2003 Chrysler PT CRUISER problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
258 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
49,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 189 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 34 of 258 complaints (13.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 34 | 13.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 30 | 11.6% |
| Braking behavior | 29 | 11.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 27 | 10.5% |
| Engine operation | 16 | 6.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 5 | 1.9% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 34 |
| Exterior Lighting | 20 |
| Steering | 19 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 17 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 13 |
| Suspension:Front | 13 |
| Air Bags | 12 |
| Suspension | 11 |
Electrical System: 34; Exterior Lighting: 20; Steering: 19; Engine And Engine Cooling: 17; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 13; Suspension:Front: 13; Air Bags: 12; Suspension: 11
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 55 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 42 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 38 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 20 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 21 |
| 150,000 and above | 13 |
Under 25,000: 55; 25,000 to 49,999: 42; 50,000 to 74,999: 38; 75,000 to 99,999: 20; 100,000 to 149,999: 21; 150,000 and above: 13
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (55). 69 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2003 | 17 |
| 2004 | 36 |
| 2005 | 29 |
| 2006 | 33 |
| 2007 | 23 |
| 2008 | 21 |
| 2009 | 20 |
| 2010 | 11 |
| 2011 | 7 |
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 10 |
| 2015 | 14 |
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2002: 2; 2003: 17; 2004: 36; 2005: 29; 2006: 33; 2007: 23; 2008: 21; 2009: 20; 2010: 11; 2011: 7; 2012: 4; 2013: 4; 2014: 10; 2015: 14; 2016: 7; 2017: 5; 2018: 3; 2019: 5; 2022: 2; 2023: 1; 2024: 3; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 34 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 30 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 29 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10057832 · 2004-02-10 (February 10, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. DEALERSHIPS MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM PERTAINED TO RACK AND PINION. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 2,375 miles reported. Look up ODI 10057832 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10075842 · 2004-06-08 (June 8, 2004)
WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TOWARDS THE LEFT THE STEERING WHEEL SKIPPED. CONSUMER NOTIFIED THE DEALER ABOUT THIS ISSUE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10075842 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10004035 · 2003-01-16 (January 16, 2003)
WHEN CONSUMER BRAKES, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD FLICKER. THIS CAUSES A DISTRACTION AT NIGHT TIME. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PH THIS ALSO OCCURED WHEN WINDOW SWITCH AND AUTO DOOR LOCKS WERE ENGAGED. DEALER CHECKED WIRING TO PCM, ALLG ROUNDS AND ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS. NOTHING FOUND. *TT
Owner-reported narrative. 2,416 miles reported. Look up ODI 10004035 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10091251 · 2004-09-18 (September 18, 2004)
"CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" CAME ON REGULARLY, PROMPTING VISITS TO THE DEALER. WAS TOLD I WASN'T "CLICKING" THE GAS CAP ENOUGH TIMES UPON CLOSING IT. NUMBER OF TIMES TO BE CLICKED STARTED OUT AT 3 AND EVENTUALLY MOVED UP TO 7, INCREASING WITH EACH RETURN VISIT UNTIL I SCREAMED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SERVICE AREA AND THEY ACTUALLY FIXED THE PROBLEM BY REPLACING THE LEAK DETECTION PUMP AND THE NATURAL VACUUM DETECTOR. SUNROOF MOTOR WOULDN'T RUN CONTINUOUSLY, THE SWITCH WOULD HAVE TO BE PUSHED REPEATEDLY TO GET THE ROOF TO CLOSE, MOVING A FRACTION OF …
Owner-reported narrative. 30 miles reported. Look up ODI 10091251 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10043931 · 2003-10-15 (October 15, 2003)
WHEN COMING TO A STOP DRIVER WOULD PRESS ON THE BRAKES AND VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10043931 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10022410 · 2003-06-05 (June 5, 2003)
NHTSA#03-V-076-000:ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, MANUAL TRANSMISSION MODELS ONLY, A WELDED PIN INTERNAL TO THE DUAL-MASS FLYWHEEL (DMF) ASSEMBLY CAN UNSEAT AND BECOME LODGED BETWEEN THE FLYWHEEL AND THE CLUTCH DISC. THE CONSUMER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON MAY 23/2003 AND ON MAY 25/2003 THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY FAILED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10022410 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10025990 · 2003-07-13 (July 13, 2003)
I BOUGHT MY 2003 PT CRUISER TURBO OCT 13TH 2002, IN FEB 2003 I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE BECAUSE I HAD NOTICED RED FLUID LEAKING . I WAS ALARMED 2 C ATF LEAKING FROM A CAR WITH LESS THAN 9,000 MILES ON IT. ANYWAY I TOOK IT IN & THEY REPLACED THE SEAL & BEARING ON THE LEFT SIDE. ON MAY 28TH I TOOK IT TO A BODYSHOP 2 GET GHOST FLAMES PAINTED ON IT. JUNE 12TH CAME ALONG AND THEY CALLED ME TO COME SEE THE CAR FINISHED. IT TOOK MY BREATH AWAY. I PROUDLY APPROVED OF THE WORK THEY COULD THEN BUFF AND DETAILED IT. ON JUNE 14TH AFTER BEING BUFFED OUT THE …
Owner-reported narrative. 14,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10025990 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10079955 · 2004-06-25 (June 25, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED VEHICLE STALLED, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO DRIFT OFF THE ROAD. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10079955 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10094911 · 2004-10-01 (October 1, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER RESTARTED VEHICLE TEN MINUTES LATER. THEN, VEHICLE JERKED AND STALLED. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10094911 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10057760 · 2004-02-09 (February 9, 2004)
THE GAS TANK FILLER PIPE AND CAP BROKE WHILE DRIVING. GAS NOZZLE SLIPPED DOWN NEAR WHERE THE REAR BRAKES WERE LOCATED. CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO PUT GAS INTO THE VEHICLE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10057760 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10097126 · 2004-12-01 (December 1, 2004)
THE CONSUMER STATED THE SPARK PLUGS CONTINUED TO BURN OUT. IT WAS ALWAYS SPARK PLUG #1. THE CONSUMER HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR THIS DEFECT. THE OWNER ALSO STATED THAT THE SPARK PLUGS HAVE BEEN RE-WIRED AND THE FUEL INJECTOR WAS REPLACED IN MARCH 2004, THIS HAPPENED AFTER THE SECOND VISIT TO THE DEALER. *JB THE VEHICLE ACTED AS THOUGH IT WASN'T GETTING ANY GAS. THE VEHICLE WOULD BUCK AT RED LIGHTS AND OR STOP SIGNS WITH A DIFFICULT TIME CONTINUING TO DRIVE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON AN…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,362 miles reported. Look up ODI 10097126 at NHTSA ↗