2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser Suspension Problems

BALL JOINT ARE MISSING

WHILE DRIVING, SOMETIMES WHEN DRIVING, THE CAR WILL JERK TO THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT WITHOUT PROBACATION. VECHILE ACCELERATES WITHOUT FOOT BEING ON THE PEDAL. ONE TIME I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE, BUT THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD AND THE ENGINE STARTING REVING. I HAD TO USE BOTH FEET WITH EXTREME FORCE TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN. FINALLY, I JUST THREW THE CAR INTO PARK; ONCE IN PARK, THE CAR KEPT REVING. THE PEDAL WAS NOT PRESSED.THIS HAS HAPPENED ON THREE OCCASIONS. THIS MAKES FOR UNSAFE DRIVING, AND ONLY DUE TO MY GOOD DRIVING SKILLS DID I AVOID AN ACCIDENT. THIS HAS BEEN OCCURING FOR THE PAST THREE MONTHS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL BEARINGS WERE BEING REPLACED FOR A THIRD TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO HAVE THE REPAIRS PERFORMED ON EACH OCCASION, BUT WAS NEVER GIVEN A REASON AS TO WHY THE FAILURES OCCURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 67,432.

FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS WORN ,EXTREMELY CLEARANCE(WHEEL MOVES APPROXIMATELY 1 INCH TOP TO BOTTOM WHEN SHAKING IT). WILL REPLACE BEARINGS SOON. NOTICED WHILE REPLACING FRONT BRAKES AT 35,508 MILES. A SEALED WHEEL BEARING SHOULD NOT WEAR OUT AT THIS LOW MILEAGE UNLESS DEFECT IN BEARING OR MANUFACTURES DESIGN. *TR

COULD NOT ASK FOR A BETTER CAR, BUT ONCE IT GOT CLOSE TO 50,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT, THANK GOD IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY, THEN WHEEL BEARING, CONTROL ARM, MOTOR MOUNT, SWAY BAR BUSHING, RACK AND PINON, ALMOST EVERYTHING IN THE FRONT OF THIS CAR HAS BEEN REPLACED. WHEN CONTACTING CHRYSLER THEY SAY THERE HAS BEEN ALOT OF RECALLS FOR THE FRONT END SUPENSION BUT MY VIN NUMBER DID NOT FALL UNDER IT. THINGS THAT SHOULD OF NOT WORN OUT THIS SOON HAS WORN OUT, I JUST HAD TO DO THE BUSHING IN THE LOWER CONTROL ARM AFTER REPLACING THE WHOLE CONTROL NOT OVER 2 YEARS AGO. I HAVE MAX OUT 2 FIRESTONE CREDIT CARDS TRYING TO KEEP MY CAR ON THE ROAD. LOVE THE DESIGN BUT HATE THAT I JUST CAN NOT DEPEND ON THIS CAR... PS I AM THE ONLY OWNER OF THIS CAR AND IT HAS LESS THAN 82,000 MILES ON IT TODAY 06/19/2012. *JS

HAVE REPLACED CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS THREE TIMES, STARTING AT 28,000. CAR HAS 74,000 NOW. I HAVE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY BECAUSE OF THIS WELL KNOWN PROBLEM. BREAKS HAVE TO BE CHANGED EVERY YEAR. I HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED A BROKEN AXLE. I HAVE OWNED MANY CARS AND NEVER BROKE AN AXLE!! THIS CAR IS TOO HEAVY FOR IT'S MEDIOCRE AND UNSAFE SUSPENSION. *TR

04' PT CRUISER - BOUGHT NEW AND I AM NOW HAVING THE FRONT BEARING AND HUBS REPLACED FOR THE 4TH TIME. LESS THAN 38,000 MILES ON THE CAR. BOUGHT NEW TIRES YESTERDAY TO THEN BE TOLD THAT THE BEARING S ARE BAD. RATHER TICKED OFF AS THIS IS CAUSING ME TO TAKE TIME FROM WORK AND TO ARRANGE A RIDE TO PICK UP THE CAR ONCE REPAIRED. *TR

2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER - THIS IS THE 3RD REPAIR TO CONTROL ARMS IN 5 YEARS. I LEARNED OF THE LATEST ISSUE THROUGH A STATE CAR INSPECTION. THE CONTROL ARMS COLLAPSED AND NOW THE MECHANISM IS USING THE CAR FRAME FOR SUPPORT. *TR

HAVE HAD TO REPLACE RT FRT WHEEL BEARING 3 TIMES, STARTING @ APPROX 35K MILES & NOW ONLY 65K MILES. WHEEL BEARINGS SHOULD LAST MUCH LONGER. IT HAS ONLY BEEN 3 MO & 10K SINCE LAST TIME REPLACED. *TR

ROUGH IDLE AT STOPPED INTERSECTIONS, LUNGES AND STALLS. STALLS A APPROXIMATELY 15-25 MPH WHILE MAKING LEFT OR RIGHT TURNS MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN WHILE PLACING THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND STARTING THE ENGINE AGAIN. THE FOG LIGHTS TURN ON BY ITSELF AFTER THE VEHICLE IS PARKED AND THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF DRAINING THE BATTERY. HAD TO DISCONNECT THE FUSE IN ORDER TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. TO THIS DATE NON-FUNCTIONAL FOG LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE HAS SEVERAL ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS FROM INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NOT FUNCTIONING WHILE DRIVING TO RADIO AND CLIMATE CONTROL NOT WORKING UNTIL YOU STOP THE VEHICLE AND TURN IT OFF. THEN START THE VEHICLE AGAIN THEN IT WORKS PROPERLY FOR ANOTHER FEW DAYS. THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM. WHEEL BEARING HAS BEEN AN ISSUE TOO AND CURRENTLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TR

BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED AT LESS THAN 70,000 MILES, CAUSING EXCESSIVE WEAR ON TIE ROD ENDS, THAT COULD HAVE LED TO TIE ROD FAILURE AND LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. THIS 2004 PT CRUISER WAS MAINTAINED UNDER THE CHRYSLER MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE WHICH BRINGS INTO QUESTION WHY BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS SHOULD FAIL AT THIS LOW A MILEAGE. EITHER THE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE WAS DONE IMPROPERLY AT SOME POINT IN TIME, OR THE BEARING ASSEMBLIES WERE DEFECTIVE. AT THIS TIME THERE ARE NO SERVICE LETTERS THAT ADDRESS THE PARTS MAINTENANCE OR REPLACEMENTS DUE TO WEAR, NORMAL OR OTHERWISE. *TR

VEHICLE ONLY HAD 40K MILES AND BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS ARE BAD. THESE VEHICLES ARE NOTORIOUS FOR FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. THIS COULD RESULT IN DIMINISHED OR NO STEERING CONTROL. SAFETY OR DEFECT RECALL SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY CHRYSLER. *TR

MY 2004 PT CRUISER ON THE WAY BACK FROM FLORIDA JUST OUT OF THE BLUE, STARTED MAKING HORRIBLE FRONT END NOISE AND STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY. I MADE IT TO OUR LOCAL DEALER ONLY TO DISCOVER THAT THE BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS WENT BAD. IT HAD 36,274 MILES ON IT. THE DEALER WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, SO I CALLED CHRYSLER AND THEY WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS, SOME RESULTING IN CRASHES. IN MY OPINION SINCE THIS PROBLEM IS SO WIDE SPREAD THERE SHOULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE RECALL. THANKS, FOR YOUR TIME. JOHN PALMER *TR

FRONT WHEEL BEARING REPLACE TWO TIMES. *TR

REPLACING BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS ON 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER LIMITED TURBO AT 33900 MILES. NOISE STARTED AT 33600 MILES. WAY TOO EARLY TO HAVE TO REPLACE BEARINGS ON ANY VEHICLE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. I LOOKED UP "PT CRUISER WHEEL BEARINGS" ON GOOGLE AND FOUND A FORUM ON TOPIX.COM AND DISCOVERED THAT THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER PT OWNERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY IS REALLY LOOSE DUE TO THE BEARING FAILURE. I HAVE NEVER OWNED ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT NEEDED BEARINGS REPLACED BEFORE 100,000 MILES. I BELIEVE CHRYSLER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR PRODUCT AND DO A RECALL OF THE BEARING-HUB-KNUCKLE JOINT ASSEMBLY. *TR UPDATED 10/17/08. *JB

WHEEL BEARING ON 2004 PT CRUISER WITH 28,000 WENT BAD. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS AND FRONT SUSPENSION MAKE NOISE WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. IT FEELS AS IF HE IS DRIVING OVER BUMPS AND A STONE PAVEMENT. THE DEALER STATED THAT HE MUST PAY FOR THE REPAIR SO THE CONTACT TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC SHOP FOR REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,998. UPDATED 03/12/09. *LJ UPDATED 03/16/09. *JB

BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS ON MY WIFE'S 2004 PT CRUSER WITH LESS THAN 40K MILES WENT BAD. *TR

LOUD GRINDING/GROWLING NOISE, THUMPING SOUND WHEN DRIVING. GETS LOUDER WHEN ACCELERATING. REPLACED TIRES 6/08 THOUGHT IT WAS THAT. FOUND OUT ITS THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS AND HUBS. *TR

2004 PT CRUISER, MULTIPLE WHEEL BEAR FAILURES IN LESS THAN 80K MILES 1ST AT APPROX 40K AND SECOND AT APPROX 80K. BOTH TIMES LEFT SIDE FRONT WHEEL BEARING. *TR