CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2006 is the worst year for PT Cruiser engine complaints. Having an engine light on is annoying, but it's the complaints about the engine shutting-off while driving that really have us concerned.

1.9

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
87,541 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

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.

2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser engine problems

engine problem

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2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser Owner Comments (Page 2 of 3)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #35

Mar 022016

PT Cruiser

  • 30 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When driving all lights on dash will come on, gauges will go off and on, and the engine has died in the road several times. The time it dies while driving is scariest part it has so far restarted after getting off road. Afraid when someone is following too close they will hit us or I hit them as I travel on the frwy 120 miles a day. Many people seem to have this go on. Chrysler fix this or I will have a class action lawsuit. Should fix before customers are killed! this has been ongoing problem since about 90,000 miles it has 132,000 now I have taken car to multiple mechanics and no one can find out was wrong. Engine died and restarted today on the freeway 3/2/16.

- Perris, CA, USA

problem #34

Feb 012016

PT Cruiser

  • 85,000 miles
Tipm already replaced 1X for same issues occurring again now, a few years later and for at least the last 8 months from this posting, occurring more and more frequently now and last time occurring was Feb 01, 2016. All dash / engine status lights come on for no reason, then off seconds later, occurring anytime while engine is running. Engine stalls - sputtering, power steering and breaks fail to work properly during this time, fuel level gauge wildly fluctuates and smell of gas is noticeable, all causing a dangerous situation when at highway speeds. Head lights and interior lights randomly go bright or dim for a fraction of a second. Dealership unable to diagnose as it does not stay broke long enough for their techs to diagnose with their equipment even after having the car for 2 full days, despite this problem seen visually by dealer and on video recording. Suspect tipm / ECM, integrated voltage regulator is at fault. Extended warranty refuses to replace without a certified diagnosis by authorized repair shop. 2nd major problem with 4 engine mounts needing replacement several times, more than 10 mount replacements during life of my car, so far. 3rd major problem, transmission sometimes will not auto shift gears in a timely manor, taking up to 4 seconds to engage drive or other from park setting. I have the entire life of vehicle paperwork on all repairs and regular maintenance done for this car. Hoping there is a class action lawsuit I can get in on for this problem, seen reported numerous times on various forums like this dot site.

- West Palm Beach, FL, USA

problem #33

Jan 272016

PT Cruiser

  • 49,795 miles
2006 Chrysler P.T. time after time engine indicator lights come one, sometimes engine dies. Have been able to re-start in motion, but when will this become disasterous? per internet, hundreds of folks have the same problem, yet Chrysler nor nhstb does zilch. Dealer has no clue after doing diagnostic. Will never buy another Chrysler product. So much for government giving a S---! this week it has happened everytime the car has been driven.

- Federal Way, WA, USA

problem #32

Jun 102015

PT Cruiser

  • 110,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Driving vehicle cuts off when I stop.on highways....engine revs up car go faster like throttle or gas petal stuck have to apply brakes automatic transmission sometimes won't change gears I have to restart car about three times runs good for couple days does same has been in shop 4 times had timing belt and motor mount replaced.new ignition switch, not key side battery check eng. And battery light back on dont communicate with shop diagnostic machine.. still having problems with gears afraid of this car and has not finish paying for it yet

- Lillington, NC, USA

problem #31

Sep 222015

PT Cruiser

  • 74,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Chrysler PT CRUISER. While driving at approximately 50 mph, the oil warning indicator illuminated intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The technician stated that the front crank shaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 74,000.

- Sedonia, AR, USA

problem #30

Aug 282015

PT Cruiser

  • 165,000 miles
All lights on instrument panel flashes on-off. Sometimes the gauges will zero-out and go back to normal position. Sometimes when the lights flash and gauges zero-out, there will be a quick power loss. Maybe 2-3% of the time power loss will be substantial almost needed to pull over. More often than not, it seems to happen more in the heat and possibly rain or day after a heavy rain.

- Flowery Branch, GA, USA

problem #29

Feb 142007

PT Cruiser

  • 25,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was entering highway and I stepped on the excelerator to the floor and the car would not go over 45mph and started to stall all lights on dashboard lit up and there was a semi truck going 70 mph comming from behind almost rear ended me I have now had to change 4 sensors in this vehical now just recently my husband had the same experience the car just shut off completly while he was driving.,

- Chesterton, IN, USA

problem #28

Apr 012011

PT Cruiser

  • 55,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Chrysler PT CRUISER. While driving at various speeds, the engine stalled, the steering wheel seized, and the entire instrument panel illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000.

- Bay City , MI, USA

problem #27

Feb 272015

PT Cruiser

  • 68,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Chrysler PT CRUISER. While attempting to accelerate, the front end of the vehicle experienced severe vibration. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer who diagnosed that the motor mounts were faulty. The top motor mounts were replaced, but the vehicle continued to experience the failure. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 68,000.

- Bailey, NC, USA

problem #26

Jan 282015

PT Cruiser

  • 46,736 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Chrysler PT CRUISER. After starting the vehicle, it started shaking and stalled without warning. The failure occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 46,736.

- Seattle , WA, USA

problem #25

Dec 012014

PT Cruiser 4-cyl

  • 1,003,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was driving home about 7pm doing about 25mpg when my car shut off, when it shut off it sounded like a quite snap, I tried to start it and it was making like a whirling sound so I stop trying to start it and towed it home and found out it was a broken timing belt.

- Rio Rancho, NM, USA

problem #24

Jan 142014

PT Cruiser

  • 70,013 miles
In jan14 my car wouldn't start, took to the dealer. April11 it took it back to dealer because it took 4 times to start the car. When started, while driving the elec panel lights wld randomly flicker, eng light often. Jul14 car back at dealer, all panel lights wld flicker while driving, car wld accelerate while driving and sounding like in wrong gear at 35mph, didn't get car back until aug08. One hour later, returned car to dealer car still accelerated while trying to stop at a four way intersection. Got car back 2 days later. Car accelerated on aug28, cut off while driving 30mph, dash lit up, gas gauge went full to empty, car launched forward and then started on its own again, this happened twice. Took car to dealer on aug29 and still have no car!!!! today is Sept 11th. Each time the dealer would state nothing is wrong and no signs of anything. They would not listen nor record anything I told them on the paperwork, they continued to ignore everything I said. I have paid a lot of money to get the car fixed and it was not until this last time that I finally got a loaner to drive (two door Fiat). A case manager from auburn hill, mi at the headquarters has contacted me, but still nothing has been done!!!!!!!!!!! now the dealer wants me to test drive the car with them, though I told them that it randomly happens. They continuously act like there is no problem, though I have found numerous complaints online regarding the same thing. Something needs to be done asap before people get seriously injured and/or lives lost. This is something that can not be swept under the rug. As a retired assembly line worker of car parts I find it interesting how my case and others have been handled. The lack of concern, accountability, follow through and resolution is done poorly.

- Youngstown , OH, USA

problem #23

May 092014

PT Cruiser 4-cyl

  • 106,000 miles
Driving vehicle, all dashboard lights blink on and off, cars stalls, brakes and steering lock up. This has happened at least 15 times over the last few months, and is very dangerous. Also, sometimes the engine fan won't shut off when car is turned off, and it drains the car battery. This has happened at least 10 times. That part is getting expensive and very irritating, but the stalling out and completely dying, is very dangerous, because you can't always get off the road.

- Newcastle, CA, USA

problem #22

Sep 272013

PT Cruiser 4-cyl

  • 65,000 miles
The first time in September 2013 the vehicle was running fine. I had gone into a store and when I came out it would not start. The lights on the panel were on but some were flashing on and off. I had it towed to my mechanics shop and they determined it was the battery and replaced it. Every once in a while lights on the panel will flash on and off but not for long. Last night 7/30/2014 I was driving, everything was fine and then all of a sudden all the panel lights were on and the vehicle just died. It was a good thing that I was in a shopping center and not on the road because at first the brakes wouldn't work. This is not safe. I can't afford to get another vehicle right now. We had to push it to safety and then I noticed there was some kind of code or something (no bus/5) at the bottom of the RPM section of the panel. Couldn't find anything in the manual about it, called an auto parts store and it didn't show up in their database, so I had a friend google it. Everything points to the electrical/computer system and fuses. Several people posted this issue with Jeep and PT CRUISER.

- Universal City, TX, USA

problem #21

Jul 172014

PT Cruiser 4-cyl

  • 98,000 miles
Going down the road and lights come on the dash and motor cuts off with no warning almost got rearended from this happening. Have taken it to many mechanics and even an electrol place and none of them can figure out the problem. If anyone figures out this problem please post before someone get hurt or killed I drive in a major city and on the interstates and it has happened to me on the interstate and I have had to pull over to the side to try to get out of the way please someone help I cant afford to go out nd buy another car if I did I will not buy another Chrysler product and all my friends and family say they wouldn't either.

- Gastonia, NC, USA

problem #20

Jul 082014

PT Cruiser 4-cyl

  • 31,262 miles
I have a 2006 Chrysler PT CRUISER limited turbo with only 31,262 miles on it that started out a couple of months ago by the seat-belt light coming on first followed almost immediately by all of the surrounding warning lights coming on and the gauges all dropping to nothing. It repeated this several times an then stopped and went back to normal. Since then this has happened once out of approximately every three times driving it, doing the same thing described above. Today all that changed, not only did the lights and gauges go crazy, the engine died repeatedly as well, all this happened in 40 mph traffic. It scared me to death, I had no control and with it happening as fast as it was I had no way of warning the cars behind or beside me. Just as I have seen by other people with the same issue over and over again and with the 2006 model the post are all the same issue, all happening in the same sequence, all taking their cars to mechanics of all types, dealership and independent and "not one mechanic has found a solution or even an idea of why this is happening". my wife and I are like most I have seen and cannot afford to keep taking it in to be told they can't find the problem and definitely aren't in a position to be able to afford to purchase another vehicle. Will beg Chrysler to help us all out. Please figure out what is causing this before someone is hurt or even killed. Very frustrated to say the least.............

- Muskogee, OK, USA

problem #19

Jun 102014

PT Cruiser

  • 15,740 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Chrysler PT CRUISER. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 mph, there was a sudden loss on engine power as the electronic throttle control warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacture was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 15,740 and current mileage was 16,000.

- Glen Burnie, MD, USA

problem #18

Jun 132014

PT Cruiser 4-cyl

  • 76,000 miles
Vehicle at 76,000 miles rides rough and during check up was found to have bad front bushings and three cracked engine mounts. Two licensed mechanics advised that this should not be happening to a single owner, never mistreated vehicle at that mileage. This was caught prior to a potential safety incident.

- Alexandria, VA, USA

problem #17

Jun 182014

PT Cruiser

  • 99,568 miles
2006 Chrysler PT CRUISER- the lights on my dashboard all light up along with all the warning alarms. Sometimes the car completely shuts off while driving above 30 mph - 65 mph in the city and on the highway then kicks back on within a few seconds. This problem has been on going. I have had professional mechanics look at my car with no luck or resolution to the problem. Luckily no accidents as of yet. I want to get rid of the car, but I don't want to be responsible in case an accident occurs for someone else. I can't get it fixed if no one or Chrysler hasn't made the problem known to the public. I'm not the only one experiencing these issues. After a year long search I found 47 other complaints similar if not the very same issue I'm dealing with.

- Anderson, IN, USA

problem #16

May 192014

PT Cruiser 4-cyl

  • 55,400 miles
2006 PT CRUISER, approx. 55,000 miles. First the seat belt warning light flashes on, then all the warning lights on the dashboard come on. All my gauges drop except the fuel gauge. The speedometer gauge moves up and down after dropping. It feels like power is lost to the engine when it is happening. Within seconds, the warning lights go out and the gauges stabilize and things are normal. Sometimes this happens only once while driving, other days it happens 4-5 times in a row. I am told it is a common problem with the 2006 model. Why is there no recall or repair thru Chrysler?

- Mullica Hill, NJ, USA

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