2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

Incident: November 27, 2020 · Filed: May 17, 2026

So I had been having issues with the car overheating well I'm almost home and my daughter says she smells smoke so pull over and rush to get my babies out of the car because under the hood it had caught on fire

Incident: March 9, 2024 · Filed: March 12, 2024

I purchased the 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser on 1/10/2024. I learned that the Chrysler Dealership does not make keys for the vehicle when locked out, nor does it Service the vehicle. They will "address" a Recall Notice and will do an oil change and will do an inspection only. Chrysler Dealership told me to "Come back tomorrow" when a Recall Notice was issued and they said it was not Safety Related, however a Power Steering Pressure Hose was found to be leaking/exploding oil and this IS a safety related issue. I was rear ended 1/23/24 with 2 dogs in the car. I did not purchase Uninsured Motorists Insurance because I thought under CA State Law that I was legally compliant with insurance I had purchased. I thought between two cars in a potential accident, one had to be able to cover fault for any reason if not both equally. I was told by my Insurance to go after the other Man's Insurance, even if he was not the driver and this did not seem right. The other Man's Insurance Policy had lapsed and I was told there is no coverage for being rear ended. The man said I hit him and said something about "not seeing" the light or turn signal which I demonstrated for functionality. Vehicle has been given different assessments and inspections from 1/10 when purchased to present. I paid $500 at one AAA ASE Facility and $15,000 out of Retirment plus hotel for 3 weeks for the vehicle "dying" and the problem cannot be identified. Car is doing weird things mechanically and no one can locate the problem. There is unaddressed Body Damage where the Rear Left Light (plastic and housing) broke. The vehicle has to have body repair and a new light ordered at a cost greater than what is available through an Auto Dismantler. Chrysler does not make parts for this vehicle. There was rust and corrosion in coolant and metal found in Transmission. I paid full price for a used Transmission. I need someone to review traffic footage to determine when the window went down and dog went out and why

Incident: December 14, 2020 · Filed: January 20, 2021

POWER STEERING HOSE LEAKING.

Incident: August 14, 2020 · Filed: August 14, 2020

BALL JOINT ARE MISSING

Incident: August 27, 2019 · Filed: March 10, 2020

IT STARTED WITH THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS AND THE MIDDLE STICK LIGHTS (P,D,R,N++) I CAN'T SEE AT NIGHT WHAT SPEED I'M GOING OR MY LEVELS OR ANYTHING BC THE LIGHTS QUIT WORKING, I HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED I'VE HAD THE BATTERY CHANGED TWICE, I'VE HAD THE THERMOSTAT CHANGED TWICE BUT IT STILL OVER HEATS NOT TOO LONG AGO WITH BOTH OF MY TODDLERS IN THE CAR ON A 3 LANE HIGHWAY LOCKED UP ON ME COULDN'T USE THE STEERING WHEEL OR BRAKES HAD TO PULL THE EMERGENCY BREAK IT'S JUST BEEN REPETITIVE I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM MY SISTER WHO'S GRANDMOTHER GOT TIRED OF PUTTING MONEY INTO IT IT STUTTERS SOMETIMES LIKE IT'S SLOW TO SHIFT INTO GEAR TO ACCELERATE IT CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE. IT WAS MY FIRST CAR IT'S NEVER BEEN WRECKED, I NEVER THOUGHT TO CHECK FOR ANY RECALLS, I BOUGHT IT IN JULY OF 17. IT'S ONLY HAD A TOTAL OF 2 OWNERS. IT USED TO SHAKE REAL BAD I COULDN'T GO OVER 55MILES AN HOUR BUT EVEN 55 WAS IFFY. THE SCARIEST THING FOR ME WAS IT LOCKING UP ON A HIGHWAY WITH AN INTERSECTING LANE I HAD JUST HAD EVERYTHING REPLACED FOR A SECOND TIME BEFORE IT STARTED SMOKING AND LOCKED UP AND COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN MY KIDS 3 & 1 WERE IN THE BACK ALL I COULD THINK TO DO WAS PULL MY EMERGENCY BREAK I DRIFTED AND SWERVED UNTIL THE CAR FINALLY CAME TO A STOP LUCKILY NOT WRECKING OR INJURING ANYONE, JUST FEAR OF DRIVING I REALLY TRUSTED THIS CAR. I HAD TO CALL THE POLICE TO GET AHOLD OF A STATE TROOPER WHO GAVE ME A COUPLE DAYS TO MOVE IT GIVEN MY CIRCUMSTANCE AND 45 MIN AWAY FROM HOME, A STRANGER STOPPED TO HELP AND OFFERED TO GIVE US A RIDE BACK TO IRONTON FROM THE WEST PORTSMOUTH HIGHWAY HE LIVED IN PORTSMOUTH OUT OF KINDNESS MOVED MY CAR TO HIS HOUSE THERE AFTER DROPPING US OFF THAT NIGHT TO KEEP FROM GETTING IT TOWED. OFFICER NOTED EVERYTHING. I DIDN'T THINK OF ANYTHING UNTIL I JUST RECENTLY GOT ANOTHER 2004 PT THAT STARTED FIRE IN THE HEADLIGHTS AND GOING THROUGH A LOT OF THE SAME PROBLEMS.

Incident: September 4, 2018 · Filed: July 1, 2019

I BOUGHT THIS CAR LAST YEAR FROM A PRIVATE OWNER I DID NOT KNOW THAT IT HAD A OVER HEATING PROBLEM I REALLY HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING SO I THEN STARTED LOOKING IT UP AND FOUND OUT THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS ME AND FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ABOUT IT THE DEALERSHIP SHOULD FIX MY PROBLEM SINCE THE PROBLEM REALLY COMES FROM THEM FROM IT WAS MADE

Incident: June 8, 2018 · Filed: February 21, 2019

THIS VEHICLE HAS A P0037 AND A P0037 DTC'S THAT WON'T CANCEL. FINDLEY CHRYSLER REPLACED THE OXYGEN SENSORS. IT DIDN'T FIX IT. THEY SAY THE COMPUTER IS BAD. I SENT THE COMPUTER 5033293AF TO BE REPAIRED. THEY SAID THE COMPUTER IS OK. I GOT THE CODES TO GO AWAY FOR A BRIEF TIME BY MESSING WITH THE COMPUTER WIRE LOOM. IHAVE HEARD THERE WAS ARECALL FOR THIS. IS IT STILL AVAILABLE?06/08/2018

Incident: October 18, 2018 · Filed: October 24, 2018

WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE WILL SPUTTER AND DIE. WHEN PULLING UP TO A STOP LIGHT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON AND THE ENGINE WILL IMMEDIATELY DIE. WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 65MPH THE ENGINE WILL SUDDENLY DIE.

Incident: October 9, 2014 · Filed: August 9, 2018

JUST UNDER 78,000 MILES TURBO GOES OUT, TOOK TO DEALERSHIP, REPLACED TURBO (TOOK 6 MOS) FINALLY RETURNED THE VEHICLE AND WITHIN 1 MONTH HEAD GASKET GOES OUT (BLOWING WHITE SMOKE), WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH ON A SIDE ROAD (DEALER SAYS KNOWN PROBLEM, WANTS ANOTHER $2000 FOR HEAD GASKET, LOCAL DEALER SAYS "THE HEAD GASKETS FOR THAT CAR ARE THE WEAK POINT, WHEN YOU RETURN THE COMP RATIO TO NEW/NORMAL WITH A NEW TURBO. IT WILL BLOW THE HEAD GASKET OUT") REPLACED MYSELF (CANT AFFORD DEALER) NEW HEAD GASKET (MULTI LAYERED POS), NEW BOLTS (REQUIRED), NEW TIMING BELT, NOW IT WONT START, TESTED ALL SENSORS, CAM, CRANK, O/P, WATER, THROTTLE POS, REPLACED COIL, REPLACED PCM, CHASED AND INSPECTED ALL WIRING, STILL NOTHING ENGINE CRANKS OVER, BUT-IT WILL NOT START. MECHANICS AND DEALERS ALIKE SAY ITS NORMAL FOR THIS CAR BUT THEY HAVE NO IDEA OR REASON FOR IT NOT STARTING, I KEEP BEING TOLD TO CHECK THIS SENSOR, REPLACE THAT $300 PART, LOOK HERE, LOOK THERE, REPLACE THAT (ANOTHER$300) AGAIN. CHRYSLER HAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS PIECE OF CRAP AND HAS NEVER DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT I HAVE BEEN FIGHTING THIS FOR 4 YEARS NOW CHRYSLER NEEDS TO REPAIR THIS AND REIMBURSE FOR ALL THE CRAP I'VE HAD TO REPLACE AND ALL THE B/S I'VE GONE THROUGH. THEY KNEW THE HEAD GASKET WOULD BLOW OUT AFTER A NEW TURBO WAS INSTALLED, AND DID NOTHING ABOUT IT, THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS NO START/NO CRANK ISSUE THESE CARS HAVE, BUT HAVE NEVER DONE ANYTHING TO ADDRESS OR FIX THE POOR CONDITION OF THEIR VEHICLES. NOW THERE'S A LINE THAT SAYS ITS POSSIBLY THE IGNITION SWITCH THAT'S CAUSING THE PROBLEM. SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THEY SOLD THE PUBLIC A LEMON AND GOT AWAY WITH IT. CHRYSLER SHOULD BE MADE TO FIX THESE PIECES OF GARBAGE OR BUY THEM ALL BACK AT WHAT THEY SOLD FOR ORIGINALLY I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER CHRYSLER AS LONG AS I LIVE. NOT WORTH EVEN USING AS A BOAT ANCHOR.

Incident: November 28, 2017 · Filed: November 28, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE MULTI-FUNCTION ELECTRICAL SWITCH, WHICH CAUSED THE FOG LIGHTS TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE BATTERY TO DRAIN. THE CUSTOMER REMOVED FUSE #8 DAILY TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. THE CONTACT HAD THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH REPLACED AT HENKEL CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE (1275 W DICKMAN RD, SPRINGFIELD, MI 49037, (800) 865-6185). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,773.