2004 Chrysler PT CRUISER problems and owner complaints

ON JULY 7, 2004, I HAD AN COMING OUT OF A PARKING LOT WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY HARD TO TURN AND I HIT A POLE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY VEHICLE. *AK WHEN I INFORMED DAIMLER CHRYSLER OF THE ACCIDENT, THEY HAD AN INVESTIGATOR TOW MY CAR TO MANCARI'S CHRYSLER JEEP IN CRESTWOOD, ILLINOIS ON JULY 15, 2004 TO INPECT THE DAMAGES. WHEN FINISHED, THE INVESTIGATOR CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THAT CHRYSLER WOULD CONTACT ME REGARDING THE DAMAGES. AFTER THE INVESTIGATOR CONTACTED ME, I CALLED DAIMLER CHRYSLER ABOUT TWO TIMES A WEEK …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10091187 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY AUTOMATIC 2004 PT CRUISER SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN JANUARY OF 2004. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR WEEKS AT A TIME DUE TO THE CAR STALLING WHILE I AM DRIVING WHICH IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SINCE THE POWER STEERING LOCKS, AND THIS ACTION CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP DUE TO IT STALLING AND DRIVING ROUGH. EVERY TIME I TAKE THE CAR TO THE CHRYSLER SERVICE DEPARTMENT IT SEEMS LIKE THEY FIND AN ISSUE BUT IT IS THE WRONG ISSUE. LAST TIME THEY TOLD ME THE …

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10102249 at NHTSA ↗

05/19/2004, WHILE TRAVELING FROM KNOXVILLE TN, ON I-40 IN A RENTED PT CRUISER, A CHEVY BLAZER CHANGED LANES IN FRONT OF US AS TRAFFIC CAME TO A STOP. WE WERE ALREADY SLOWING FOR A CONSTRUCTION ZONE AND WERE TRAVELING AT LESS THAN 45 MPH. WE APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THEY LOCKED UP AND STARTED TO SKID, THE CAR ALMOST STOPPED IN TIME BUT THE BRAKES WENT SOFT AND THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD, PROPELLING US INTO THE PERSON IN FRONT OF US, TOTALING THE PT. WE LEFT 25 FEET OF SKID AND THE CAR ONLY HAD 500 MILES ON IT. WE RENTED THE CAR FROM BUDGET AND IT HAD…

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10074792 at NHTSA ↗

THE CONSUMER PT CRUISER TRIP METER CONSTANTLY RESET ITSELF, WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE DASH LIGHTS FLASH ON AND OFF, GAS GAUGE DROPS TO EMPTY AND THE BELLS START BEEPING. *BF THE MECHANIC SPRAYED STATIC GUARD IN IT THAT TIME TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE, BUT THIS DID NOT WORK. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE CLOTH SEATS AND TO GET OUT AND GRAB THE METAL BAR. THE GEAR SHIFTER KNOB WOULD COME OFF, THERE WAS A GRINDING NOISE IN THE REAR DUE TO THE BRAKES, IT WAS HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE AT TIME BECAUSE THE LOCK …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10111054 at NHTSA ↗

ONE DAY AFTER WASHING MY PT CRUISER, WHEN I STARTED THE ENGINE, IT WAS IDLING SO HARD THE CAR WAS JERKING FROM SIDE TO SIDE. I THOUGHT MAYBE AFTER IT RAN AWHILE IT WOULD STOP, SO I BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. THE ENGINE LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD LIT UP AND STARTING BEEPING, SO I PUT THE CAR BACK IN THE GARAGE. I PERFORMED THE TEST FROM THE OWNERS MANUAL FOR THE EMISSIONS, AND THE HARD IDLE STOPPED. HOWEVER, WHEN I WAS DRIVING THE CAR LATER THAT SAME DAY, THE CAR LOCKS KEPT LOCKING. AT ONE POINT, THEY WENT BERSERK, LOCKING CONSTANTLY FOR ABOUT…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,620 miles reported. Look up ODI 10109980 at NHTSA ↗

DT: WHILE DRIVING WENT TOO A FAST FOOD LINE AND WHILE WAITING TO PLACE AN ORDER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. NO OTHER CARS WERE BEHIND CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, SO IMMEDIATELY PUT VEHICLE IN REVERSE AND QUICKLY PARKED IN A NEARBY PARKING LOT AWAY FROM OTHER VEHICLES. DRIVER CALLED 911. IN A SHORT TIME THE FRONT PORTION OF THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND WAS ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS VERY VAGUE IN THEIR EVALUATION OF THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE, BUT DID SAY THEY THOUGHT IT WAS E…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10124435 at NHTSA ↗

CAR STALLS & CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON CAR ALMOST STALLED BROUGHT TO DEALER TO PERFORM WARRANTY REPAIRS. DEALER REPLACED SPARK PLUGS, WIRES, POWER TRAIN MODULE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 5,187 miles reported. Look up ODI 10095794 at NHTSA ↗

CAR CONTINUES TO MISS, DUE TO FAILURE OF IGNITION OR GAS OR MAYBE THE TRANSMISSION. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. ITS BEEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES WITH NO HELP. THIS STARTED AFTER 3000 MILES ON CAR.

Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10081284 at NHTSA ↗

HOSE CAME LOOSE FROM TRANSMISSION CAUSING VEHICLE TO CUT OFF SEVERAL TIMES. *BF *TC

Owner-reported narrative. 7,027 miles reported. Look up ODI 10097718 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE CONTINUALLY LOST AIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION NUMEROUS TIMES. THE DEALER REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES AND A RIM; HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTED. ALSO, THE VEHICLE MANIFESTED REMOTE CONTROL PROBLEMS, AS WELL A CRACKED WINDSHIELD A BROKEN GAS TANK. IN ADDITION RACK AND PINION STEERING WAS DEFECTIVE, AND POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10153791 at NHTSA ↗

ON OCTOBER 4, 2006, I HAD NOTICED THAT MY FUEL GAUGE ON THE PT CRUISER WAS STILL READING FULL AND I KNEW AFTER DRIVING IT FOR A WEEK IT SHOULD BE READING EMPTY. I ALSO NOTICED THAT WHEN I ACCELERATED, THE GAUGE READ "FULL" BUT WHEN I PUT ON THE BRAKES IT WOULD READ "EMPTY"; IT EVEN READ 1/2 FULL A COUPLE OF TIMES. ON OCTOBER 5,2006, I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO DAVE DENNIS CHRYSLER JEEP AND DODGE TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. ACCORDING TO THE WORKORDER, THE DEALER REPLACED THE "FUEL SENDING UNIT". AT THAT TIME, I HAD ALSO ASKED FOR THEIR FREE 16 POINT CHECK …

Owner-reported narrative. 22,530 miles reported. Look up ODI 10174812 at NHTSA ↗