CarComplaints.com Notes: Chrysler has taken the boring small car frame of the Neon, grafted a 1930s-era roadster body on top and named it the PT Cruiser. While the new look may appeal to some, the vehicle has unfortunately also inherited many of the same problems as the Neon.
Hot Fix Your Pt Cruiser Fog Lights That Won't Turn Off - the problem is that the part that breaks the fog light circuit melts over time so eventually, the fog-lights won't turn off. This site almost got me there - there's another torx T-10 screw to remove to access the area where the fog-lamp circuit breaker is. I used a soldering iron to scrape the pancaked plastic toward the tip and then superglued the tip to make it more heat resistant. I also used super-glue to fill-in where friction from the switch wore away the slight incline on the under-side of the part & wait for it to dry completely (use a hair drier if you don't like to wait). Reinstall the part and place the cover over it. Work the light & fog-lamp switch to make sure the circuit breaker pops out of the hole when off and when the fog-lights are on the tip should be barely level with the top of the hole. Replace the parts as per the pictures on this link & reistall the master switch & viola - empowerment. Granted, this is a temporary fix as well but it's better than buying a master switch every 2 years.
I love my pt cruiser but the electrical really sucks. Its got a great idle but when I come to a stop light the idle slows and my headlights dim. Whats up?? The Pt's have the worse reputation!
Problem arose a couple years ago. Tried to start car, dead battery. Unbeknownst to me, my son, also a pt cruiser owner, had the same problem. He told me to put the left signal on before I turn the car off. Sure enough, it worked. At the time, I called Chrysler Company with complaint. 2 owners of 2 PT Cruisers with identical problem. They told me they would notify my dealership & leave a notation. Knowing electrical issues with a PT cruiser would be outrageous, I delayed getting it fixed. Blew out about 100 fuses too. Finally, Dec 2011, my car would not start. Had AAA install a new battery. I knew the problem would continue so I purchased a new multifunction switch from ebay. I installed it. Now, I did not have hazards OR signals working. Fed up, brought it to the DEALERSHIP! Told him I could not afford even 1 diagnostics. ($98). Told him it was a new multifunction switch. Couple hours later & $298 in diagnostics, he gave me a loaner car. Called multiple times but "they were working on it". Tech in charge of service dept. told me, "Not to worry and do not call me, I will call you when the car is done. After all, you have a free loaner car". Was I worried? Yes!!!!!!!!! They kept my car for 4 weeks 4 days!!! I finally called this morning, car was finished end of last week! He claims he called & left a message with my daughter. No daughter lives here! If he called, he called the wrong number. Total cost: 653.20!!!!! I purchased the brand new multifunction switch off of ebay for $67.95 and FREE OVER NIGHT SHIPPING!!! They said new part was broken & ordered a new multifunction switch for $211.98.00!!!!!! Took them almost 4 weeks to get new multifunction switch! Labor charges were $340.00! Charged for blown fuses. He did round down the total to $600 and divided up the payments, 300 and 300 next month. I told them, from the moment I arrived, what the problem is. My multifunction switch. This is a HUGE problem with PT cruisers. It is covered completely on the internet. I learned how to install the new multifunction switch by watching a youtube video. Very common problem with PT Cruisers. Now, I am afraid to turn the car off & not have the left signal turned on. I might come out to another dead battery. Cost of new battery was 122.00 I want this investigated. Also, dealerships take advantage of women! No surprise there.
Fog lights would not turn off, faulty switch, would keep draining battery, cost to repair was ASTRONOMICAL, cheap fix was to remove the lines going to the lights, as per dealer instructions, still cost me $120. to do it.
- nixter,
Alliston, Ontario, Canada
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I love my pt cruiser but the electrical really sucks. Its got a great idle but when I come to a stop light the idle slows and my headlights dim. Whats up?? The Pt's have the worse reputation!
- Cheri C., Galesburg, MI, US