2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER Complaints

THE DRIVER SEAT BELT WILL NOT STAY FASTENED IT COMES LOSE AND HITS ME IN THE FACE OR HEAD AS IT RETRACTS THE FAILURE OF IT TO LOCK IN IN THIS TYPE OF CIRCUMSTANCE IS DANGEROUS AND THE SEAT BELT IS INEFFECTIVE AND MAKES THE CAR UNSAFE

AFTER REGULAR ROAD DRIVEING FOR A MONTH HAD FRONT TIRES WEAR DOWN TO STEEL BELT, PURCHASED TIRES AT WALMART SO TOOK CAR BACK IN TO HAVE TIRES LOOKED AT WAS TOLD IT WAS AN ALIGNMENT ISSUE. I KNOW THIS IS NOT THE CASE BECAUSE CAR HAD JUST BEEN SERVICED AND ALIGNMENT CHECKED THE SAME DAY TIRE WERE PUT ON CAR. THE WEAR OUT IS ON THE INSIDES OF BOTH FRONT TIRES, AND MINOR WEAR ON THE INSIDES OF THE REAR TIRES AS WELL AS MAJORITY OF THE TREAD IS WORN OFF AS WELL ON ALL 4 TIRES. THIS WEAR DOWN CAUSED ME TO GO INTO DITCH IN SNOWY CONDITIONS, WHILE DRIVEING AT SAFE SPEEDS.

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE GOING 55 MPH AND DASHBOARD FAULTS OUT WITH INCOHERENT READINGS AND TRANSAXLE SHIFTS SELF INTO NEUTRAL. I SHIFT GEAR SELECTOR INTO NEUTRAL AND BACK INTO DRIVE. DASHBOARD READINGS GO BACK TO NORMAL AND TRANSAXLE GOES BACK INTO DRIVE. 15 SECONDS LATER BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON. CONTINUE DRIVING TO FIND A PLACE TO PARK. AFTER ABOUT 10 SECONDS ENGINE STALLS OUT. SHIFT GEAR SELECTOR INTO NEUTRAL AND TRY TO RESTART VEHICLE BUT IT WON'T START. COAST TO A STOP AND OPEN HOOD. NOTICE AN ODD SMELL. OPEN HOOD AND ALTERNATOR IS ON FIRE. CLOSE HOOD AND GRAB PERSONAL BELONGINGS (EXCEPT FOR PHONE CHARGER) OUT OF VEHICLE. CALL 911 AS VEHICLE BURNS UP. FIRE AND POLICE ARRIVE AND EXTINGUISH FIRE BUT VEHICLE BADLY DESTROYED BY BEING ENGULFED IN FLAMES.

DASHBOARD STARTED CRACKING AND CONTINUED TO CRACK FROM WINDSHIELD AREA ALL THE WAY DOWN TO BOTTOM,THEN ANOTHER CRACK STARTED AND DID THE SAME.THESE DASHBOARDS ARENT MADE PROPERLY AND BOTH CRACKS ARE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE.IM AFRAID THE AIRBAG WILL DEPLOY SOMEDAY.MY WIFE HAS A CHRYSLER 300M 1999 AND SHE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HER DASHBOARD.

I SLOWED DOWNED FOR A RAIL ROAD CROSSING AND AFTER I CROSSED IT THE FRONT END DROPPED DOWN . I LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR . THE CAR VEERED RIGHT . I GOT STOPPED BEFORE I GOT TO THE DITCH . WE COULDN'T MOVE THE CAR . HAD IT TOWED TO A GARAGE . AFTER INSPECTION THEY TOLD ME THE FRAME THAT HOLDS THE SUSPENSION TOGETHER RUSTED THROUGH AND BROKE IN HALF . IT PUSHED THE SUSPENSION UP AND AGAINST THE ENGINE . IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN GOING ANY FASTER COULD HAVE VEERED LEFT TO A HEAD ON CRASH OR HIT THE DITCH AND FLIPPED THE CAR . DEFINITELY THINK THIS IS DESIGN FLAW , WHEN YOUR FRAME FAILS AND YOU LOOSE CONTROL OF YOUR VEHICLE . A POT HOLE COULD AT 55 MPH COULD HAVE DONE THE SAME THING ONLY WITH MORE TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES. *TR

FUEL LINE WAS CHAFING AGAINST THE AIR CONDITIONING SERVICE PORT CAUSING A LEAK IN THE FUEL LINE. FUEL WAS SPRAYING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. EXTREME FIRE HAZARD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING ODOR AND DISCOVERED A PLUG MELTED AND THAT THE FOG LIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND REPAIRED. THE CONTACT DID NOT HAVE THE NAME OF THE PARTS THAT WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000. UPDATED 04/07/15*LJ UPDATED 9/21/2017*CN

I PURCHASED A USED 2001 PT CRUISER ON THE WAY HOME WHEN I CAME TO A STOP AT A LIGHT, IT SOUNDED LIKE WATER RAPIDLY BOILING WITH SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I HAVE LOOK UP THIS PROBLEM AND SAW THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FROM 2001 TO 2008 PT CRUISERS, NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, IT WENT FROM A RADIATOR CAP TO THE BLADES COMING OFF OF THE FAN. I DON'T KNOW HOW SO MANY VEHICLES CAN HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM WITHOUT THERE BEING A RECALL TO FIX THIS. TO LOWER THE ENGINE HEAT I HAVE TO PUT THE HEAT OR AC UP TO THE HIGHEST SETTING. I HAVE HAD THE THERMOSTAT AND RADIATOR CAP REPLACED. HOW CAN THIS SAME PROBLEM GO UNFIXED FROM YEAR TO YEAR? I HAVE LOOKED INTO THIS TILL I EXHAUSTED ALL AVENUES TO LOOK, EVERYONE SAYS THE SAME THING, FROM YEAR TO YEAR, WATER BOILING SOUND, CAR OVERHEATING ALMOST EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD REPLACED AND STILL THIS SAME PROBLEM EXIST. I AM SHOCKED THAT I DID NOT SEE THIS PROBLEM LISTED ON YOUR SITE. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GOOGLE IT. YOU WILL BE SHOCKED TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM YEAR AFTER YEAR, YET IT GOES UNFIXED. CHRYSLER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PROBLEM AND FIX IT. I AM AFRAID THAT MY CAR IS GOING TO JUST STOP ON THE HIGHWAY AND HAVE SOMEONE SLAM INTO THE BACK OF ME WHERE MY TWO GRANDCHILDREN SIT. THE LIGHT TO SHOW IT IS OVERHEATING NEVER LIGHTS UP. THERE ARE NO WARNINGS! NO BELLS OR WHISTLES GOING OFF. JUST SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE CAR WITH LIQUID SHOOTING OUT ALL OVER. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS WILL CAUSE MY ENGINE TO CATCH ON FIRE!! IF THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE THEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS! SINCERELY, PT CRUISER OWNER. *TR

I FILED A CLAIM WITH CHRYSLER ABOUT THE RUSTED OUT ENGINE CRADLE AND THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE IT. *TR

CENTER OF STEERING WHEEL (WHERE AIRBAG IS LOCATED) BECAME SO HOT THAT IT COULD NOT BE TOUCHED WITH YOUR BARE HAND. PULLED OVER AND GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND TURNED VEHICLE OFF. WAITED UNTIL IT COOLED DOWN TO NORMAL TEMPERATURE THEN GOT BACK IN AND RESTARTED VEHICLE AND MOVED SEAT ALL THE WAY BACK FROM THE STEERING WHEEL JUST IN CASE. THE HEATING PHENOMENON DID NOT RECUR IN THE SHORT DRIVE HOME (5-10 MINUTES). HAS NOT HAPPENED AGAIN. SCHEDULING A VISIT TO LOCAL DEALER TO DETERMINE IF THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. NOTHING FOUND ON CHRYSLER RECALL INFORMATION AND EMAIL TO CHRYSLER GOT NO RESPONSE. THIS IS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER WITH PACKAGE 28G THAT INCLUDED SUPPLEMENTAL SIDE AIRBAGS. *TR