10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
10,590 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #2

Jun 192007

PT Cruiser 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 21,181 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Chrysler PT CRUISER. She noticed a loud rubbing noise in the steering wheel every time she drove the vehicle. The dealer stated that they could not find the cause or reason for the noise. She received recall notice (04V268000) for the power steering and the repair was performed according to that recall; however, she noticed that the recall repair did not remedy the issue. The dealer later stated that they could not hear the noise in the steering wheel and were unable to diagnose the failure. While driving away from the dealer, she smelled smoke, drove back to the dealer and smoke began to "bellow" from underneath the left front tire. The dealer provided assistance and replaced the hose, caliper, brake pad, rotor and the wheel cover. She was charged $406.60 for the repairs. The manufacturer was advised of the repair cost; however, they advised her to take the matter up with the dealer. The following year the failure recurred, the same dealer told that the caliper was leaking. They caliper was replaced according to the warranty. She asked the dealer why they had not replaced it the first time according to warranty and was told that the first time, it was a new issue. She went back to the dealer the following year for the identical failure and was billed $239 to replace the caliper since the warranty had expired. Recently, she smelled smoke and an authorized dealer stated that the caliper was warped because of intense heat and the brake line had soot in it and that the warped caliper was holding the wheel in place. She provided the dealer with a reference number from the manufacturer. The dealer tried to speak with the representative and was unsuccessful. The current mileage was approximately 37,900. The failure mileage was 21,181. Updated 12/7/09 updated 12/08/09

- Livingston Manor, NY, USA

problem #1

Apr 232003

PT Cruiser 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
The contact stated the driver's side and passenger's side air bags deployed while driving down the highway. There was no prior warning. Also, the right front brake had a loud popping and squealing noise, this caused the steering wheel to vibrate. The right front brake overheated, it turned the rim red hot. He could smell the brake dust from the right front brake. He contacted the dealer, they have repeatedly replaced the brakes, brake pads, disc caliper, and rotors. He was still having the same problem with the vehicle.

- Cape Coral , FL, USA