2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 78 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser, 13% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 66,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “steering column” (13% of reports).
- 78electrical system complaints
- 66,000median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $420typical repair cost reported by owners
- 52%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Steering column: mentioned in 10 of 78 complaints (13%)
- Wiring harness: mentioned in 8 of 78 complaints (10%)
- Key ignition: mentioned in 5 of 78 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electrical system repair on the 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser at $420, and half of them between $360 and $1,500.
Based on 5 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2005–2010), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 50 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 78 complaints, 7 a fire.
Chrysler PT Cruiser electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 PT Cruiser | 3 | 14% | 44,000 |
| 2009 PT Cruiser | 60 | 62% | 51,000 |
| 2008 PT Cruiser | 45 | 39% | 57,123 |
| 2007 PT Cruiser | 23 | 15% | 69,000 |
| 2006 PT Cruiser | 138 | 40% | 60,000 |
| 2005 PT Cruiser | 27 | 14% | 53,700 |
| 2004 PT Cruiser | 44 | 20% | 75,206 |
| 2003 PT Cruiser | 45 | 17% | 59,356 |
| 2002 PT Cruiser | 97 | 19% | 63,565 |
| 2001 PT Cruiser | 78 | 13% | 66,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists electrical system for the 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The electrical system is malfunctioning the fans do not kick on at all,even after reaching temperature.Even when the "Air" condition is turned on full blast or the "Heater" it doesn't matter which one is used it still doesn't engage the "Fan".
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 chrysler pt cruiser. While driving 70 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The contact, a certified mechanic, replaced all of the sensors on the vehicle, the relays, and the electrical fuses; however, the vehicle…
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 chrysler pt cruiser. The contact stated that the fog light warning indicator illuminated and smoke appeared from the steering column. The contact was able to pull the vehicle off the roadway, turn off the engine, and restart the vehicle. The contact smelled burning…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2001 Chrysler PT Cruisers have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 78 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser (13% of the 618 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser electrical system?
No recall currently lists electrical system for this vehicle.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 66,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser?
Owners report a typical cost of $420 (half paid between $360 and $1,500), from 5 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser?
The most frequent phrase is “steering column”, in 10 of 78 complaints, followed by “wiring harness” (8).
Other 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser problems
See all 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser problems or electrical system problems across all PT Cruiser years.