11 of the 658 complaints about the 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser are about the equipment — 2% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 45,550 miles.
11
Complaints
0
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
EQUIPMENT
TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THE HORN ON THE VEHICLE HAS STOPPED WORKING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE AIR BAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN THE VEHICLE IN ORDER TO GET THE HORN TO WORK. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 51,000.RL
NHTSA complaint #10384798 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT
INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) SOMETHING YOU MAY WISH TO LOOK AT WITH CELL PHONES AND THESE INCIDENTS WITH ACCELERATION ON CARS. WE HAVE A PT CRUISER AND SEVERAL TIMES WE HAVE PLACED THE PHONE IN THE STORAGE AREA IN THE MIDDLE IN THE DASH. WITH THE KEEY OFF, THE PHONE RINGS AND THE CAR STARTED TURNING OVER UNTIL WE MOVED THE PHONE AWAY FROM THE IMMMEDIATE AREA OF THE DASH. SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT?? [XXX]
NHTSA complaint #10318748 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE AND WHEN HE PULLED THE BRAKE HANDLE UP, IT WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP. THERE WAS NO BRAKING ABILITY. HE PURCHASED A PARKING EQUALIZER AND CLIP BECAUSE THE CABLE WAS BURNED AND FRAYED. HE WAS INFORMED AT THAT TIME THAT HE HAD TO PURCHASE THE ENTIRE BRAKING SYSTEM ASSEMBLY (LEVER, GRIP, HANDLE) RATHER THAN JUST THE 8 TO 10 INCH EQUALIZER CABLE AND CLIP. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 140,085.
NHTSA complaint #10227005 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT
MY '02 PT CRUISER HAS HAD MANY INCIDENTS OVER THE PAST 4 YEARS. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL OCCASSIONALLY FLICKERS OR DOES NOT LIGHT UP AT ALL. THE RADIO DISPLAY/CLOCK FEATURE WILL TURN OFF WHILE MUSIC IS STILL PLAYING. HEADLIGHTS DIM WHEN RADIO/INSTRUMENT PANEL IS CHANGED. THE ABS FAILED ON THE INTERSTATE WHLIE GOING 65MPH. THE CAR SLID FOR A LONG TIME, CAUSING A LARGE BALD SPOT ON ALL 4 TIRES. THEN SUBSEQUENTLY THE CAR SHUT OFF AND TOOK A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE CAR WAS ABLE TO TURN BACK ON. THE STARTER HAS DIED 3 TIMES, EACH TIME BEING REPLACED. THE CAR GETS ROUGHLY 13MPG AT ALL TIMES. THERE IS NO SAFETY UNDER THE SEAT TO PREVENT ROLLING OBJECTS FROM ROLLING INTO THE FRONT SEAT AND POTENTIALLY AFFECTING THE USE OF PEDALS. THE CAR FREQUENTLY DOES NOT ALLOW ME TO TURN THE KEY. I HAVE HAD ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS, EVEN WHILE TAKING EXCELLENT CARE OF MY VECHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10186694 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
I OWN A 2002 PT CRUISER AND HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN GOOD CARE OF IT, BY HAVING IT ALWAYS SERVICED AT THE DEALERS AND NOWHERE ELSE. I LOVE THIS CAR BUT JUST RECENTLY I HAVE STARTED HAVE SOME PROBLEMS WITH IT. FIRST MY A/C STARTED TO SOMETIMES BLOW HOT AIR INSTEAD OF COLD AND THAT STOPPED AND THEN IT SEEMS LIKE WHEN I COME TO A STOP WITH THE A/C ON IT ACTS LIKE IT IS GOING TO STALL. NOW THE TRANSMISSION STARTED MAKING A NOISE WHEN I GO FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. SO I TOOK IT TO A DEALER TO GET IT FIXED AND THEY ARE TELLING ME I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION AND IT WILL COST ME ABOUT $3200.00. MY CAR HAS 45,000 MILES ON IT. I WOULD THINK THAT IF IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED BY A CHRYSLER DEALER THAT THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTABLE? CAN ANYONE HELP? THANKS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
NHTSA complaint #10173599 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THERE IS A CHEMICAL SMELL WHICH GAVE CONTACT HEADACHES AND AN OCCASIONAL SORE THROAT. THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THERE WAS NOT A DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE. *AK THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. THERE WAS EXCESSIVE WIND NOISE WHEN THE WINDOWS WERE ROLLED UP. THE SPEAKERS MADE A LOUD NOISE. THE REAR SEAT BACKING WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 07/25/06.
NHTSA complaint #10160463 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT
MY IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN AFTER PUTTING IN THE KEY. IT WAS AS IF THE SOLENOID WAS FROZEN.
NHTSA complaint #10116538 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE BRAKES WERE DEFECTIVE AND PERFORMED POORLY WHEN APPLIED. THE CONSUMER SUSPECTS THAT THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT WORK ON THE BRAKES AT ALL. *AK THERE WAS A SCREECHING NOISE AND THE BRAKES WOULD SOMETIMES GO ALMOST TO THE BOTTOM OF THE FLOOR. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT ALWAYS LOCK, THE BRAKES WOULD RUB AND HESITATE TO STOP, THE A/C DID NOT GET COLD ON HIGH SETTINGS, THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD ELECTRONIC SYSTEM WAS OFF, THE FUEL, MPH AND THE RPM LIGHTS HAD COME ON, AT THE INSIDE TOP OF ALL FOUR DOORS, THE LINING WAS BULDGING IN AND OUT, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT NEEDED SEVERAL ATTEMPTS BEFORE LOCKING, THE RIGHT SIGNAL HAD TO BE MANUALLY STOPPED, AND THE LEFT SIGNAL LIGHT DID NOT HOLD. THERE WAS ALSO AN ISSUE WITH THE ODOMETER READING. (THE CONSUMER FELT THAT IT DID NOT DISPLAY THE PROPER MILEAGE)
NHTSA complaint #10079747 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF MY AIR CONDITIONER VENTS. I PULLED OVER AND OPENED MY HOOD. THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE VENT RIGHT BELOW THE PASSENGER SIDE OF WINDSHIELD IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I CALLED 911 AND THE CAR BURNT BEFORE THE FIRE DEPT COULD GET THERE. THEY WERE A BLOCK AWAY. CHRYSLER CHOSE TO DO NOTHING.
NHTSA complaint #10045469 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT
I KEPT SMELLING THIS STENCH ODOR IN MY CAR, IT APPEARED TO BE COMING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER. I THOUGH MAYBE EITHER A CAT OR BABY SQUIRRAL GOT UP IN THE ENGINE & DIED. COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING, SO WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, SINCE WE COULD ONLY SMELL IT WHEN WE TURNED ON THE FAN. THE DEALER IN TAMPA KNEW RIGHT AWAY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, SAID MOLD WAS GROWING IN THE AIR VENTS, AND FLUSHED A CHEMICAL IN THERE TO KILL THE MOLD. THAT ONLY TEMPORARILY SOLVED THE PROBLEM, SO I TOOK IT TO A DIFFERENT DEALER, CLOSER TO MY HOME. TOLD THEM TO FIX THE PROBLEM, NOT JUST MASK IT WITH CHEMICALS. THEY CLAIMED THE CAR WAS COMING FROM SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE AIR CONDITIONER & AIR VENTS, AND REFUSED TO FIX IT. I CALLED THE CHRYSLER HO, AND THEY SIDED WITH THE DEALERSHIP.
NHTSA complaint #10005737 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
WHEN AIR CONDITIONER IS USED A BAD ODOR IS NOTICED, DEALER CAN NOT FIND A PROBLEM. TS
NHTSA complaint #8023032 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.