2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER Complaints

WHILE APPLYING BRAKES STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLL INTO TRAFFIC.*AK

2001 PT CRUISER, 5 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION, 60,000 MILES ENGINE SURGES WHEN CAR IS MOVING, MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN THE CAR IS NOT IN GEAR. WHEN COASTING THE ENGINE RPM WILL VARY BETWEEN 1,200 AND 2,000 RPM EVERY 3-4 SECONDS UNTIL THE CAR COMES TO A STOP AND THEN THE ENGINE RPM FALLS TO 800. WHEN THE CAR IS IN GEAR, THE CAR WILL ACCELERATE WITHOUT STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL. THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE, BUT THAT ONLY FIXED THE PROBLEM FOR ONE DAY. THE CAR ENGINE CAN SURGE WHEN COASTING AND ABOUT TO MOVE INTO A PARKING SPOT OR GARAGE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. *LA

BOUGHT AN EARLY 2001 PT CRUISER. ABOUT ONE YEAR AFTER PURCHASE, BATTERY FAILS, CAR WOULD NOT START, JUMP STARTING DID NOT WORK. TOWED IT IT DEALER AND THEY REPLACED BATTERY AND SAID IT WAS FAULTY. ABOUT A YEAR AFTER THIS OCCURED, IT HAPPENED AGAIN, DEALER STILL SAYS IT IS THE BATTERY'S FAULT. IT HAPPENED AGAIN ON AUGUST 22, 2001 AND I PUT A SPARE BATTERY IN CAR AND DROVE TO DEALERSHIP. AGAIN THEY SAID THAT THE BATTERY WAS FAULTY. I BELIEVE THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE CAR.

FRONT BRAKE PADS CRYSTALIZE REQUIRING ROTOR REPLACEMENT EVERY 30000 MILES. BRAKE SHOP SAYS EVERY PT COMES IN THIS WAY. REAR BRAKES DO NOT ADJUST OUT AND THE FRONT BRAKES STAY PARTIALLY ENGAGED. THIS OVER HEATS THE BRAKES CAUSING MANY COMPONENTS TO FAIL. IN ADDITION TO THE EXPENSE OF REPLACEING THEESE PARTS, I AM WORRIED THAT I COULD HAVE A BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE LEADING TO A CRASH.

THE GAS PEDAL FELL OFF IT ATTACHMENT *AK THE PEDAL HAD COME OFF IT'S ATTACHMENT ON THE FLOORBOARD AND FELL BEHIND THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH MADE BOTH THE GAS AND BRAKE PEDALS USELESS. *SCC *JB

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WENT OFF THE ROAD, HIT A DITCH, AND ROLLED OVER. FRONT AND SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED BRAIN DAMAGE/A BROKEN CLAVICLE, AND FRACTURED BACK. COULD NOT BE DRIVEN. *AK

ON 1/22/ 03 WE TOOK OUR 2001 PT CRUISER (ODOMETER 12,000 MILES) INTO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE FRONT DISC BRAKES WERE SQUEALING. WE HAD PREVIOUSLY NOTED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT DISC BRAKE HAD LOCKED WHEN WE TRIED TO BACK THE CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE. AFTER HITTING THE BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES, THE BRAKE FINALLY UNLOCKED. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD US THAT THE FRONT ROTORS ON BOTH SIDES WERE GROOVED AND COULD NOT BE TURNED BECAUSE THE METAL WAS SO THIN TO BEGIN WITH THAT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH TO MACHINE EVEN ON A BRAND NEW ROTOR. THE DEALER ALSO TOLD US WE DIDN'T NEED TO REPLACE THE PADS YET, JUST THE ROTORS. WE OPTED TO REPLACE BOTH THE PADS AND THE ROTORS AT THE TIME DUE TO THE LABOR COSTS. IT IS NOW 8 MONTHS AND 5,671 MILES LATER AND THE BRAKES ARE AGAIN SQUEALING. WE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF THEY WOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID THEIR HANDS WERE TIED AND THEY COULD NOT HELP US OTHER THAN TO REPLACE WITH THE SAME PARTS. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER, CHRYSLER IS VERY MUCH AWARE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE DISC BRAKE ROTORS AND PREMATURE WEAR, BUT THEY REFUSE TO TAKE ANY REMEDIAL STEPS. WE HAVE THE SAME TIRES THAT ORIGINALLY CAME ON THE CAR AND THEY ARE BARELY WORN INDICATING WE ARE NOT THE KIND OF DRIVERS WHO ARE HARD ON A CAR. THE SERVICE MANAGER APPEARS TO BE JUST A FRUSTRATED WITH CHRYSLER'S LACK OF ATTENTION TO THIS PROBLEM AS WE ARE. OUR ONLY REASONABLE AND INTELLIGIBLE RECOURSE IS TO HAVE THE ROTORS AND PADS REPLACED WITH AFTER MARKET PRODUCTS. WE WILL NOT USE OEM ROTORS & PADS AGAIN. THIS IS NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THIS IS FAULTY MANUFACTURING OR FAULTY DESIGN OR BOTH. IN CHECKING YOUR WEBSITE FOR 2001/2002 PT CRUISERS, WE SEE THAT SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THEIR DISC BRAKES. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL AS A MONETARY ISSUE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. *JB

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT AND THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED. THE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE BUT THE STEERING WHEEL STILL VIBRATED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *NLM

CHROME CORRODING AND FLAKING OFF ON ORIGINAL 16" TIRES. FIRST NOTICED IN 6/2003. DEALERSHIP OFFERED TO REPLACE ONE RIM FOR A CO-PAY OF $100 DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF DAMAGE. BUT WILL NOT HELP WITH ONE SHOWING SLIGHTER DAMAGE. *PH

2001 PT CRUSIER WAS HEAD HEAD ON BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. $7,000.00 TO PT CRUISER AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CHRYSLER REFUSED TO INVESTIGATE COMPLAINT SAYING THAT THEY ARE NOT MADE TO GO OFF ON STOPPED VEHICLES. MY CAR WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFICE LIGHT WHEN HIT HEAD ON. INJURIES RESULTED