2009 Chrysler PT CRUISER problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
97 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
45,127 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2009 model year. Data snapshot: . 86 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 58 of 97 complaints (59.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 26 | 26.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 14 | 14.4% |
| Braking behavior | 9 | 9.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 5 | 5.2% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 4.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 1.0% |
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 | 58 |
| Engine | 26 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 14 |
| Air Bags | 6 |
| Power Train | 6 |
| Steering | 6 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 5 |
| Seats | 5 |
Electrical System: 58; Engine: 26; Vehicle Speed Control: 14; Air Bags: 6; Power Train: 6; Steering: 6; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 5; Seats: 5
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 11 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 33 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 23 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 15 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 4 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 11; 25,000 to 49,999: 33; 50,000 to 74,999: 23; 75,000 to 99,999: 15; 100,000 to 149,999: 4; 150,000 and above: 0
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (33). 11 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 |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 5 |
| 2011 | 15 |
| 2012 | 12 |
| 2013 | 12 |
| 2014 | 18 |
| 2015 | 11 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
2010: 5; 2011: 15; 2012: 12; 2013: 12; 2014: 18; 2015: 11; 2016: 8; 2017: 7; 2018: 5; 2019: 2; 2020: 1; 2024: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 26 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 14 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 9 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 10399389 · 2011-05-06 (May 6, 2011)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, BEGAN TO FLASH AND THE READING ON THE GAUGES BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR ERRATICALLY. THE VEHICLE ALSO STALLED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE WHERE THE TECHNICIANS WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10399389 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10433528 · 2011-10-29 (October 29, 2011)
PURCHASED A USED 2009 PT CRUISER IN MAY 2011, WITH 37,000 MILES. APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS AND 3,000 MILES LATER THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ON THE DASH STARTED TO LIGHT UP LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE. FIRST THE SEATBELT LIGHT CAME ON, THEN THE WHOLE CLUSTER LIT UP AND THEN THE SEATBELT LIGHT CAME ON AND WENT OFF. THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER ALSO DROPPED. I THOUGHT THIS MIGHT BE AN ALTERNATOR PROBLEM, BUT IT CHECKED OUT OK AND I DID NOT HAVE THE PROBLEM AGAIN FOR A FEW MORE MONTHS. THIS TIME IT FLASHED ON AND OFF APPROXIMATELY 3 TIMES. TODAY, 10/29/11, AT…
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10433528 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10394419 · 2011-04-06 (April 6, 2011)
2009 PT CRUISER HAS A ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO SLOVE.WHILE DRIVING CAR ALL DASHLIGHTS FLASHES OFF AND ON GAUGES DANCE UP AND DOWN CAR LOOSES POWER AND SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING. ALMOST INVOLVED IN MANY ACCIDENTS DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 44,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10394419 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10419317 · 2011-08-13 (August 13, 2011)
2009 PT CRUISER PURCHASED 10/2010 FROM RENTAL FLEET. HAD 40,000 MILES THEN, HAS 45,000 NOW. WHILE DRIVING (MPH NOT RELEVANT), THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING LIGHTS COME ON AND GO OFF WITHIN SECONDS. SOMETIMES IT'S JUST THE DRIVER SEAT BELT LIGHT, SOMETIMES IT'S THE ENTIRE CLUSTER. THE GAUGE NEEDLES FALL TO ZERO THEN GO BACK TO CURRENT READING. FAILURE OCCURRED SPORADICALLY SINCE 10/2010, BUT ISSUE NEVER IMPAIRED THE PERFORMANCE UNTIL 08/09/2011 WHEN THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. GOT IT TO CURB (WITHOUT GETTING HIT FROM BEHIND), TURNED OFF KEY, WAITED A …
Owner-reported narrative. 40,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10419317 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10318041 · 2010-03-09 (March 9, 2010)
I HAVE A 2009 PT CRUISER, I HAVE ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, ENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL, TO FIND THAT IT HAS SURGED AND CAUSED THE CAR TO SPEED UP WITH OUT WARNING. I THOUGHT IT WAS ME UNTIL IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I HAVE NOT USED IT SINCE. IT DID NOT WANT TO DISENGAGE AND I HAD TO HIT THE BRAKES REALLY HARD AND HOLD THEM DOWN TO GET THE CAR TO RELEASE THE CRUISE CONTROL FEATURE. CONTACTED DEALER TO ASK IF ANYONE ELSE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS, WAS TOLD I MUST BE DRIVING A TOYOTA? DID NOT FIND THAT HUMOROUS, THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE DEAL…
Owner-reported narrative. 7,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10318041 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10343248 · 2010-07-14 (July 14, 2010)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE SITTING IDLE, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF A PRECEDING VEHICLE. HE THEN ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL TO STOP THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION BUT INSTEAD, THE VEHICLE REVERSED AND CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE BEHIND HIS. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AT AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, WHILE SITTING IDLE AT A STOP SIGN, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED. HE AT…
Owner-reported narrative. 7,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10343248 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10461317 · 2012-06-12 (June 12, 2012)
2009 PT CRUISER WITH 53,000 MILES WAS INFORMED BY DEALER THAT HYDRAULIC CLUTCH ASSEMBLY IS NOT RELEASING CAUSING HARD SHIFTING. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 53,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10461317 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10341075 · 2010-07-02 (July 2, 2010)
1.)WHEN VEHICLE HORN IS APPLIED IT WILL NOT SHUT OFF UNLESS STEERING WHEEL CENTER IS PUNCHED HARD SEVERAL TIMES TO RELEASE HORN. NO CRASH BUT HURT HAND AND WRIST WHILE PUNCHING STEERING WHEEL TO SHUT OFF HORN. DEALERS SERVICES DEPT. DIAGNOSED HORN SWITCH CIRCUIT OPEN AND AIR BAG SPRINGS ARE WEAK. DEALER REPLACED THE HORN PAD SWITCH AND DRIVERS SIDE STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG UNDER WARRANTY AT NO CHARGE. 2.)WIPERS WILL COME ON INFREQUENTLY IN RIGHT TURNS FOR NO REASON. STARTLING AND HIGHLY DISTRACTING SINCE IT THE WIPERS MOVEMENT IS UNEXPECTED …
Owner-reported narrative. 35,780 miles reported. Look up ODI 10341075 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10490481 · 2012-12-29 (December 29, 2012)
WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE QEW HIGHWAY IN ONTARIO, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ON MY PT 2009 CRUISER STARTED BLINKING ON AND OFF, THE GAUGES WENT WILD WITH UP AND DOWN FULL-RANGE SWINGS, THEN BLINKING ON AND OFF ON AND OFF; I THOUGHT THE SEATBELT MAY BE THE PROBLEM SINCE THE FASTEN SEATBELT INDICATOR REMAINED "ON." IT HAPPENED AGAIN A SECOND TIME RIGHT AWAY (LESS THAN 2 MINUTES) ACCOMPANIED BY LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. I HEARD SPUTTERING, AND THEN THE ENGINE DIED, AND I HAD TO GUIDE IT TO A RESTING SPOT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT POWER STEERING; NO…
Owner-reported narrative. 52,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10490481 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10583468 · 2014-04-18 (April 18, 2014)
LAST YEAR (2013) I WAS DRIVING AROUND 35MPH, ALL PANEL LIGHTS FLASH ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THEN ONE DAY IT STARTED AGAIN ALL PANEL LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN AND ALL GAUGES DROPPED DOWN, FUEL TANK GAUGE DROPPED TO EMPTY, ETC AND ENGINE DIED. PLACED CAR IN PARK AND THANKFUL THE CAR STARTED UP AGAIN. TOOK CAR TO CHAPMAN DEALERSHIP AND NO ERROR CODES APPEARED AND THEY COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. NOW IT IS APRIL 2014 AND THE SAME PROBLEM IS STARTING AGAIN ALL PANEL LIGHTS ARE BLINKING ON AND OFF AND I AM AFRAID THE CAR WILL SHUT D…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10583468 at NHTSA ↗