3.2

definitely annoying
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
42,675 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 2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser:

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

problem #4

Mar 312014

PT Cruiser

  • 74,700 miles
I brought the car on 3/25/14 from a Toyota dealer ship. Complain about a knocking noise coming from the engine at the time of test drive. Toyota promise me it would be fixed pick the car drove it a couple of days and notice the control panel lights started going on and off along with the car shutting down. Took it back to the dealer for service nothing was found. I let my daughter drive the car and while on the fwy at 65mph the lights on the control panel starting going on and off they car shut off on her. Lucky she was able to guide the car over to the emergency lane avoiding from getting hit. I was in the hospital for about 4 months so car really wasn't driven that much. But I have this car less than a year with a protection plan and need transmission and engine work the involved getting solenoid pack, bracket-torque reaction, T-stat, oil switch, gasket, and camshaft sensor and crankshaft sensor as of 2/10/2015. Now 2 days later the check engine light comes back on take it back to the dealer and was told I need a cooling fan module. Which is not covered under my protect plan and would have to pay almost $700 dollar. I have this car less than a year and have been having so many problems and have almost gotten killed behind it cutting on and off on the highway. I have research this car and everyone has had the same complaint.

- Whittier, CA, USA

problem #3

Dec 222011

PT Cruiser

  • 61,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Chrysler PT CRUISER. The contact was driving 60 mph when the vehicle stalled three times without warning. The contact did not take the vehicle to a dealer for a diagnostic test. The contact called the manufacturer and filed a complaint. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 61,000.

- Pryor, OK, USA

problem #2

Jan 212011

PT Cruiser 4-cyl

  • miles
Purchased automobile 12/07/2010...repairs conducted on 1/21/11 (1) replacement drivers (outer) L panel driver seat switch bezel broken *same exists panel continually "breaks" down after sitting on drivers seat (2) power lock system L/R door would not lock/or/unlock * additional electrical problems with "late" automatic locking of automobile doors on 11/14/11 during oil-change (mechanic) discovered (1) broken motor mounts (upper/lower) rf engine (2) shock leaking...mechanic stated in 20 plus yrs of work as a mechanic he has "replaced" many PT CRUISER-broken motor mounts...myself, I documented all above in an email to Chrysler 11/14/2011. Suggesting "lemon" automobile & requested total compensation or (new automobile) replacement free of charge.

- Santa Ana, CA, USA

problem #1

Oct 312011

PT Cruiser

  • 35,000 miles
While driving at speed of 40 mph all lights on the console began blinking repeatedly, the tachometer and speedometer began going up and down, car began to rapidly decelerate and then died giving me just enough time to get off the side of the road before causing an accident. Turned off ignition and restarted the ignition car gave no indications of malfunction, drove home and have not drove since. If you google "PT CRUISER console going crazy" you will see multiple other owners are having the same issue. This is not just a simple malfunction this is a danger to not only the owner but to others on the roadway. Chrysler should be checking into the issue, but instead after contacting them and letting them know others are experiencing the same issue, they told me "unfortunately, we are unable to provide technical assistance to diagnose the situation you have outlined in your email...if you have been working with an authorized dealership but the problem is not yet resolved, seeking a second opinion from a different dealer may be a viable option." Which I take to mean take it to a dealership, get charged an outrageous amount for them to see if they know what is wrong, if they still don't know after charging you $600 then take it to another dealership which may know more about our cars than we do.
this is an irresponsible, slipshoddy way to run a company. If we want to have a good reputation for cars then the companies that make them have to stand by them and not try to send their customers off to other dealerships after charging them an arm and a leg and still not knowing how to fix it. They should know their cars better than say a Honda dealership would. I hope other people have posted complaints so that Chrysler will fix this life threatening issue because going from 40 to 0 on a busy road is dangerous!

- Jacksonville, FL, USA