This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Faulty multifunction switch module caused fog lights to illuminate while the car was off and in the driveway, resulting in a dead battery. Fog lights came on when I connected jumper cables to external battery. Fog lights go on and off as the light control stem on the multifunction module is wiggled. Removed fog light fuse to prevent recurrence until multifunction module can be repaired/replaced. Internet search and this site indicate this is a persistent and recurring problem across many PT CRUISER models and years.
PT CRUISER on cruise control. Exit freeway and tap brake. Car begins to coast. As we approached stopped traffic the brake was applied again. Cruise kicked in again and instead of slowing we speeded up. Approximately 2:30 pm - no alcohol involved and no skid marks. Hit 5 other vehicles. My husband was driving and I was the passenger. I was very badly injured internally and had fractures to ribs, vertebra. And ankle. Seat belt and air bag saved my life but seat belt ripped my intestines and caused severe internal bleeding. My husband was in shock but without injury. It took 3 weeks to get a police report and on the report it stated that he had stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake. Not true -- not true. He yelled to me before the impact that the car was not stopping and I saw that he had the brake to the floor.
Fog lights on my 2004 PT CRUISER stay on all the time, draining the battery. Multifunction switch does not turn off the fog lights. Pulled the fuse to disable the circuit and attempting to find a replacement part.
- Huntington Beach, CA, USA
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I have a 2004 PT CRUISER which I bought in Nov 2005. First incident, rear left passenger window stopped working. Headlights and brake lights burn out very rapidly. Latest "big" problem started in June 2009, brother noticed my fog lamps on, not only had I not turned them on, I never used them before. Thought it was a random incident but battery kept dying. Finally determined in July 2008 by mechanic that the switch arm was malfunctioning and needed to be replaced. Told by dealership are back ordered and to "just unplug the lights" to fix. Mechanic replaced, thought problem solved. Then panel kept claiming door ajar. No door was open!!! mechanic replaced door latch. Thought problem solved. Went out to car on 1/19/09, it was gone. City towed it due to complaint of my alarm going off and not shutting off. Cost me $234 to reclaim and find alarm is malfunctioning and battery being drained again!! interior lights going off and on while driving. So far since June 2009, (battery, alternator, switch arm, door latch, towing) have spent about $1000 in repairs. I have yet to find out cost of alarm and obvious electrical repairs to come. Until reading other complaints, had no idea the smell of burning I have smelt on occasion may actually be coming from my own car. Do yourself a favor, don't ever buy a Chrysler.
Engine light keeps coming on after being reset. Checked by mechanic, computer says problem is in "cruise control", & has been reset 3 times. & is on again!
In my 2004 PT CRUISER-first was unable to turn on light in rain, then all of the lights stopped working, while I was driving. Got it fixed for $600, then fog lamps will not turn off. All of a sudden there is smoke coming from the console, now the only way I can keep my fog lights from draining the battery is to remove the fuse each day. I have heard of both problems occurring in pts with other people.
2004 Chrysler PT CRUISER, the multi-function switch failed and the fog lights on the car remain on even with the switch off and the key out. This drains the battery. This is a known issue, there are over 4000 parts on back-order so many other PT CRUISER are having the issue.
Multifunction switch failure - fog lights will not turn on - headlamps flicker - dealership reports there are currently over 3000 of these on backorder - part #05073049ab.
Fog lights came on and stayed on without being turned on, even when car is off. Smoke from steering column. Dead battery. 395 instances of this on one web site. 77,000 miles on a 2004 PT CRUISER.
The contact owns a 2004 Chrysler PT CRUISER. While driving 35 mph, the contact smelled an electrical burning smell coming from the instrument panel. Shortly afterwards, the instrument panel indicators stopped working. The contact then smelled burning plastic. The Chrysler dealer pulled the instrument cluster and discovered that the cluster circuit was burned. The dealer replaced the instrument cluster with a new part and they retained the old part. The failure mileage was 74,600.
My complaint is regarding the rough idle and surges. This first started when A/C or heat were on. At this time the car does this even when A/C or heat are not on. Car feels as though it is going to stall out when accelerating either from a parked position, accelerating to a freeway speed and when in idle position. On February 18th, 2005, head gasket, cylinder head and spark plugs replaced per my complaint of problem. At that time the car had 12,070 miles on it. June 17th, 2005, spark plugs replaced again and also replaced spark plug cables because problem still existed. I was told that the cables were not replaced on February 18th and that this would fix the problem. This did not fix the problem in which I made further complaints on November 15th 2006. Technician could not find problem. I was told monitor sensors were within range, tbs updates checked and none were available. Spark plugs and cables were all in good condition. July 11th 2006, technician confirmed complaint that engine will stall when running A/C. flashed programmed controller and checked over engine system. Problem still exists and I am concerned that this problem is a hazard when driving this vehicle.
My 2004 PT CRUISER after I was driving for aprox 15 min., and then parked, started smoking from under the hood. It then quickly caught fire and destroyed from the dash forward. I had the car serviced 11 days earlier at the dealership. I had no warning lights, no smoke or smell while driving. The car is a total loss.
The car randomly stalls or dies when approaching a stop. Also, did this when turning a sharp corner. The car is in the shop now for this problem. Mechanic does not know what is wrong, but has had the same problem. Chrysler knows about this problem, but they do not have a fix for this problem. Other cars of the same year and make are having the same problem also, some newer models are having the same problems according to the dealers that caller spoke too.
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. 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 and tumblers were sticking, the engine would knock intermittently during acceleration and would only get 12.9 miles to the gallon and would run rough intermittently, and the gauges would quit working at times.
The computer in the car keeps locking up, all the dash emer lights come on and no dash componets work, speedometer, mileage indicator, tack0meter instrument panel off. One doesn't know if car is working properly or not. Could shut down in traffic and cause an accident or a person to be stranded anywhere.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Huntsville, AL, USA