2002 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER Complaints

NO POWER STEERING AFTER VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. *BF UPON BACKING INTO A PARKING SPACE THE CONSUMER NOTICED A GRINDING SOUND WHEN SHE TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL. WHEN THE CONSUMER TURNED OFF THE IGNITION SHE NOTICED A CLOUD OF SMOKE. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT HER POWER STEERING COLUMN WAS BROKEN AND IN NEED OF REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, SOON AFTER THE CONSUMER HEARD A SQUEALING SOUND AND DISCOVERED THE POWER STEERING HAD FAILED AGAIN. THE CONSUMER WAS THEN TOLD A FITTING WAS NOT PROPERLY INSTALLED WHEN THE PREVIOUS WORK WAS DONE. *TC *JB

COMPLAINT SENT VIA E-MAIL." I FIRST STARTED HAVING A SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR POWER STEERING. WHILE DRIVING, SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE HOOD, AND I THOUGHT THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. I THEN CALLED DAIMLER CHRYSLER AND TOLD THEM, AND THEY JUST SAID THAT THEY WOULD MAKE A REPORT. BUT I HEARD NOTHING FROM THEM AT ALL. HOWEVER, I TOOK MY CAR TO CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP AND THEY TEMPORARILY FIXED IT, BUT A MONTH LATER THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED MAKING A WHINING SOUND WHEN TURNING. I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY PUT A NEW POWER STEERING TO FIX IT. THREE WEEKS LATER OCT 8TH 2004, I STARTED HEARING THE LOUD WHINING NOISE AGAIN AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS HARD TO TURN. I AM CONCERNED THAT MY CAR WILL CAUGHT ON FIRE AND THAT I OR MY PASSENGERS WILL BE SERIOUSLY INJURED. *JB

WHILE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT, I WAS REAR-ENDED BY A DELAWARE CAB (CROWN VICTORIA); WHICH CONTINUED TO DRIVE ME INTO THE CAR STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME AND BOTH OF US INTO THE PICKUP TRUCK IN FRONT OF HER. IT WAS A FOUR CAR COLLISION, WITH THREE OF US BEING TOTALLY STOPPED WHEN I WAS REAR-ENDED. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND INQUIRED AS TO WHY THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND WAS TOLD "WE NEED TO OFFER YOU A SETTLEMENT". CHRYSLER HAD AN "INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATOR" DO AN EVALUATION AND HAS INFORMED ME THAT "WE CAN NOT GIVE YOU A COPY OF THIS REPORT AS IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND IF YOU WANT A COPY YOU WILL HAVE TO SUE US". MY CAR WAS NOT RUNNING WHEN THE CAB DROVE ME INTO THE CHEVROLET LUMINA IN FRONT OF ME. THE OFFICER THAT RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT ASKED IF I HAD A SWITCH TO TURN OFF THE AIR BAG, WHICH THE CAR DID NOT. WHEN THE OFFICER REQUESTED US TO MOVE THE CARS OUT OF THE ROADWAY, HE TOLD ME TO STAY OUT OF MY CAR, WHILE THE OTHER CARS WERE MOVED BECAUSE HE WAS CONCERNED THE AIR BAGS WOULD DEPLOY. *NM

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SMELLED GAS FUMES. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND SAW FUEL LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

01 V 288 000/INSTRUMENT CLUSTER: CONSUMER HAS A CONCERN THAT THE DEALER REQUESTING AUTHORIZATION FROM THE CONSUMER FOR AN 11/2 HOURS FOR DIAGNOSTIC CHECK AT CONSUMER COST. RECALL NOTICE MENTION NOTHING CONCERNING A CHARGE TO THE CONSUMER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *JB

STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED WHILE DRIVING . CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT STEERING PITMAN BAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE. THE POWER STEERING UNIT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONSUMER WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 15 TO 20 MPH WHEN THE FIRE OCCURRED. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 55 TO 60 MPH AND HIT A VEHICLE IN FRONT. THE BUMPER CAME OFF BUT THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS WAITING ON THE MANUFACTURER TO SEND OUT AN INSPECTOR TO INVESTIGATE THE FIRE.*AK THE CHRYSLER INSPECTOR AND INSURANCE INSPECTOR BOTH REPORTED THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE POWER STEERING HOSE FAILURE. THE HOSE LEAKED ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST PIPE WHICH CAUSED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL COVERED UNDER IT'S ORIGINAL WARRANTY BUT THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO BE FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE. *NM

DURING AN INSPECTION, THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD FAILED. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. *AK *SC *JB