Chrysler PT Cruiser Engine Problems
Owners have filed 193 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the Chrysler PT Cruiser across 10 model years. The 2006 model year has the most (55). The words owners use most often: “timing belt” (5% of reports).
- 193engine complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 40%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.
- Timing belt: mentioned in 10 of 193 complaints (5%)
- Shuts off: mentioned in 10 of 193 complaints (5%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 155 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 193 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 20 a fire, 2 an injury.
Chrysler PT Cruiser engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 PT Cruiser | 5 | 23% | 63,115 |
| 2009 PT Cruiser | 26 | 27% | 59,375 |
| 2008 PT Cruiser | 15 | 13% | 88,511 |
| 2007 PT Cruiser | 23 | 15% | 67,500 |
| 2006 PT Cruiser | 55 | 16% | 70,000 |
| 2005 PT Cruiser | 11 | 6% | 85,500 |
| 2004 PT Cruiser | 14 | 6% | 113,000 |
| 2003 PT Cruiser | 10 | 4% | 101,050 |
| 2002 PT Cruiser | 22 | 4% | 100,000 |
| 2001 PT Cruiser | 12 | 2% | 115,285 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 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.
So I had been having issues with the car overheating well I'm almost home and my daughter says she smells smoke so pull over and rush to get my babies out of the car because under the hood it had caught on fire
The engine blew up! Under 70,000 mileage but after 10 years. Mechanics canât figure out whatâs wrong with it. The try this and that. The catalytic converter, spark plugs⦠everything you can imagine. Just started to cost more than it was worth.
Problems reside in the total integrated power management module. TPIM whereas vehicle will shut off while driving. No indicator lights to give warning before the vehicle shuts off. Has on occasion shut off and recovered power multiple times within a minute This is a very dangerous scenario to…
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".
I'm driving along, cruise set to 65. Ac on. Radio on. No sounds or weird feels from the car. Every light on the dash comes on. They went off after two seconds, with the seatbelt light being last to shut off. Then the car hits 113k miles about ten miles later and just... shuts off. All gauges drop…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Chrysler PT Cruisers have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 193 owner complaints about engine for the Chrysler PT Cruiser. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Chrysler PT Cruiser engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
What do owners say about engine problems on the Chrysler PT Cruiser?
The most frequent phrase is “timing belt”, in 10 of 193 complaints, followed by “shuts off” (10).
Other Chrysler PT Cruiser problems
- Electrical System problems (560)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (249)
- Air Bags problems (226)
- Suspension problems (222)
- Exterior Lighting problems (220)
- Steering problems (220)
- Power Train problems (213)
- Structure problems (175)
See all Chrysler PT Cruiser problems.