2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER Complaints

MY 2001 PT CRUISER WHICH I PURCHASED IN AUGUST 2005 SUDDENLY CAUGHT FIRE ON DEEMBER 27, 2005 AND WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL FOR SUDDEN ENGINE FIRES CAUSED BY LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID. THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR, RESEDA DODGE IN RESEDA, CA, HAD RECORDS SHOWING THE RECALL REPAIR HAD BEEN DONE, BUT MY INSURANCE COMPANY, STATE FARM, FOUND THE THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID. CHRYSLER DENIED MY CLAIM WITH NO REASON GIVEN. *NM

FOG LIGHTS CAME ON, EVEN WITH KEY TURNED OFF. FOG LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN OFF. PUFF OF SMOKE FROM STEERING COLUMN AND FOG LIGHTS CEASED TO FUNCTION. *NM

2001- PT CRUISER -EMERGENCY BRAKE DISENGAGED WHILE RUNNING. WAS IN NEUTRAL (MANUAL TRANSMISSION) AND ON AN INCLINE. THE CAR DRIFTED BACKWARDS DOWN THE DRIVE AND INTO A UTILITY POLE ACROSS THE ROAD. ON OTHER INSTANCES THE BRAKE HANDLE WAS PULLED UPWARD AND IMMEDIATELY DISENGAGED (LIKE A BROKEN SPRING). WHEN PARKING BRAKE WAS REAPPLIED, IT WORKED PROPERLY? ALSO, THE CAR HAS DRIFTED BACKWARDS ON STEEPER INCLINES WHILE IN GEAR. AT THIS POINT THE LATEST INCIDENT WAS REPORTED, BUT NO ACTION WAS TAKEN THUS FAR. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND BECAME HARD TO CONTROL. UPON INSPECTION THE CONTACT OBSERVED A LOSS OF PRESSURE TO THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE CAUSED BY CORROSION ON THE WHEEL RIM. THIS VEHICLE IS DRIVEN IN AN AREA THAT TYPICALLY USES ROAD SALT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR FRONT BUSHING ON THE CONTROL ARM FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING A HUMMING SOUND WHEN TURNING TO THE RIGHT. THE BUSHING FRACTURE WAS DISCOVERED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DURING NORMAL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED; HOWEVER THEY HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THE PART FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *NM

2001 PT CRUISER HAD BEEN AT DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR BECAUSE FOG LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN OFF, THUS KILLING THE BATTERY. SERVICE DEPT. REPORTED THAT CAR "OVERHEATED" DURING REPAIR AND THEY REPLACED FAN. THREE WEEKS LATER, CAR ENGINE OIL LIGHT SOUNDED SUDDENLY ON FREEWAY WITH NO PRIOR WARNING AND THEN THE ENGINE FAILED. DEALERSHIP REFUSING REPAIRS UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY DUE TO ALLEGED "SLUDGE" IN THE ENGINE THEY SAY WAS CAUSED BY POOR MAINTENANCE WHEN I KNOW THIS TO BE UNTRUE. *JB

DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE ENGINE OVER-HEATED AND THE WARNING LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO DETERMINED THE CYLINDER HEAD WAS BROKEN AND THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR. THE DEALER WOULD NOT HONOR THE ONE YEAR WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE; THEY TOLD THE CONSUMER THE DAMAGE WAS DUE TO OWNERS NEGLIGENCE. *JB

ON MY 2001 PT CRUISER BOTH LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS PULLED LOOSE FROM THE ARM WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE REPAIR SHOP THEY BROUGHT ME OUT TO THE CAR AND SHOWED ME THE DAMAGE TO THE CONTROL ARMS. ODDLY ENOUGH THERE WAS ANOTHER PT CRUISER IN THE NEXT BAY THAT HAD THE VERY SAME PROBLEM. THE OWNER OF THE REPAIR SHOP TOLD ME HE HAD PUT CONTROL ARMS ON AT LEAST 40 PT CRUISERS IN THE PAST YEAR. I ASKED HIM IF HE HAD NOTIFIED CHRYSLER ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND HE SAID HE HAD CONTACTED THEM ON BEHALF OF HIS CUSTOMERS AND CHRYSLER INSISTED THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEMS WITH THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS. MY PT CRUISER HAS 60,000 MILES ON IT AND THE CAR THAT WAS NEXT TO MINE HAD 34,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. AS A RESULT OF THIS CONDITION THE FRONT TIRES ON MY CAR WERE DESTROYED DUE TO VIOLENT SHAKING OF THE FRONT END. MY WIFE THOUGHT THE TIRES WERE FALLING OFF. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 04V268000 CONCERNING THE STEERING HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST HOSES, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS. THIS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT THIS AFFECTED THE BRAKE FLUID LINES AS WELL. SHE REPAIRED THE VEHICLE AT HER OWN EXPENSE PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE RECALL LETTER. *AK

FRONT CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS WERE REPLACED IN FEB OF 2005 3 MONTHS THEY WERE REPLACED AGAIN AND NOW NOVEMBER THE NOISE THAT CAUSED THEM TO BE REPLACED IS PRESENT AGAIN. 2001 PT CRUISER TOURING 60,000 MILES. *JB