2001 Chrysler Pt Cruiser Interior & seats Problems

LET ME START BY SAYING I JUST BOUGHT THIS 2001 LIMITED EDITION PT CRUISER THREE DAYS AGO FROM A PRIVATE DEALER. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY, HEADING HOME FROM WORK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, AND WANTED TO TRY THE CRUISE CONTROL. I TURNED IT ON AND SET IT FOR 67MPH TO SEE IF IT WORKED FIRST. THEN I WENT TO RESET IT TO MY ACTUAL DESIRED SPEED BY TAPPING MY BRAKES, THEN I TRIED THE SWITCH ON THE ARM OF MY STEERING WHEEL BUT THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULDN'T SHUT OFF. I GOT OFF AT THE NEXT EXIT AND WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN TO 40MPH BEFORE MY BRAKES LOCKED UP AND I WAS FORCED TO RUN THE STOP SIGN AT THE END OF THE OFF RAMP. (THANK GOD IT WAS AT 3AM AND MY BABY WASN'T WITH ME!). I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER DOING 20MPH BEFORE THE BRAKES LOCKED UP AGAIN. I QUICKLY SHUT IT OFF, PUT IT IN PARK, AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES TO TURN IT BACK ON. BUT THE ENGINE JUST KEPT REVING, AS IF I WAS HOLDING MY FOOT ON THE GAS BECAUSE THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS STILL ON! I TRIED RESETTING IT BY TURNING THE KEY BACK AND FORTH A FEW TIMES. I TRIED TO SEE IF IT WOULD THROW ME A CODE BUT ONLY "DONE" APPEARED ON MY DASH. EVERY TIME I STARTED THE CAR, THE LED FOR CRUISE CONTROL WOULD COME ON AND THEN SHUT OFF AFTER A FEW SECONDS. I WAS ABLE TO COAST HOME DOING 40MPH WITH ACCESS TO MY BRAKES AGAIN. NOT VERY WELL, BUT ENOUGH TO MAKE IT HOME, (WHEN I'D LET OFF THE BRAKE THE CAR WOULD TAKE OFF AGAIN). I'VE BEEN DOING RESEARCH SINCE I GOT BACK AND FOUND A FEW OTHER REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING, EXCEPT THEY WERE ALL ABLE TO STOP. FOR EXAMPLE BY SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL OR SHUTTING THE CAR OFF. EVERY TIME I START THE [XXX] THING, THE CRUISE CONTROL IS STILL ON! HOW DO I SHUT IT OFF? PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ID

10958583

Incident

Mar 3, 2017

Mileage

146,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE PARKED THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO LOCK THE DOORS WITH THE KEY FOB AND NOTICED THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS WOULD NOT LOCK. ALL OF THE DOORS LOCK AND UNLOCK ON THERE OWN WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIANS STATED THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE OF THE FAILURE OR REPAIRS THAT NEEDED TO BE PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.

NHTSA ID

10413556

Incident

Jul 15, 2004

Mileage

32,000 mi

DOOR LOCKS RANDOMLY LOCK AND UNLOCK THEMSELVES. REMOTES AND INTERIOR LOCK SWITCHES ARE NON-FUNCTIONAL. PRODUCES THE RISK OF LOCKING OCCUPANTS OUT OF THE CAR, OR UNLOCKING AT NIGHT AND POSES HIGHER RISK OF THEFT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10345091

Incident

May 26, 2006

FAULTS WITHIN THE HEADLIGHT/FOGLIGHT MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH ON THE 2001 PT CRUISER CAUSES THE FOGLIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE, EVEN WHEN THE SWITCH IS OFF. I REPLACED THE SWITCH, AND ALTHOUGH THE FOGLIGHTS NOW WORK PROPERLY, THERE IS NOW A FAULT IN THE DOME LIGHT FUNCTION, WHICH CAUSES THE DOME LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE SWITCH IS OFF. I RESEARCHED THE COMPONENT ON-LINE AND RETRIEVED REPORTS OF HEADLIGHTS TURNING THEMSELVES OFF AT RANDOM INTERVALS. HEADLIGHTS, FOGLIGHTS, DASHBOARD ILLUMINATION, DOME LIGHT AND TURN SIGNALS ARE ALL IN THE SAME COMPONENT. FOR FOGLIGHT DEFECT, MECHANIC REMOVED THE APPROPRIATE FUSE FROM THE FUSE PANEL AS A TEMPORARY FIX.

NHTSA ID

10307455

Incident

Aug 1, 2009

Mileage

64,000 mi

OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE CHROME (ON ALL FOUR DOORS) FLAKING OFF AND CAUSING A DEEP CUT ON THE HAND UPON ENTRY. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST ONCE TO MY YOUNG DAUGHTER, MY WIFE, MYSELF, AND SEVERAL OTHERS ON THIS SAME VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10274828

Incident

Aug 19, 2008

Mileage

85,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT GEARS, THE GEAR SHIFTER BECAME LOOSE AND TEMPORARILY INOPERATIVE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A TRANSMISSION EXPERT AND A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE GEAR BOX BUSHINGS AND THRUST WASHERS WERE MISSING. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE CLUTCH CABLES AT THE COST OF $300. IN ADDITION, THE SEAT CABLES TO THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT FAILED. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND LEFT A MESSAGE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 28,000.

NHTSA ID

10272537

Incident

May 18, 2009

Mileage

28,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE DOORS ATTEMPTED TO AUTOMATICALLY RE-LOCK IN INTERVALS OF 20 SECONDS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON FOUR OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY CONCLUDED THAT THE FAILURE WAS UNRECOGNIZABLE AND DISCONNECTED THE AUTOMATIC LOCKING SYSTEM. HE STATED THAT MANUALLY LOCKING THE DOORS WORKED FOR A MONTH, HOWEVER, THE DOORS FAILED TO LOCK ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. WHEN THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF, THE DOORS FAILED TO UNLOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE COMPUTER SECURITY SYSTEM PREVENTED THEM FROM ACCESSING THE COMPUTER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000.

NHTSA ID

10200583

Incident

May 1, 2007

Mileage

62,000 mi

THE FOG LAMPS ON THE 2001 PT CRUISER COME ON AND STAYED ON THEIR OWN ACCORD. THIS CAUSED A DEAD BATTERY 3 TIMES. WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR THE ALARM WENT OFF. SOMETIMES THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WORKED CORRECTLY, SOMETIMES IT DID NOT. SOMETIMES THE KEYLESS ENTRY WORKED AND SOMETIMES IT DID NOT. WHEN IT DID WORK, I COULD NOT GET THE DOOR TO UNLOCK WITH THE KEY, IT RELOCKED BY ITSELF, LEAVING ME LOCKED OUT OF MY OWN CAR AND STRANDED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. I COULD NOT LOCK THE DOOR ON DRIVER'S SIDE WITH ELECTRONIC DOOR LOCK. MUST INDIVIDUALLY LOCK ALL DOORS. SMOKE CAME FROM THE TOP OF THE STEERING COLUMN , THROUGH HAZARD LIGHT SWITCH ON TWO OCCASIONS. DEALER SUGGESTED $200. REPLACEMENT OF MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH - BUT RESEARCH SHOWED THISWAS NOT A REMEDY TO THE PROBLEM. I LIVE IN A REMOTE, RURAL AREA, AND DO NOT FEEL SAFE OR SECURE WITH THIS VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10187501

Incident

Apr 9, 2007

AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON ALL WINDOW & AIRCONDITION & REAR DEFROSTER STOP WORKING DEALER SAID UNDER DASH WIRING HARNESS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10182433

Incident

Feb 8, 2007

Mileage

57,277 mi

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. *JB

NHTSA ID

10139383

Incident

Aug 1, 2005

(1) NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. (2) ELECTRIC LOCKS BEGAN LOCKING AND UNLOCKING THEMSELVES. NEXT MORNING CAME OUT AND CAR HAD UNLOCKED ITSELF. CANNOT TRUST THE CAR TO REMAIN LOCKED. (3) HAD AN INDEPENDENT AUTO MECHANIC LOOK AT THE PROBLEM. WAS ABLE TO TRACE THE PROBLEM TO A $100.00 PART THAT CHRYSLER WILL NOT GIVE TO INDEPENDENT AUTO MECHANICS. WENT TO CHRYSLER DEALER, SAID IT WOULD COST THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE PART. *JB

NHTSA ID

10139340

Incident

Jul 9, 2005

Mileage

41,500 mi

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. *NM

NHTSA ID

10130928

Incident

Jul 20, 2005

Mileage

67,000 mi

SOME OF THE ILLUMINATING LIGHTS IN THE DASHBOARD FOR SPEED AND RPM AND FUEL HAVE GONE OUT. I HAD MENTIONED THIS TO CHRYSLER WHEN MY TRANSMISSION DIED AND THEY DID NOTHING. ISN'T THEM ANOTHER E-MAIL IN SEPTEMBER AND THEY STILL HAVE DONE NOTHING. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD IF YOU CAN NOT READ YOUR GAUGES AT NIGHT TIME WITHOUT TAKING YOUR ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE ROAD TO TURN ON THE INTERIOR LIGHT TO SEE THE GAUGES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10098748

Incident

Feb 4, 2004

Mileage

50,000 mi

THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH BOARD. THE AIR BAG SWTICH HAS BEEN CHANGED SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE PROBLEM REMAINED. *NLM THE CODE ON THE LEFT SIDE SEAT SQUIB OPEN WAS FOUND, WHICH WAS TAKEN APART AND REINSTALLED. THE STEREO WAS DEFECTIVE. SCC

NHTSA ID

10012192

Incident

Feb 8, 2002