2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER Complaints

I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING SHIFTER PROBLEMS, THAT HAS MADE IT OCCASIONALLY DIFFICULT TO SHIFT INTO OR IT WOULD DROP OUT OF REVERSE GEAR. WHILE DOING A BATTERY CHECK I NOTICED THE SHIFT LINKAGE APPEARED TO BE LYING ON TOP OF THE TRANSAXLE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION AFTER REMOVING THE AIR BOX I NOTICED THAT INDEED LINKAGE WAS LYING THERE WITHOUT BEING SECURED IN POSITION. THERE APPEARS TO BE AN INDENTATION FOR RETAINER CLIP, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT ONE HAD BEEN USED OR IF IT HAD IT CAME OFF EARLY ON. I REALIZE MORE AUTOMATIC PT?S WERE SOLD THAN MANUAL 5-SPEED UNITS. I ALSO REALIZE THAT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT ONLY MY VEHICLE MAY HAVE THIS PROBLEM. ALTHOUGH I BELIEVE THAT TO BE UNLIKELY, THEREFORE I AM FILING A FORMAL COMPLAINT, BASED ON THE INITIAL RESPONSE I RECEIVED FROM THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP SERVICE AND PARTS DEPARTMENT. I BELIEVE CONTINUED UNCONTROLLED WEAR COULD RESULT IN A MISHAP SHOULD THE LINKAGE COME OFF WHILE DRIVING. HAD THE RETAINER CLIP BEEN INSTALLED IT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS TYPE WEAR WITH LESS THAN 70,000 MILES. *AK

PER INSTRUCTIONS IN OWNER'S MANUAL, I TOOK MY 2001 PT CRUISER WITH 51,700 MILES INTO THE COURTESY CHRYSLER/JEEP DEALERSHIP IN ROCKVILLE, MD AFTER THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD PANEL BEGAN INTERMITTENTLY LIGHTING UP WHEN TAKING TURNS. AFTER 3 DAYS, THE SERVICE ADVISOR CALLED TO INFORM ME THAT THE LIGHT WAS GOING ON BECAUSE THE AIRBAG HAD FAILED. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, NOR HAS IT BEEN MODIFIED. THE CHARGE TO REPLACE THE FAILED AIRBAG IS $1,300. THE SERVICE ADVISOR SAID HE HAD NO IDEA WHAT WOULD CAUSE THE AIRBAG TO FAIL IF WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDIENT AND HAD NOT BEEN MODIFIED. I CALLED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO HELP ME AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO WORK IT OUT WITH THE DEALER. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THE BELT WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE RETRACTOR. IT WILL NOT RELEASE OR ALLOW THE DRIVER TO WEAR THE SEAT BELT. OWNER CONTACTED THE DEALER, WHO STATED THEY COULD CHECK FOR THE DEFECT IF THE OWNER WOULD PAY A FEE FOR THE DIAGNOSTICS TO DETERMINE WHY THE BELT WILL NOT OPERATE. *AK

A KNOCKING NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE DRIVE TO THE DEALER. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE LEFT AND RIGHT UPPER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB *NM

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 04V268000 CONCERNING POWER STEERING HOSE. NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. *AK NO NEW PARTS OR REPLACEMENTS WERE USED. *SC

TIRE LOOSES AIR DUE TO DEFECT OF WHEELS. MANUFACTURER AGREED TO REPLACE BOTH REAR WHEELS. NOW SHE IS EXPERIENCING SAME PROBLEM WITH BOTH FRONT WHEELS. WHEN CONTACTING MANUFACTURER, THEY WOULD NOT ACCOMMODATE TO REPLACE REAR WHEELS. THIS IS FOR A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. *NM......*AK

THE CONSUMER STATES THE AIR CONTINUES TO SEEPS OUT OF THE FRONT TIRES. THE CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

2001 PT CRUISER HAS AIRBAG LIGHT THAT KEEPS COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY. ALSO, THE ASSOCIATED "DING" SOUND COMES ON AT THE SAME TIME. DEALER CHARGED $90 TO TELL ME THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG HAD "FAILED". (NOTE: THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND ONLY HAS 34000 MILES ON IT.) DEALER WANTS $500 TO REPAIR THE "FAILED AIRBAG". COINCIDENCE THAT THIS SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED ON LATE 90'S GRAND CARAVANS. SOUNDS LIKE I HAVE EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM THEY HAD - BUT NO RECALL TO CORRECT THE SITUATION. HELP! *NM

FOR WEEKS (OR MONTHS) PRIOR TO FAILURE, I EXPERIENCED OCCASIONAL INSTANCES OF FOG LIGHTS ACTIVATING UPON ENGAGING THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL. FOG LIGHTS WOULD GO OFF AFTER COMPLETING TURN AND SIGNAL AUTOMATICALLY DISENGAGED. IT IS NOTED THAT I VIRTUALLY NEVER MAKE USE OF THE FOG LIGHTS. ON DAY OF FAILURE, THERE WAS A PRONOUNCED ODOR ABOUT 1 HOUR INTO A LONG TRIP (LIKE NYLON ROPE BURNING). FOG LIGHTS ACTIVATED AND COULD NOT BE TURNED OFF REGARDLESS OF CONTROLLER SETTING FOR OTHER LIGHTS. FOG LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN OFF EVEN AFTER CAR WAS SHUT DOWN AND KEY REMOVED. AFTER BRIEF REST STOP (DURING WHICH MANUAL WAS RESEARCHED TO LEARN WHAT FUSE MUST BE PULLED TO AVOID DRAINING BATTERY), RETURNED TO CAR TO FIND THAT LIGHTS HAD GONE OFF ON THEIR OWN. NEITHER FOG LIGHTS NOR HIGH BEAMS WORKED ANY LONGER, ONCE CAR WAS STARTED. THE NEXT DAY, UPON DISASSEMBLY OF STEERING COLUMN HOUSING AND REMOVAL OF MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH, I DISCOVERED THAT AN INTERNAL, SPRING-LOADED CONTACT ON THE BACK OF THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH, LOCATED NEAR THE STEERING COLUMN, HAD MELTED/FUSED. DEALER ADVISED THAT MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH MUST BE REPLACED (AT COST OF ~$103 FOR PART). SELF-REPAIRED, WITH NO FURTHER PROBLEMS (YET). OLD PART HAS BEEN SAVED. THANKFUL THAT PLASTIC SWITCH DID NOT ACTUALLY CATCH FIRE, AND THAT MAIN LIGHTS (LOW BEAMS ONLY) REMAINED OPERATIONAL DURING REMAINDER OF LONG, NIGHT-TIME TRIP. *NM

CD PLAYER READ ERROR 1 MONTH AFTER THE WARRANTY WAS UP, DEALER SAID IT WAS DEAD AND IT WOULD COST $300 TO REPLACE COMBINATION STEREO/CD. EXCUSE ME BUT A CD PLAYER SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 3 YEARS. AN AMERICAN MOTOR DEALERS WONDER WHY WE DO NOT WANT TO BUY THEIR PRODUCTS. *JB