2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER Complaints

2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. CONSUMER STATES DEFECT INVOLVING THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION *TGW IN AUGUST 2007 THE BUSHINGS HAD DETERIORATED AFTER ONLY 30,620 MILES. THE DEALER REPLACED THEM AT A COST OF $414.84 WHICH THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS BEYOND THE 36 MONTH WARRANTY. IN JUNE 2009, THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED EVEN THOUGH IT HAD ONLY BEEN 12,292 MILES SINCE THEY WERE INITIALLY REPLACED. THE CONSUMER WENT TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND HAD THEM REPLACED AGAIN. *JB

2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER FACTORY CHROME RIMS 17" CORRODING AND FLAKE OFF CAUSING THE AIR PRESSURE TO DROP OVERNIGHT. CAUSING AN UNSAFE CONDITION RESULTING IN LOSE OF CONTROL AND UNUSUAL TIRE WEAR. *TR

WITH 59,000 FREEWAY MILES, AT 65 MPH VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED ABRUPTLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY. VEHICLE WOULD ONLY LURCH ALONG AT A SLOW SPEED AND UNABLE TO GO INTO REVERSE. IT HAD TO BE TOWED. TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL REQUIRED COSTING OVER $2,000 TO REPAIR. *TR

OEM 17" CHROME WHEELS ON 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER GT CORRODE, FLAKE OFF, AND TIRES LOSE PRESSURE OVERNIGHT. LOW TIRE PRESSURE CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO GO OUT OF CONTROL OR SKID. THE CONSUMER IS FORCED TO CHECK TIRE PRESSURE TWICE A DAY. FORGETTING TO DO THIS, EVEN ONCE, CAN LEAD TO AN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THIRTY SECONDS AFTER STARTING THE IGNITION, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE "CHECK ENGINE" WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. HE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON SIX SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR THE IDENTICAL FAILURES. THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM), FOUR FUEL INJECTERS , SPARK PLUGS, AND BOTH OXYGEN SENSORS. WERE REPLACED. NONE OF THE REPAIRS HAVE REMEDIED THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 113,000.

1. I GENERALLY DRIVE OUR 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER WITH THE FOG LIGHTS ON DURING THE DAY, AND THE HEADLIGHTS AT NIGHT. THIS MEANS I WAS TURNING THE FOG LIGHT SWITCH ON THE TURN SIGNAL UNIT SEVERAL TIMES A DAY. 2. BEGINNING EARLY IN 2009 I EXPERIENCED TIMES WHEN THE FOG LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN OFF WITH THE SWITCH WITHOUT A LOT OF CYCLING, OR THE FOG LIGHTS WOULD TURN THEMSELVES ON WHEN THE DOOR CLOSED. THE VIBRATION OF THE VEHICLE MADE THAT HAPPEN. THEN, WHEN TRYING TO GET THE FOG LIGHTS TO TURN OFF, THE SWITCH BEGAN TO SMOKE. TURNING OFF THE CAR CLEARED THAT, SO I STOPPED USING THE FOG LIGHTS. THE TURN SIGNALS AND HEADLIGHT PORTION OF THE SWITCH WORKED FINE. 3. I CONTACTED THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE OUT OF THE SWITCH. I THEN CONTACTED A LOCAL AUTO MAINTENANCE COMPANY I HAVE USED IN THE PAST AND TRUST. THEY QUOTED ME A BETTER SERVICE PRICE, AND THAT THE SWITCH WAS BACKORDERED. THERE WERE OVER 5000 SWITCHES ON BACKORDER AND IT WAS SIX MONTHS AFTER THE ORDER WAS PLACED BEFORE WE RECEIVED THE SWITCH AND HAD IT INSTALLED. MY CONCERN IS TWO FOLD: 1. THE 5000 MAY WELL HAVE BEEN THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG IN TERMS OF FAILURES, AND 2. IF I HAD NOT BEEN SITTING THERE, WOULD THE LIGHTS, AFTER COMING ON BY THEMSELVES HAVE CAUSE THE SWITCH TO ACTUALLY CATCH THE VEHICLE ON FIRE? I THOUGHT THAT THE BRIEF TIME I WAS SMOKE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TO BLOW THE FUSE, BUT IT DIDN'T. *TR

MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING EAST BOUND WHEN HE WAS HIT T BONE AND EVENTUALLY LANDED HEAD ON INTO A TREE. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR

NHTSA 629139 EXTERIOR LIGHTING HEADLIGHTS, MOISTURE INSIDE VENTED HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY. HEADLIGHTS HAVE HARD WATER DEPOSITS ON INSIDE OF LAMP,WITH SUN EXPOSURE HAVE BECOME SO CORRODED THEY ARE NOT USABLE HAVE TO DRIVE WITH HIGH BEAMS ON. *TR

HIGH BEAMS COMING ON WITHOUT BEING TURNED ON, AT FIRST ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK THEN EVERYDAY IT WOULD HAPPEN THEN EVERYTIME USING THE VEHICLE, THE HIGH BEAMS CAME ON AFTER I TURNED THEM OFF WHEN GETTING OUT OF MY CAR UPON RETURNING TO MY CAR WOULD NOT CRANK, THE HIGH BEAMS WHERE STILL ON, HAD TO GET MY CAR JUMPED STARTED, REMOVED THE FUSE AND HAVEN'T HAD THE HIGH BEAMS TO COME ON AGAIN, BUT I NEED MY HIGH BEAMS ESP. FOR LONG DISTANCE DRIVING THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS, THERE'S A SHORTAGE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE FUSE AND HIGH BEAMS LIGHTS. *TR

FUEL LINE ABRASION AND LEAKAGE ON FUEL LINE FROM FIREWALL TO FUEL RAIL. 2003 MPT CRUISER WITH 5 SPEED AND 146,000 MILES FUEL ABRADED THRU FIRE WALL INSULATION AND RUBBED WHILE THRU PROTECTIVE SLEEVE AND FUEL LINE FUEL LINE SPRAYED FUEL ALL OVER ENGINE, CONVERTER AND FIREWALL DRIVER NOTICED FUEL SMELL AND STOPPED CAR. *TR