PT began to have battery issues a few years after the warranty expired. It would fail to start when the weather turned cold in the winter—around freezing and below. I had the battery replaced half a dozen times, because no battery ever lasted an entire year, no matter how expensive. A local shop claimed the alternator was bad, and replaced that, but the batteries kept dying, regardless. The same shop replaced the starter, next, but the batteries kept dying. Another mechanic found the replacement starter was bad, and replaced with with a remanufactured starter. After that, the car would start every morning, no matter how cold it got.

My PT Cruiser is doing what everyone else has griped about. For the last 3 months, I would need a jump to start it about every other day. Got new battery. Fine for a few weeks. Now she is dead, dead, dead. I have driven this baby all over the USA 3 times from Arizona to NY to Florida to California. She was magic. Every Sunday, I'd check her vitals. Now she does not keep her power steering fluid in but I don't see any puddles on ground. So it must be leaking into engine? Oil seems OK. Transmission fluid OK. I am 18 miles off the grid and my car decides to break down here! People tell me I am lucky I am home after all those Dead and Company Shows. To be grateful. But I am frustrated and sad and now must hitchhike. I am with all of you in the sympathy department for I surely miss my good little ride. She looks so damn sad out there! Any input would be appreciated. Is there hope or is she done?

My birthday I leave work to go home for a nice dinner waiting for me. Car wont start. Turn the key and the car hums, what the heck. With a jump the car would start. Battery is less than 2 years old shouldn't be dead. Did this for a few days as middle of week and work schedule busy nobody in small town available to fix or look at car during my non-work hrs, I work 7am to 7pm. Finally get it to a local mechanic, tests all the relays all the fuses they register as being fine. We replace the battery and battery cables. starts when it dang well feels like it, a few times then nothing. Only way to start is to run a jumper from starter relay to starter. Can't do that forever, because have to have the air-filter cover and filter off to reach the stuff. One local mechanic tells me I need to get the computer re-booted after having my car for the week. 100 miles form nearest Chrysler dealer. Took to local electrical automotive repair but he doesn't have equipment for computer fix, has to be at the dealer, after almost a week, he finds the ignition switch in the steering column in pieces, dang thing made out of pot metal, what's up with that. So the fix is either replace the whole steering column and ignition, because you cant just get the ignition switch, or run a separate push button starter and hope for the best. minimum $500 to $3000. At any rate a crummy birthday.

I had a problem with my PT Cruiser starting. Lights would turn on, ignition would "click", seat belt would "ding"...just wouldn't start. I had battery corrosion, but had that cleaned (twice). Battery tested and was "good" according to AAA. Turned out, it was the starter. AAA rep tapped on it with a hammer and the car started with the gentle turn of the key. I carry a hammer with me now and am scheduled to have starter replaced tomorrow.

Of course this happened on two of the HOTTEST days of the year (97 and 99 degrees outside) and both when I needed to be someplace else besides stranded in parking lot.