FaultScore

Worst years for a Chrysler PT Cruiser

Owners have filed 3,420 complaints about the Chrysler PT Cruiser with NHTSA across model years 2001 to 2010. More of them are about the electrical system than anything else.

Avoid

2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser

658 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly electrical system.

Cleanest on record

2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser

158 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Chrysler PT Cruiser year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2010 C 30 1 4 30,000 Engine & Cooling
2009 B 158 5 1 52,000 Electrical System
2008 C 171 17 9 59,750 Electrical System
2007 C 203 23 3 53,000 Engine & Cooling
2006 D 512 55 6 60,000 Electrical System
2005 C 244 12 17 59,000 Engine & Cooling
2004 D 291 23 21 53,000 Electrical System
2003 D 354 30 21 49,000 Electrical System
2002 F 658 54 47 53,533 Electrical System
2001 D 799 48 26 58,000 Engine & Cooling

What breaks on a Chrysler PT Cruiser

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Electrical System 578 16.9%

Worst in 2006

Engine & Cooling 461 13.5%

Worst in 2006

Lights 238 7.0%

Worst in 2002

Suspension 234 6.8%

Worst in 2001

Airbags 230 6.7%

Worst in 2002

Steering 229 6.7%

Worst in 2001

Worst in 2001

Body & Structure 178 5.2%

Worst in 2002

Brakes 168 4.9%

Worst in 2002

Worst in 2001

Worst in 2006

Wheels 125 3.7%

Worst in 2001

Worst in 2001

Worst in 2009

Exactly what failed on a Chrysler PT Cruiser

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Engine 73 17.0%
Automatic Transmission 66 15.3%
RIM 54 12.6%
Front 43 10.0%
Frontal 42 9.8%
Lower ARM 35 8.1%
Wheel Bearing 30 7.0%
Switch 29 6.7%
Body 29 6.7%
Glass, Side/Rear 29 6.7%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Chrysler PT Cruiser, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Jun 2000 peak 56 Jun 2026

Chrysler PT Cruiser problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Compare the Chrysler PT Cruiser

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.