2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE FUEL EMITTED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED THIRTY MINUTES AFTER REFUELING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THEY NOTICED A LARGE AMOUNT OF FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FUEL TANK RETURN LINE. THE MECHANIC INSTALLED TWO CLAMPS AS A TEMPORARY REPAIR. THE FAILURE PERSISTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING DIAGNOSIS. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V214000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) BUT WAS ADVISED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000.

I BOUGHT A 2001 PT CRUISER AND WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS THE HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. REPLACED MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH BUT DID NOT HELP. HAD TO RE-WIRE THE LIGHTS TO MAKE THEM WORK. ALSO IT SOUNDS LIKE THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE HAS SOMETHING LOOSE. POSSIBLY BUSHINGS?? I'VE SEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE LIGHTS. WHAT IS IT GONNA TAKE TO GET A RECALL IN PLACE? WE GOT A TICKET FOR IT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 50 MPH HE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. THE CONTACT MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO ASSESS THE SITUATION. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS FOUND THAT THE DRIVER FRONT BRAKES WERE SMOKING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSE THAT THE BRAKE TUBE HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE THAT THERE WAS A RECALL THAT MIGHT BE RELATED TO THE FAILURE SIMILAR TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V481000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: ANTILOCK). THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 46,200.

CAR SUDDENLY BEGAN OVERHEATING WITHOUT WARNING. VERY SCARY SITUATION,EVIDENTLY THIS IS COMMON WITH PT CRUISERS. WHY HAVE THERE BEEN NO RECALLS? *TR

VEHICLE WAS USED TO DRIVE TO LOCAL STORE AT NIGHT. FOG LIGHTS WERE NOT TURNED ON AT ANY TIME. I PARKED IN DEPARTMENT STORE PARKING LOT AND CAME OUT AFTER SHOPPING FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES AND NOTICED A BURNING SMELL COMING FROM PT CRUISER. OPENED THE DRIVERS DOOR AND ODOR BECAME MORE APPARENT. NOTICED SMOKE ROLLING OUT OF STEERING COLUMN. ALSO NOTICED FOG LAMP INDICATOR ON DASHBOARD WAS ON. HOWEVER, ALL LIGHTS AND SWITCHES WERE OFF. I HAD TO PULL OUT SEVERAL FUSES UNTIL I FOUND THE ONE RELATED TO THE FOG LAMPS. THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY TO QUICKLY POWER OFF THE FOG LAMPS AND STOP THE SMOLDERING. THIS IS A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD! *TR

WEB SITE TOPIX WILL CONFIRM THE INCREDIBLE # OF FOLKS THAT HAVE HAD FOG LAMPS TURN ON AFTER CAR IS SHUT DOWN CAUSING BATTERY DRAIN. 100'S HAVE PAID FOR REPLACEMENT PART MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH. THIS CONTROLS FOG, HEAD, ACCESSORY, & DASH LIGHTING. TO PREVENT THE FOG LAMPS FROM COMING ON BY THEMSELVES, MOST HAVE REMOVED FUSE # 8 TO REMOVE THE FOG LAMPS FROM THE CIRCUIT. PEOPLE REPORT SMOKE COMING FROM TURN SIGNAL LEVER, & THE COMPLETE LOSS OF ALL LIGHTING IS QUITE COMMON. I PERSONALLY HAVE REPLACED THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH 3 TIMES ON MY WIFE'S 2001 P.T. CRUISER WITH ONLY 50,000 TOTAL MILES & SHE BEING ORIGINAL OWNER. BY PARKING HER CAR MINUS FUSE # 8, NOT USING DOME LIGHTING, & ALWAYS PARKING WITH THE SIGNAL LEVER IN THE DOWN OR LEFT TURN POSITION HAS PREVENTED THE MYSTERY FOG LAMP ISSUE, & KEPT HER BATTERY FUNCTIONING. THIS "TEMP" SOLUTION HAS ALLOWED HER ABOUT 6 OR 8 MONTHS OF DRIVING W/O THE PROBLEMS OTHER PT OWNERS STRUGGLE WITH. SOONER OR LATER SOMEONE WILL LOSE LIGHTING OR A FIRE WILL OCCUR INSIDE THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH WILL CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY, LOSS OF VEHICLE & POSSIBLY DEATH. CHRYSLER DENIES ANY KNOWLEDGE, BUT WANTS MORE THAN $1,000.000 TO ANALYZE & REPAIR. THROUGH THE TOPIX P.T FORUM I WAS ABLE TO LEARN HOW TO DO THE WORK MYSELF FOR FAR LESS THAN $100. MANY ARE GETTING RIPPED OFF FOR HUNDREDS WHILE CHRYSLER KNOWS FULL WELL OF THE ISSUE. NO LESS THAN AN INVESTIGATION, PERHAPS STARTED WITH THE TOPIX FORUM WILL DEMONSTRATE THE INCREDIBLE NUMBER OF FAILURES THAT STILL PLAGUE THE P.T. ON LATER MODELS SUCH AS 2001 THRU 06 OR 08. ALSO NEED 3RD. BRAKE JOB, & THE RIMS DO NOT SEAL CAUSING LOW TIRES THAT HURT MPG. DRIVING COMFORT, & SAFETY. DEALER & I HAVE TRIED MICHELIN TIRES HOPING THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE FACTORY INSTALLED GOODYEARS. I STILL HEAR EVERY 100 MILES OR SO THAT MY WIFE'S P.T NEEDS ADDITIONAL AIR PRESSURE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE BRAKING TO A TRAFFIC STOP, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 240,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 245,000.

THE ENGINE STARTING MAKING A TICKING SOUND WHILE I WAS DRIVING UPHILL ABOUT 40 MPH. I STOPPED TO CHECK OIL WHICH WAS ABOUT 1/2 QUART DOWN. I PROCEEDED TO CONTINUE DRIVING I WENT ABOUT ANOTHER MILE AND THE CAR STARTED LOSING POWER. UNKNOWN TO ME BUT THE CAR WAS ALREADY ON FIRE. SOMEONE BEHIND ME ALERTED ME AND WITHIN A MINUTE OR TWO THE PT CRUISER WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V268000 (STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS) BUT HAD ALREADY BEEN REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE FUSE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, WHICH WAS BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. IN ADDITION, THE HORN AND INTERIOR LIGHTS WOULD ALSO FAIL SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WAS REPLACED TO NO AVAIL. THE CONTACT WAS EXTREMELY CONCERNED WITH THE FACT THAT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.