER SAID NONE AVAILABLE. AT PRESENT WAITING FOR DELIVERY OF CYLINDER HEAD. CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 20 DAYS. MILEAGE AT TIME OF INCIDENT: 3,541 MILES. FORTUNATELY THIS FAILURE DID NOT OCCUR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHERE THE RESULT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. *JB

2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED AND CAR STALLED WHILE DRIVING. *TS THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. SEVERAL REPAIRS WERE MADE, BUT THE CONSUMER CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATES WHILE TRAVELING AT 50-55 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY STATED THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE TURBO AND IT WAS REPAIRED. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS FLOODED BY HURRICANE WILMA AND WAS TOTALED. *AK

I HAVE A CHRYSLER 2005 PT CRUISER. IT HAS BEEN THE SHOP FOUR TIMES NOW FOR THE SAME THING. ON NOV. 5, 2005 THE BRAKES FAILED, THE CAR ACTED LIKE IT WAS STUCK IN GEAR. IT WENT TO THE SHOP BY WRECKER. I GOT THE CAR BACK ON NOV 9, 2005 NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND WITH THE CAR, WAS TOLD IT RUNS BEAUTIFUL. ON NOV. 30, 2005 GOING HOME STOPPING IN TRAFFIC THE BRAKES FAILED AGAIN, ALMOST HIT A TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME. IT IS RIGHT NOT SETTING AT A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP AND THEY CALLED ME THIS MORNING AND SAID THE CAR IS RUNNING FINE AND NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. THIS CAR IS VERY UNSAFE. I HAVE RODE AROUND FOR A WEEK WITH A CO-PILOT IN IT AND NOTHING SHOW UP ON THAT. I HAVE LOST OVER 100 MILES PER TANK IN GAS MILEAGE. NO CHRYSLER DEALER CAN SEEM TO FIND WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS CAR. WHAT CAN I DO. *JB