2 years into my ownership, my car began having failures, my egr valve had to be replaced 3 times, the "brain" in the car was replaced, the battery was replaced,the fog lights started going on and staying on, the car broke down on the highway and overheated, thermostat had to be replaced, pipe carrying circulating coolant rusted completely out, o ring was replaced,manual transmission began being difficult to shift, fluid leaks,low fluid, plug is recommended to be replaced.
2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser electrical complaints
Page 3 of 4: complaints 41 to 70 of 78, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Fog lights came on, even with key turned off. Fog lights would not turn off. Puff of smoke from steering column and fog lights ceased to function.
August 2005 my self and my family were taking a short trip out of town about 200 miles. At the half way point we pulled in to a gas station for some refreshments I waited in the car when I noticed smoke coming from my steering column up through the flasher button. We realized it was the wiring from my fog lamps only because that was the only thing that no longer work. The lamps were not in use at the time. Not really sure why the wiring caught fire.
Fog lights wouldn't turn off unless battery was disconnected. Engine light was on. Car indicated overheating. Smoke coming from hazard button. After removing multi-function switch, found that wiring harness connector on left side was melted. Battery was dead, bought new battery. After starting car with multi-function switch disconnected, no overheating, no smoke. Dealership indicated $3000 to repair the wiring harness and bought new multi-function switch for $80. Found over 100 similar problems on different websites. Part should be recalled. Websites: ptdoityourself.net/tl/tl-index2.html postings: 191,288,725,862,465,589,824,878,1042,1068,1302,1278,1238,1212. Edmunds.com/insideline/do/forumslanding postings: 249,250,241,229,232,233,234,235,237,219,220,222,225,227,228,210,211,213,218,202,206,191,198 the federal safety agency.dot.gov complaint: 10130928,10130890,10131743,8018628,10106442,10127101.
1) our fog lights had been going on and off intermittently for a couple of weeks. 2) my wife was driving down a local street coming home when smoke started billowing out from under the steering column, filling the car with smoke. She happened to be at the local dealership (it's on the way home from her work) and pulled in their parking lot. The car was left at the dealership. The problem was diagnosed as being a shorted fog light switch. Instead of a fuse blowing the wire harness acted as a fusible link and began melting down. We are now responsible for the replacement of a $2500.00 wire harness. I asked the service writer why a fuse had not blown and he told me that the circuit is protected by a forty (40) amp fuse. Being an electrician I know that a forty amp fuse or breaker protects an electric range oven and is on 8 awg wire. To repair the fault, we have to buy the harness which chrysler will cut off the connector that melted down and will splice on the new one. All of the controls on the steering column pass through this harness which melted down and the wires are obviously not protected by fuses. If they were a fuse should blow with a short. Our vehicle has had 4 warranties and 3 recalls since we have owned it. The car is still not fixed after a week and a half.
Dt: the multi-functional switch lever on the left hand side of the steering wheel has been replaced three times. The lights will suddenly go out. The first two times, one could jiggle the lever and the lights would come back on. The last time the lights went off on a road with no shoulders, and consumer pulled up on the hazard lights so she would not get hit. This was on a 2001 chrysler pt cruiser. The dealership stated this occurred due to a short in a multi-function switch. This switch has been replaced twice and broken three times.*ak updated 2/21/2006 -
On march 14, 2005 my vehicle was stalling and actually hopping. I was unable to drive the car and had it towed to a service facility that I have used over the past 10 years. The mechanic determined the wiring harness in my 2001 chrysler pt cruiser was defective at 56000 miles. He notified me that the wires inside the harness were frayed and several bare wires were actually touching, creating a severe safecty hazard, I instructed him to replace the defective part. I did not know that the wiring harness was a warranty covered part because the manual supplied me from daimler chrysler does not contain information about the wiring harness. I subsequently found out it was a warranty covered item under the california emissions warranty. Chrylser has refused to reimburse me for a part that was defective because I had it replaced at an a.s.e. Certified facility by a master technician. I have contacted chrysler regarding this as a safety issue and they have refused to address this issue with me. The repair facility that I took my car to has kept the wiring harness because they believe the part was defective. I want to know if you have had other complaints about the wiring harnesses in pt cruisers. The wiring harness is not a moving part and without any outside influences such as moisture or excessive engine movement, which I did not have, the wiring harness should never have frayed and bare electrical wires. Please provide me with any information that I can use to convince the manufacturer of my car that a defective and potentially dangerous part was sold to me.
Consumer bought car that had not been thoroughly inspected. After two weeks a noise in both the back and front of the car was heard. The consumer took the vehicle back to the dealership, placed a support because brake pads were gone, metal on metal. The motor mount broke, needed rotors/spark plugs, and tune up along with a pvc valve. Needed to be fixed, but dealer refused to fix anything.
For weeks (or months) prior to failure, I experienced occasional instances of fog lights activating upon engaging the right turn signal. Fog lights would go off after completing turn and signal automatically disengaged. It is noted that I virtually never make use of the fog lights. On day of failure, there was a pronounced odor about 1 hour into a long trip (like nylon rope burning). Fog lights activated and could not be turned off regardless of controller setting for other lights. Fog lights would not turn off even after car was shut down and key removed. After brief rest stop (during which manual was researched to learn what fuse must be pulled to avoid draining battery), returned to car to find that lights had gone off on their own. Neither fog lights nor high beams worked any longer, once car was started. The next day, upon disassembly of steering column housing and removal of multi-function switch, I discovered that an internal, spring-loaded contact on the back of the multi-function switch, located near the steering column, had melted/fused. Dealer advised that multi-function switch must be replaced (at cost of ~$103 for part). Self-repaired, with no further problems (yet). Old part has been saved. Thankful that plastic switch did not actually catch fire, and that main lights (low beams only) remained operational during remainder of long, night-time trip.
Pt cruiser 2001 (car) will continue to run with key out of ignition. Safety issue: car cannot be stopped occurrences: has happened approximately 6+ times since problem initially brought to dealers attention in 2002 chrysler support: essentially not responding with correct solutions over the last 24 months to local dealer who cannot resolve this defect dealer has attempted to repair this on 3 occasions with different solutions - however problem continues to occur dealer gave me specific instructions that if car did this again, I could stop it by removing fuse #11 - after a set of recent sequential failures on 12/4/04 where I used this technique until I could contact the dealer on monday morning; vehicle battery died and needed to be re-started; responding mechanic advise me the procedure for removing fuse #11 was dangerous and could cause arcing in the car's electrical system and possibly a fire and complete destruction of the onboard computer. Most recent event occurred on 12/4/04 with key out of ignition, car still running.- utilized dealer technique of removing fuse #11, battery died.
My 2001 chrysler pt cruiser horn does not work all the time. When the radio display is on, the horn works , when the radio display goes out, the horn will not honk. There has been 3 times when we needed it to work and it would not. The local chrysler dealer changed out the radio and said they fixed a horn wire, but 2 weeks later it was broken again.
The vehicle stalls when driving. The vehicle had a hard start and stalled when approaching a stop sign or light. The owner has taken the vehicle to the dealer on several occasions. The owner also stated that the technicians were merely guessing as far as how to combat the problem. *nm the vehicle would die out as well as when warmed, there was a hard start, and the engine would shift while in motion. *sc
While driving battery light came on. Seconds later, traction and ABS light came on. When this occurred, vehicle lost brake power, went into neutral, and coasted. Dealership indicated that the wiring harness rubbed against the right axle boot, and after a period of time, it rubbed away the wiring installation and shorted it out. *ak consumer questioned the mechanic, as a reply it said that the wiring was not tampered but the location where the wire was installed was at factory setting.
While driving at any speed ignition light came on, and vehicle stalled. This problem occurred four times since 2001. Dealer examined the vehicle numerous times ,and could not find the cause of the problem.
Electric failures: 1) 4/29/03 placed key in ignition; alarm sounds and warning lights on dashboard, car would not start. Towed to dealer. Replaced ignition switch. 2) 11/15/03 drove car to work; placed car in park, turn key in off position and removed key from ignition, car engine remained running. Placed key back into ignition turn to on position, then back to off position, engine turned off. Called dealer and was told nothing could be done about this unless I could make it happen again. 3) 6/3/04 unlocked car, got in driver's seat and warning lights on dash were on (engine, oil, air bag, seat belt and alarm), turned key to on position, car started then cut out. Turn key to off position, then back to on position. Engine wouldn't start. All warning lights stayed on.
Hello, I would like to make a complaint against optima batteries. I worked for optima batteries as a maintenance tech from 11/00 to 1/04 optima has a contract with chrysler to build batteries for the pt cruisers. The problem is that some of the batteries that went in the cars leaked. The batteries fit some were in the passenger area of the car it would let out acid fumes inside the car.I have seen the batteries sent down production line if they failed the leak test machine.during april of 2002 I called chrysler corp and spoke to [xxx] and told her about the bad batteries and that they were not at qs5000. After that I still seen the leakers go to chrysler corp. If you need more info please call me at [xxx] I can help out more because I no longer work for optima thank you [xxx]. *ak information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
After parking and turning the vehicle off and removing the key, the vehicle continued to run with the key removed, the vehicle was able to run for 3 minutes to an hour before it shut off. The dealer had examined the vehicle 3 times and was unable to find the problem.
Purchased 7/00. Experienced 3 separate issues w/ electrical system. 1st year of ownership 1)parking lights remained on when lights were off, resulting in tow, and replaced battery. 3rd year of ownership: 2)door ajar light on, bell dinging, interior light remains on and all doors are securely shut. Resulted in tow and battery replacement. Dealership said battery defective. 6mos later, same dinging problem occuring. Warranty expired. Prev dealer bankrupt, new dealer stating same defective battery.
Lock cylinder for ignition key broken in steering column. Key would not turn and steering wheel locked up. I am concerned that if the lock cylinder broke while operating the vehicle, the steering wheel may lock up causing the driver to lose control.
2001 chrysler pt cruiser: the battery light keeps coming on. I've taken to dealer four time now for that problem. Had the battery replaced twice. Had the regulator in the computer replaced. I am still having problems. The transmission had to be replaced. It is a manual transmission. Had the clutch replaced. All of this due to faulty parts! The vehicle keeps pulling to the right. Had it fixed once and it still pulls. The date entered is when everything started.
Trans shifter failed causing vehicle to lock up. *mr the dealer stated the starter malfunction, but the consumer disagreed.*scc
The consumer can take the key out of the ignition switch with the vehicle running. Consumer would have to turn the key again as if restarting the vehicle to shut it off.
Bought an early 2001 pt cruiser. About one year after purchase, battery fails, car would not start, jump starting did not work. Towed it it dealer and they replaced battery and said it was faulty. About a year after this occured, it happened again, dealer still says it is the battery's fault. It happened again on august 22, 2001 and I put a spare battery in car and drove to dealership. Again they said that the battery was faulty. I believe there is an electrical problem with the car.
Vehicle's door locks automatically locked on their own. *mr the vehicle started to lock on it's own without activation. The vehicle was serviced six times over a period of thirteen months by the chrysler dealership. The consumer would be driving and all of a sudden, all of the vehicle doors would unlock. The doors were suppose to automatically lock when the vehicle reached over 5 MPH and randomly failed to do so, after activating the lock/security device and listening for the beep it did not activate. The dealer was unable to remedy. The problem had progressed rapidly and the correction attempts only resulted in problems with acceleration. *scc
5 batteries, radio, speakers, door locks, paint, speed sensor on transmission, fan motor on engine, output speed sensor, t14 circuit all within 27 months. Can't find cause of all these electrical problems. Chrysler is no help! Customer care hung up on me. Lemon law ran out 1 month ago. Upside down can't even trade in. Help!!!!!
Vehicle was parked for approx. Two days, started vehichle and all lights on the instrument panel stayed on; brake light, ABS light, engine light, security light, crusie control, etc. As well as words "no bug" over the odemeter/mileage gage. These lghts would not go off after turning the engine on and off several times. The engine light stays on and will not shut off. Scheduled an appointment with dealer to connect to computer.
Clock spring broke in steering column while making a right hand turn
While driving the interior dashboard lights and the head lights goes out without prior warning. The dealership cannot fix problem. Please provide more details. Ts
Key taken out of ignition and motor still running/ no method to turn car off. Mr
Consumer state while vehicle was park consumer notice vehicle fog lights on. Consumer tried to turn light off but light would not turn off. Soon after consumer notice smoking coming from steering wheel consumer remove the fuse smoke stop. Please provide further information. Nlm
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