2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser Complaint Log

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS MERGING INTO TRAFFIC, AND WHEN DRIVER APPLY GAS PEDAL TO ACELLERATE GAS PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

FROM THE FIRST MONTH THAT I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE THE ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON MORE THAN OFF. I READ THE OWNERS MANUAL AND IT SAID THAT IT WAS A VACUUM ISSUE AND IT WOULD CORRECT ITSELF. THE DEALERSHIP CHARGED ME TO DIAGNOSE AND TO FIX IT BUT NOW I SEE THAT THERE WAS A NHTSA 01V288000 ON A CLUSTER PANEL ISSUE. WHY WAS I CHARGED FOR SOMETHING THAT A DEALERSHIP SHOULD CHECK FOR TO SEE IF IT IS A KNOWN DEFECT? *JB

2002 PT CRUISER JUMPS AT STOP LIGHTS AND THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS WITH JERKS FROM 1ST TO THIRD GEARS. *MR THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION COULD NOT BE FIXED. *SC

WHEN STOPPING AND PUTTING CAR INTO PARK IT SURGES FORWARD, WHICH CAUSED AN ACCIDENT/ INJURIES.*AKTHE ENGINE WAS ALSO REVING AT AN EXTREMELY HIGH SPEED AND SURGING FORWARD WHILE IN THE PARK POSITION. CONSUMER HAD TO CUT THE ENGINE TO STOP THE FORWARD MOTION OF THE VEHICLE. BECAUSE CHYRSLER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, THEY WOULD NOT FIX OR REPLACE THE VEHICLE. *JG

I HAVE EXCESSIVE REAR BRAKE NOISE. IT SOUNDS ALMOST LIKE THERE IS GRINDING METAL TO METAL. THIS NOISE HAPPENS MORE IN THE COLD WEATHER BUT STILL HAPPENS ALL YEAR AROUND. I HAVE TAKEN IT IN TO THE SHOP NUMBERS OF TIMES AND EVERY TIME I'M TOLD THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE BREAKS AND THAT "SOME" NOISE IS NORMAL. *NM

WHEN AIR CONDITIONER IS USED A BAD ODOR IS NOTICED, DEALER CAN NOT FIND A PROBLEM. TS

YOU CAN REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH IN ANY OF THE POSITIONS. ALSO, YOU CAN MOVE THE GEAR SHIFT AND THE CAR WILL MOVE. THERE IS NO INCIDENT DATE. IT'S BEEN THAT WAY SINCE I BOUGHT IT NEW. *TR

CONSUMER STATES AFTER RELEASING THE BRAKE PEDAL VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND TOOK OFF. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL AFTER IT REACHEED 70 MPH. CONDITION CAUSES THE ENGINE TO BURN UP. VEHICLE AT THE DEALER. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. INFORMATION.*JB

THE VEHICLE WAS IN A SIGNIFICANT REAR END ACCIDENT ON 5/20/2002. IT WAS REPAIRED AND RETURNED AFTER MORE THAN A MONTH. UPON RETURN THE GAS MILAGE WENT TO 13 MPG AND THE CAR WOULD HAVE A GAS SMELL COMING THROUGH THE VENTS AFTER A LONG IDLE OR SHORT STOP. THE DEALER CHECKED THE FUEL SYSTEM AND COULDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEM. UPON READING CHRYSLER'S FUEL PUMP DEFECT RECALL FOR AN INDIDENT DISCOVERED IN AN ACCIDENT, OUR SITUATION APPEARS STRICKINGLY SIMILAR. CHRYSLER REPORTS NO PRIOR COMPLAINTS BECAUSE THEIR SERVICE PEOPLE CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM! I HOPE THE CAR DOES NOT BLOW UP ON US IN ITS PRESENT CONDITION!!!*AK

I HAVE OWNED MY 2002 PT CRUISER SINCE MAY OF 2002. SINCE THE BEGINNING, I HAVE HAD TROUBLE FUELING UP THE TANK. AFTER ABOUT 3-5 GALLONS OF GASOLINE HAS FILLED THE TANK, THE HOSE SHUTS OFF. BEGIN AGAIN AND IT SHUTS OFF. THIS HAPPENS AN AVERAGE OF 8-10 TIMES DURING THE FUELING. THE DEALERSHIP TELLS ME THAT IT'S BECAUSE THE OPENING TO THE TANK HAS BEEN MADE SMALLER TO AVOID SPLASHBACKS OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. IT IS A ROYAL PAIN EVERYTIME I GAS UP. IS THERE NO SOLUTION? *AK

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING INJURY TO DRIVER. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE. *AK *TT CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *SLC

A WHITE POWDER SUBSTANCE IS LEAKING FROM AIR BAG. DEALER REPLACED AIRBAG AND DASHBOARD. THE SUBSTANCE STARTED LEAKING AGAIN. THE MANUFACTURER STATED IT WAS A REACTION FROM PAINT ON THE PLASTIC. THE CONSUMER GETS ILL FROM RIDING IN VEHICLE. CONSUMER EXPERIENCES NAUSEA/HEADACHES, AND SORE THROAT WHEN RIDING IN THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT TELL THE CONSUMER WHAT THE POWDER WAS-REPLACE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY. THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE WINDOWS SLIP DOWN IN THE TRACK BY THEMSELVES AND MAKES A SQUEAKY/CREAKING NOISES WHEN USED-MAY STILL EXIST PER INVOICE, AND REINSTALL 2 RUBBER BUMPERS IN GLOVE BOX-HAD TO ORDER A NEW AIR BAG MODULE-SECOND TIME. *SCC

FRONT AND REAR DOOR PILLARS ON BOOTH SIDES HAVE DEVELOPED A DISCOLORIZATION/OPAQUE FILM THAT CANNOT BE REMOVED. DEALER SAYS THEY HAVE NO RECORD OF ANY PROBLEMS.

WHILE DRIVING, THE ALIGNMENT IS OFF CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE. NOTIFIED THE DEALER 5 TIMES , DEALER SAID THE TIRE IS DEFECTIVE. CONTACTED THE TIRE MANUFACTURE, THEY SAID IT'S NOT THE TIRE. PH *JG

ALL AIR BAGS FAILED TO INFLATE IN A SIDE AND FRONT IMPACT CRASH OF 2002 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. *NLM

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. AFTER RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS, WATER ENTERS THE VEHICLE AND CAUSES SEVERE LEAKAGE ON THE FLOOR AND FLOODING OF THE FUSE BOX. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SEAM UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WAS NOT WELDED PROPERLY, ALLOWING FLUIDS TO LEAK INTO THE VEHICLE, IN WHICH THEY ATTEMPTED TO USE THE ADHESIVE/RTV/BLACK TO REPAIR THE SEAM. THIS WAS DONE SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE VEHICLE HAS YET TO BE PROPERLY REPAIRED. A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 51,163.

IN THREE INSTANCES ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY THE PT CRUISER WILL DOWNSHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR WHERE IT WILL REMAIN AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARS. THIS HAS HAPPENED ALL TIMES WHEN DRIVING, IN EXCESS, OF 45MPH. AFTER THE PROBLEM, THE PT CRUISER CAN BE DRIVEN, BUT IS LIMITED TO CRAWLING ALONG AT 15 - 20MPH. WE HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO 2 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS FOR REPAIR, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. CURRENTLY, THIS IS THE 34TH CUMULATIVE DAY IN THE SHOP, AND A TOTAL IN 37 DAYS IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS.*AK

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A SIDE IMPACT ON PASSENGER'S SIDE, CAUSING PASSENGER'S AIR BAG TO DEPLOY AND DROP THROUGH GROVE BOX, DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHEN PULLING DIP STICK THERE WAS NO OIL, VEHICLE WAS BRAND NEW, WITHIN 326 MILE A QUART OF OIL WAS GONE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A 30 MPH COLLISION HITTING A TREEE IN WHICH DRIVER AND PASSENGER'S FRONT AND SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK *YD

OPTIMA BATTERY IN NEWER VEHICLE YEAR IS LEAKING ACID, AND ONE CAN SMELL TOXIC FUMES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, APPLIED GAS PEDAL AND VEHICLE DOES NOT ACCELERATE. MUST COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD,WHILE VEHICLE STRUGGLES TO KEEP RUNNING. WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF, IT WILL NOT RESTART. *NLM

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THE FRONT BRAKE LOCKED UP CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VHEICLE AND RUN INTO A DITCH, THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. NLM

I'M NOT SURE IF MY SIDE AIRBAG SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED OR NOT. I WAS HIT IN AN INTERSECTION ON THE FRONT QUARTERPANEL DRIVERS SIDE. THE IMPACT WAS OVER THE FRONT TIRE TOWARDS THE FRONT. I DON'T THINK THE AIRBAG WOULD HAVE HELPED ANY, BUT I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF IT SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED FOR SAFETY REASONS IN THE FUTURE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS WOULD MY SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOY. THANKS. *AK

NHTSA RECLL#01V28800/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 994. GOT RECALL, AND TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEALER BE REPAIRED. DEALER INDICATED RECALL COULD NOT BE DONE BECAUSE PROGRAM HAS NOT BEEN INSTALLED ON COMPUTER. *AK

HOOD DAMAGE IS EXPERIENCED DUE TO THE HOOD ROD BEING INSTALLED AT THE REAR NEXT TO THE FIREWALL. IF CLOSING THE HOOD IS ATTEMPTED PRIO TO LOWERING THE ROD, THE ROD POPS UP INTO THE PROP CAVITY AND DAMAGES THE HOOD. THERE IS NO PROTECTION BETWEEN THE ROD AND THE HOOD. THIS IS A POOR DESIGN AND CHRYSLER SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO MAKE THE REPAIRS,, PUT OUT A SERVICE BULLETIN TO ALL PT CRUISER OWNERS, ALONG WITH A WARNING LABEL, , AND CORRECT THE DESIGN. A STOP SHOULD PREVENT THE ROD FROM PUSHING UP INTO THE CAVITY AND DAMAGING THE HOOD.*AK

WIND FROM OUTISIDE WAS COMING INSIDE OF VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELING, ALSO THERE WAS A ROUGH IDLING PROBLEM, DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK

ON THREE OCCASIONS WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 55 TO 80 MPH A BELL ALARM WOULD GO OFF, AND WITHIN 5 MINUTES OR LESS VEHICLE WOULD SHUTDOWN. VEHICLE BEEN TOWED TO DEALER SHOP AND REPAIRS WERE MADE. BUT THE, PROBLEM WAS STILL OCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER.*AK

REAR PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW MAKES A LOUD FLAPPING NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN 50 MPH OR FASTER. ALSO, WINDOWS VIBRATE. DEALER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE WAS STUCK ON RAIL ROAD TRACKS, WHEN CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MOVE VEHICLE FROM TRACKS, THERE WAS UNDERCARRIAGE DAMAGE AND RIGHT FRONT TIRE DAMAGE, VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, CONSUMER SUSTAINED SEVERE DAMAGE TO FACE AND CHEST AND WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS AND IS RECEIVING PHYSICAL THERAPY, PRIOR TO PURCHASE OF VEHICLE, CONSUMER INFORMED DEALER THAT PLASTIC FROM THE AIRBAG WAS PARTIALLY STICKING OUT OF THE STEERING WHEEL, BUT DEALER ASSURED CONSUMER THIS WAS OK, CONSUMER IS ALSO CONCERNED THERE MAY BE A RECALL ON VEHICLE. *TT

AFTER BEING REAR ENDED THE SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD THE DRIVER FROM GOING FORWARD, RESULTING IN CONCUSSION. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS BELTS ARE ABLE TO BE PULLED OUT AT RAPID PACE AND DO NOT RECEIVE A LOCKUP.

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH ABS BRAKE AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM LIGHTS CAME ON, AND THEN VEHICLE STALLED. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 20MPH , AND WHILE APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION, APPLIED GAS PEDAL AND VEHICLE DIDN'T ACCELERATE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

WHEN VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN 50 MPH OR FASTER AND WINDOWS ARE DOWN, REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS MAKE A LOUD UNUSUAL NOISE, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK *JB

DRIVER'S OUTBOARD HEATED SEAT SWITCH HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE WITH. LEFT LEG COMPRESSES OUTBOARD SEAT OVER HEATED SEAT SWITCH WHEN SEATED. MUST TAKE LEFT HAND OFF OF STEERING WHEEL TO PUSH SEAT INBOARD TO SEE SWITCH. ALSO MUST TAKE EYES OFF OF ROAD TO LOOK DOWN AT THE UNCOVERED SWITCH. WHEN DRIVING HEATED SEAT SWITCH COMES ON & OFF WHEN MOVING BUTTON OR THIGH TO LEFT. WHEN TEMPERATURE IS 90 DEG. & AIR CONDITIONING IS ON, VERY UNCOMFORTABLE FIGHTING TO TURN OFF THE HEATED SEAT SWITCH. TIME TO LOOK DOWN & MOVE OUTBOARD SEAT INWARD CONTRIBUTES TO AN ACCIDENT. FRONT PASSENGER HEATED SEAT SWITCH COMES ON WHEN PASSENGER GETS IN OR OUT , WITH IGNITION SWITCH ON/AND OR ENGINE RUNNING. MUST STOP CAR IN TRAFFIC? DT

FRONT HEADRESTS ARE TOO HIGH, CANNOT ADJUST THEM. UNABLE TO SEE WHEN BACKING OUT. VISION IS BLOCKED. CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK *SCC

2002 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER WITH CHROME PLATED 5-SPOKE WHEELS; CHROME PLATING HAS BUBBLED/CORRODED ON THE SEALING SURFACE OF THE TIRE BEAD. THIS HAS CAUSED SLOW LEAKAGE OF AIR IN TIRES. UNLESS THE PRESSURE IS ADJUSTED WEEKLY OR MORE OFTEN, THE TIRE PRESSURE GETS LOW CAUSING EXCESSIVE WEAR AND OVERHEATING WHICH COULD LEAD TO CATASTROPIC FAILURE. THIS CONDITION PROGRESSES OVER TIME AND EXPOSURE TO ROAD CAUSTICS & SALT.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL STALL WHEN GOING AROUND A CURVE, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED THE GAUGES DID NOT WORK ON DASH, THE BRAKES AND POWER STEERING STILL WORK BUT THE STEERING WAS HARD, THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY REPLACED THE COMPUTER. *AK SINCE THE COMPUTER WAS REPLACED THE VEHICLE HAS NOT STALLED BUT IT CONTINUES TO RUN ROUGH, STUMBLE, AND MISFIRE AT SPEEDS ABOVE 40 MPH AND NOT ACCELERATING HARD. *NLM

CONSUMER HAD FOUND WHITE POWDER ON TOP OF DASHBOARD AND IT WAS COMING FROM AIR VENTS. HAD CONTACTED DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT EVAPORATION HAD TURNED INTO POWDER. BESIDES A RECALL FROM DEALER, PROBLEM STILL THERE. *AK *SLC

DEALER PROBLEM. *MC THE CONSUMER DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE HER VEHICLE FOR 3 HOURS TO HAVE THE RECALL PERFORMED.. UPDATED *JB

CONSUMER LETTER REGARDING RECALL ON POWER STEERING HOSE. *TS THE CONSUMER HAD DIFFICULTY GETTING HER VEHICLE INSPECTED, SHE WAS ALWAYS GETTING THE RUN AROUND FROM THE DEALER. RECALL #04V268000. *JB

CONSUMER REQUESTING RECALL INFORMATION FOR 2002 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. *TS *NM

2002 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER HAD A SAFETY RECALL. CONSUMER STATES THE DEALERSHIP CHARGED A FEE FOR A SAFETY RECALL. *NJ POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING AND THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING ASSIST. THE POWER STEERING HOSE WAS LOOSE AT THE RACK AND PINION. ACCORDING TO THE WORK ORDER, THE RECALLED HOSE DID NOT APPLY TO THE PROBLEM. *JB

VEHICLE HAS SIGNIFICANT ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS, THE DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED SEVERAL TIMES TO FIX VEHICLE, HOWEVER CAN NOT, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT AND THEN AFTER A FRONT AND REAR WHEEL ALIGNMENT IT STARTED PULLING TO THE LEFT, MIDAS DID DIAGNOSTIC MEASURMENTS WHICH SHOW THEY ARE OUTSIDE THE MANUFACTURERS SPECIFICATIONS, MIDAS ALSO STATED THAT THE ALIGNMENT PROBLEM CAN NOT BE CORRECTED. *SLC

SPEEDOMETER IS IN A CAVERN & WHEN GOING TOWARD THE SUN IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO THE SPEED

UNPREDICTABLEY, WHEN I 'CLICK' THE CRUISE CONTROL LEVER TO SLOW DOWN, IT WILL ACELERATE, CREATING UNEXPECTED AND OCCASIONALLY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. IT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALER AT LEAST 5 TIMES. THE OLD SERVICE MGR REFUSED TO DEAL WITH IT, BLAMING ME. THE NEW SERVICE MGR TOOK IT IN, TESTED, AND 'REPAIRED' IT. THE FREQUENCY OF THIS UNPREDICTABLE RESONSE HAS GONE DOWN, BUT IT STILL HAPPENS. IT SHOULDN'T BE THIS WAY. TWO NOTES: MY PREVIOUS CAR HAD AN ALMOST IDENTICAL CONTROL ARRANGEMENT, A VERY GOOD ONE, SO I AM FAMILIAR WITH USING IT TO CONTROL MY SPEED. AND, THERE IS A LONG RESPONSE TIME BEFORE THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM RESPONDS TO ALMOST ANY 'COMMAND'. THHIS BY ITSELF CAN BE IRRITATING. I DON'T KNOW I THE TWO ARE RELATED. THANK YOU. JSL. *AK

THERE IS NO BARRIER UNDER DRIVERS SEAT TO PREVENT OBJECTS FROM REAR COMPARTMENT TO ROLL UNDER AND WEDGE THEMSELVES UNDER BRAKE PEDAL.ALREADY HAD A NEAR ACCIDENT DO TO THIS. PLEASE DO SOMETHING BEFORE SOMEBODY GET KILL. DEALER HAS NO ANSWER FOR THIS PROBLEM.*AK

THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED WITH THE POSITION OF THE SEATBELTS AND BUCKLES LOCATED IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN PRESENTING THIS PROBLEM TO THE DEALER, IT WAS SAID THEY WOULD PRESENT THE HAZARD TO THE COMPANY AND GET BACK TO CONSUMER. NO ONE HAS REPLIED AS OF YET. *JG *SCC

CONSUMER STATES THAT ON 2 OCCASIONS AN OBJECT FROM THE BACK WAS ABLE TO ROLLED FROM TO THE FRONT AND GO UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. DUE TO THE FACT THEIR IS NOTHING BLOCKING IT'S PASSAGE UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER'S SEAT. MR *NLM *DT