2002 Chrysler PT CRUISER: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
511 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
51,122 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: . 351 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 56 of 511 complaints (11.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 65 | 12.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 61 | 11.9% |
| Braking behavior | 52 | 10.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 27 | 5.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 13 | 2.5% |
| Engine operation | 10 | 2.0% |
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 | 56 |
| Structure | 47 |
| Exterior Lighting | 34 |
| Air Bags | 28 |
| Unknown Or Other | 27 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 24 |
| Engine | 22 |
| Steering | 19 |
Electrical System: 56; Structure: 47; Exterior Lighting: 34; Air Bags: 28; Unknown Or Other: 27; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 24; Engine: 22; Steering: 19
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 67 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 96 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 69 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 45 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 51 |
| 150,000 and above | 23 |
Under 25,000: 67; 25,000 to 49,999: 96; 50,000 to 74,999: 69; 75,000 to 99,999: 45; 100,000 to 149,999: 51; 150,000 and above: 23
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (96). 160 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 |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 6 |
| 2002 | 43 |
| 2003 | 53 |
| 2004 | 55 |
| 2005 | 43 |
| 2006 | 36 |
| 2007 | 63 |
| 2008 | 51 |
| 2009 | 31 |
| 2010 | 20 |
| 2011 | 30 |
| 2012 | 7 |
| 2013 | 8 |
| 2014 | 16 |
| 2015 | 22 |
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 |
2001: 6; 2002: 43; 2003: 53; 2004: 55; 2005: 43; 2006: 36; 2007: 63; 2008: 51; 2009: 31; 2010: 20; 2011: 30; 2012: 7; 2013: 8; 2014: 16; 2015: 22; 2016: 9; 2017: 5; 2018: 1; 2019: 6; 2021: 3; 2023: 2; 2024: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 65 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 61 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 52 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10000184 · 2002-12-17 (December 17, 2002)
ON MY 2002 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER IT APPEARS THE GREASE FITTING ON BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT BALL JOINTS HAVE BEEN BROKEN OFF. I AM CONCERNED THAT A BROKEN GREASE FITTING CAN ACT AS A PATH FOR WATER AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS TO ENTER THE BALL JOINT AND CAUSE IT TO PREMATURELY WEAR OUT AND FAIL, POTENTIALLY CAUSING VEHICLE HANDLING PROBLEMS. I HEARD RUMORS THAT THE GREASE FITTINGS ARE PURPOSELY BEING BROKEN OFF AT THE CHRYSLER ASSEMBLY PLANT.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000184 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10000275 · 2002-12-19 (December 19, 2002)
SHORTLY AFTER THE ODOMETER REACHED 500 MILES, THE ENGINE BEGAN IDLING ROUGHLY AND MISSING. CONCERN ABOUT ENGINE FAILURE CAUSING ACCIDENT. RETURNED TO 2 SEPARATE DEALERS. BOTH STATED THE COMPUTER SHOWED NO PROBLEM, BUT SERVICE REPS ADMITTED HAVING OTHER COMPLAINTS. BOTH NOTED CHRYSLER REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ANY PROBLEM.
Owner-reported narrative. 525 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000275 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10000567 · 2003-01-06 (January 6, 2003)
VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO TWO SEPARATE DEALERS FOR POOR FUEL MILEAGE. VEHICLE IS GETTING LESS THAN 15 MILES PER GALLON, WHEN THE ADVERTISED MPG IS BETWEEN 19 AND 27. VEHICLE HAS A FOUL ODOR. BOTH DEALERS CLAIMED THAT THE COMPUTER DID NOT STORE ANY CODES AND THAT IT WAS RUNNING WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000567 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10000631 · 2002-12-29 (December 29, 2002)
SINCE DAY ONE HAVE HAD A "WOBBLE" IN FRONT END. STEERING WHEEL MOVES BACK AND FORTH. FEEL VIBRATION THROUGH FLOOR BOARD. THIS AT 35-40 MPH. NO "WOBBLE" OR VIBRATIONS AT HIGHER SPEEDS. TIRES ROTATED AND FRONT END BALANCED THREE TIMES. NO HELP. DODGE DEALER NO HELP. THEY SAID IT WAS THE GOODYEAR TIRES AND TO REPLACE THEM WITH MICHELIN. WILL BE LOOKING INTO FRONT AXLE OR DRIVELINE PROBLEMS NEXT.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000631 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002098 · 2003-01-06 (January 6, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING, THE ALIGNMENT IS OFF CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE. NOTIFIED THE DEALER 5 TIMES , DEALER SAID THE TIRE IS DEFECTIVE. CONTACTED THE TIRE MANUFACTURE, THEY SAID IT'S NOT THE TIRE. PH *JG
Owner-reported narrative. 13 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002098 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002680 · 2003-01-14 (January 14, 2003)
FRONT AND REAR DOOR PILLARS ON BOOTH SIDES HAVE DEVELOPED A DISCOLORIZATION/OPAQUE FILM THAT CANNOT BE REMOVED. DEALER SAYS THEY HAVE NO RECORD OF ANY PROBLEMS.
Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002680 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10003433 · 2003-01-26 (January 26, 2003)
ON THE 28TH OF NOV 2002 MY WIFE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. SHE REARENDED A PICKUP TRUCK AND IT WAS AROUND 45MPH. WHEN SHE STRUCK THE VEHICLE HER AIRBAGS NEVER WENT OFF. NOW SHE HIT THE VEHICLE STRAIGHT ON AND IF I'M RIGHT ANYTHING ABOVE 25 OR MORE THE AIRBAGS SHOULD DEPLOY. LUCKLY MY WIFE WASN'T INJURED BUT SHE COULD HAVE BEEN BADLY INJURED. I CALLED THE COMPANY AND ALL THEY TOLD ME WAS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE CALLED THEN IMMEDIATELY BUT WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS YOU DON'T THINK ABOUT IT. I WANTED TO FILE A COMPLAINT ON THE DEFECT AIR…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003433 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10003791 · 2003-01-14 (January 14, 2003)
WHILE APPLYING HIS BRAKES THE VEHICLE BRAKES LOCK UP AND THE ABS LIGHT APPEAR ON THE DASHBOARD. TS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003791 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
01V288000 · Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash
Reported: 2001-09-10 (September 10, 2001)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES ARE BEING RECALLED FOR A SOFTWARE ERROR IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MICROPROCESSOR. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THE CLUSTER, WITH THE MAJORITY OF ITS GAUGES, ILLUMINATION, AND WARNING LAMPS, COULD BECOME INOPERATIVE.
Consequence: DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH AN INOPERATIVE CLUSTER COULD CAUSE A DISTRACTION, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL RE-FLASH THE CLUSTER SOFTWARE TO CORRECT THE CONDITION. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN OCTOBER 8, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA campaign record ↗02V215000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery
Reported: 2002-08-08 (August 8, 2002)
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FUEL PUMP MODULE MOUNTING FLANGE COULD LEAK FUEL IF THE VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN A ROLLOVER CRASH.
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SECONDARY SEAL OVER THE FUEL PUMP MODULE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 12, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA campaign record ↗04V268000 · Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist:Hose, Piping, And Connections
Reported: 2004-06-03 (June 3, 2004)
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.4L NON-TURBOCHARGED ENGINES AND AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES, THE POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE MAY CONTACT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER, POTENTIALLY DAMAGING THE HOSE.
Consequence: POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND RELOCATE, OR REPLACE AS NECESSARY, THE POWER STEERING HOSE AND CONFIRM TORQUE OF THE HOSE FASTENER AT THE STEERING GEAR END. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 20, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA campaign record ↗