2002 Chrysler Pt Cruiser Fuel system Problems

The contact owns a 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, she could smell fuel in the interior of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who located a fuel leak on the fuel trail line. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 02V215000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 138,000.

NHTSA ID

11535544

Incident

Jul 20, 2023

Mileage

138,000 mi

While driving the vehicle I could begin to smell a strong odor of gas them almost like the smell of plastic melting and the vehicle engine started running hot temperature so I immediately turned off the engine as I pulled over to the side of the road and as I stepped out of the car aflame began under the hood and ended up burning my entire engine. Fire department had to come and extinguish the car.

NHTSA ID

11426744

Incident

Jul 26, 2021

BUYBACK REQUEST: MY 2002 PT CRUISER WAS BOUGHT NEW, WITH AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. IT WAS DISABLED BY FOOTHILL CHRYSLER ' JEEP IN FOOTHILL RANCH CA, WHILE PERFORMING A FACTORY RECALL. IT HAS NOT BEEN USED SINCE THEN, BECAUSE IT IS ILLEGAL TO DRIVE IT. I TOOK IT IN FOR 60K MILE MAINTENANCE ($399). THE MECHANIC DEMANDED THAT I ALLOW THEM TO DO A RECALL FOR THE 'SECONDARY FUEL PUMP SEAL', WHICH THEY DID INCORRECTLY, SO THE RED 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT REFUSED TO SHUT OFF. THE CAR WILL NOT PASS THE CALIFORNIA SMOG REQUIREMENT. CHRYSLER WAS THEN SOLD TO FIAT, AND FOOTHILL RANCH CHRYSLER JEEP THEN WENT OUT OF BUSINESS, BEFORE THEY WERE ABLE TO FIX IT. MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN DISABLED, AND HAS BEEN STORED ON MY DRIVEWAY SINCE 2009, WHERE THE NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING. THE DEALER HAD INSISTED THAT THEY FIX A RECALL. I DECLINED THREE TIMES, THEN RELUCTANTLY SAID YES. FOUR HOURS LATER HE SAID THEY HAD A PROBLEM, THE RED 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT REFUSED TO GO OFF. I PAID $399, AND SCHEDULED ANOTHER APPOINTMENT. RECALL WORK INVOLVED REPLACING THE GAS CAP AND OTHER PARTS. FOR A THIRD APPOINTMENT, I WAS CHARGED $250. I PAID FOR THE RED LIGHT REPAIR 5 TIMES, FOR A TOTAL OF $800. I DROVE THE CAR WITH THE RED LIGHT ON. SIX MONTHS LATER, I WENT TO THEM FOR THE SMOG CHECK, BUT THE CHRYSLER DEALER WAS GONE, REPLACED BY A MERCEDES BENZ DEALER. I WAS UNABLE TO SMOG MY CAR, OR TO HAVE THE RECALL WORK DONE. CHRYSLER WAS THEN BOUGHT OUT BY FIAT. SERGIO MARCHIONE REPLIED TO TAKE THE CAR TO A DIFFERENT CHRYSLER DEALER, BUT I COULDN'T LEGALLY DRIVE IT. THE CAR IS WORTH $6,000 AND NEEDS $2,000 WORTH OF WORK, TO FIX THEIR FAULTY RECALL WORK. AFTER SPENDING $800 TO REPAIR THEIR FAULTY RECALL WORK, I WILL HAVE A CAR THAT DOESN'T RUN. IT IS THEIR FAULT. I WOULD LIKE TO RETURN THE CAR TO THEM, AND EITHER GET A REFUND OF $6,000, OR APPLY IT TO THE COST OF A REPLACEMENT CAR THAT RUNS.

NHTSA ID

10787064

Incident

Jan 7, 2009

Mileage

69,000 mi

2002 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO NO INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATION, FUEL AND OIL LEAKS, BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS COMES WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, INOPERATIVE WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS COMPLETELY DARK AND HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE GAUGES AT NIGHT. UPDATED 05/22/13

NHTSA ID

10504012

Incident

Mar 1, 2013

DRIVING TO WORK THIS MORNING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 75 MPH, WITH NO INDICATION OR WARNING MY 2002 CHYSTLER PT CRUISER COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN, STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. AFTER I PULLED OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER TURN OVER OR ACT LIKE IT WANTED TO START UP. I THEN HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A MECHANIC SHOP NEAR MY HOME AND WAS INFORMED TODAY MY FUEL PUMP WENT OUT. *LN

NHTSA ID

10379846

Incident

Feb 1, 2011

Mileage

167,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO BURNING OIL AND LEAKING FUEL EXCESSIVELY. THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAYED THAT THE SPEED WAS 70 MPH WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARK POSITION. WHEN THE CONTACT TRIED TO SHIFT GEARS FROM REVERSE INTO THE PARK POSITION, SHE HAD TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND THEN REVERSE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE INPUT/OUTPUT SPEED SENSOR, THIRD GEAR RATIO AND THE FUEL PUMP MOUNTING FLANGE ON THE VEHICLE MALFUNCTIONED. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER 02V215000, FUEL SYSTEM AND RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER 01V288000 FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; DID NOT APPLY TO HER VIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98100.

NHTSA ID

10376477

Incident

Aug 13, 2010

Mileage

85,000 mi

RECALL ON FUEL PUMP MODULE NEVER DISCLOSED BY DEALER! RECENTLY HAD SERVICE TO MY CAR AT A DODGE-CHRYSLER DEALER IN ATLANTA, GA AND THEY NEVER DISCLOSED THAT I HAD A RECALL PART ON MY CAR. MY FUEL PUMP MODULE NEEDS A SECONDARY SEAL PLACED OVER IT SO IT WON'T LEAK IF A ROLL-OVER ACCIDENT OCCURS. TOOK CAR TO A SECOND CHRYSLER DEALER, AND THEY TOO NEVER DISCLOSED MY RECALL FUEL PUMP MODULE NEEDS REPAIRS. THIS PROBLEM COULD RESULT IN A SERIOUS AND FATAL ACCIDENT. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE ABOUT THESE DEALERS NOT INFORMING UNSUSPECTING CUSTOMERS OF SOMETHING SO SERIOUS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10312376

Incident

Feb 1, 2010

I HAD A VERY ALARMING INCIDENT ON JANUARY 23, 2006. AFTER FILLING THE FUEL TANK AND TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES I SMELLED A STRONG GASOLINE ODOR. I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND LOOKED TO BE SURE THE FUEL CAP WAS IN PLACE. IT WAS SO I ATTEMPTED TO RE-START THE ENGINE. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THE ENGINE STARTED BUT RAN QUITE ROUGHLY. I AGAIN STOPPED THE ENGINE TO CHECK THE SOURCE OF THE GASOLINE ODOR. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE GASOLINE WAS RUNNING OVER THE EDGE OF THE FUEL TANK SHIELD. I DECIDED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE STARTED AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE RISK OF FIRE OR EXPLOSION. I HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERS SERVICE CENTER. I WAS TOLD THE FUEL LINE WAS BROKEN. I ASKED THAT THE FUEL LINE BE SAVED FOR ME. I HAVE IT AND IT IS BROKEN ON THE END.*JB

NHTSA ID

10154434

Incident

Jan 23, 2006

Mileage

35,689 mi

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SMELLED GAS FUMES. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND SAW FUEL LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10094959

Incident

Sep 15, 2004

Mileage

46,000 mi

UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT GAS GAUGE WAS ON EMPTY. CONSUMER THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A GAS STATION AND FILLED THE GAS TANK BUT THE GAS GAUGE STILL WAS ON EMPTY WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP. MECHANIC INDICATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE GOT HOT FROM THE SUN THE DASHBOARD COMPONENTS BECOME INOPERATIVE. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE SPEED HE WAS DRIVING, AND HOW MUCH FUEL WAS IN THE GAS TANK. *AK

NHTSA ID

10081514

Incident

Jul 6, 2004

Mileage

50,000 mi

2002 PT CRUISER FIRE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10062731

Incident

Feb 12, 2004

Mileage

27,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE AT APPROXIMATELY 3 MPH, THE DRIVER WAS WARNED BY PEDESTRIANS THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE DRIVER EXITED THE VEHICLE AND A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE COULD BE DETECTED. THE DRIVER OPENED THE HOOD AND THERE WAS A RUSH OF FLAMES, WHICH DIED DOWN AFTER A SECOND. THE FIRE APPEARED TO ORIGINATE AT THE LOW CENTER OF THE FIRE WALL AT THE FUEL LINE, WHICH IS LOCATED NEAR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. ORLANDO FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT STATED THE FIRE WAS DUE TO A FUEL LEAK. *AK *NM *JB

NHTSA ID

10057651

Incident

Feb 2, 2004

Mileage

17,000 mi

WHEN FIRST CRANKING CA RIT WILL REV ITSELF UP, THE SPEEDOMETER GOES TO 120MPH RPMS TACHS OUT, AND THEN DROPS BELOW 1/2 RPM, SPUTTERS AND BACKFIRE SOFF. HAD IN CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR THIS AND UNABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM. TOLD ME THAT A SENSOR COULD BE GOING BAD. NOW WHILE MY MOTHER WAS DRIVING OUT OF NEIGHBORHOOD THE CAR WENT DEAD AS DOES WITH ME AT TIMES AT STOP SIGN AND REFUSED TO CRANK AGAIN. CALLED ROADSIDE HAD IT FOR A CHARGE OF 75.00 AND WAS TOLD I HAD BAD GAS AND WANTED ANOTHER 510.00 TO FIX. WAS TOLD NOT COVERED UNDER REG. WARRANTY OR THE 1300.00 EXTENDED BUMPER TO BUMPER WE PURCHASED.

NHTSA ID

10056174

Incident

Jan 20, 2004

Mileage

46,500 mi

CONSUMER NOTICED FUEL WAS IN THE OIL. DEALER INDICATED FUEL PUMP MODULE SECONDARY SEAL FAILED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10055953

Incident

Sep 15, 2003

Mileage

23 mi

I HAVE OWNED MY 2002 PT CRUISER SINCE MAY OF 2002. SINCE THE BEGINNING, I HAVE HAD TROUBLE FUELING UP THE TANK. AFTER ABOUT 3-5 GALLONS OF GASOLINE HAS FILLED THE TANK, THE HOSE SHUTS OFF. BEGIN AGAIN AND IT SHUTS OFF. THIS HAPPENS AN AVERAGE OF 8-10 TIMES DURING THE FUELING. THE DEALERSHIP TELLS ME THAT IT'S BECAUSE THE OPENING TO THE TANK HAS BEEN MADE SMALLER TO AVOID SPLASHBACKS OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. IT IS A ROYAL PAIN EVERYTIME I GAS UP. IS THERE NO SOLUTION? *AK

NHTSA ID

10037062

Incident

May 20, 2002

CONSUMER MADE RECALL REPAIR APPOINTMENT WITH DEALER REGARDING RECALL 02V215000. WHEN ARRIVED AT DEALERSHIP WAS INFORMED BY SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT RECALL COULD NOT BE DONE DUE TO "DEALER" ISSUES.*AK

NHTSA ID

10024348

Incident

Jun 18, 2003

AFTER THE RECALL REGARDING THE FUEL PUMP MODULE WAS PERFORMED, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE BY ANOTHER DEALERSHIP, THEY INDICATED THE RECALL WAS NEVER DONE. RECALL #02V215000)*JB

NHTSA ID

10009160

Incident

Dec 23, 2003

NO PARTS AVAILABLE RECALL#02V215000FUEL PUMP MODULE-MOUNTING FLANGE. LITCHFIELD CHRYSLER LITCHFIELD, IL 217-324-3909. NLM

NHTSA ID

8020106

Incident

Sep 15, 2002

PARTS FOR RECALL 02V215000 HAVE NOT BEEN AVAILABLE FOR 3 WEEKS, AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHEN THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

8018426

Incident

Sep 10, 2002

THE VEHICLE WAS IN A SIGNIFICANT REAR END ACCIDENT ON 5/20/2002. IT WAS REPAIRED AND RETURNED AFTER MORE THAN A MONTH. UPON RETURN THE GAS MILAGE WENT TO 13 MPG AND THE CAR WOULD HAVE A GAS SMELL COMING THROUGH THE VENTS AFTER A LONG IDLE OR SHORT STOP. THE DEALER CHECKED THE FUEL SYSTEM AND COULDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEM. UPON READING CHRYSLER'S FUEL PUMP DEFECT RECALL FOR AN INDIDENT DISCOVERED IN AN ACCIDENT, OUR SITUATION APPEARS STRICKINGLY SIMILAR. CHRYSLER REPORTS NO PRIOR COMPLAINTS BECAUSE THEIR SERVICE PEOPLE CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM! I HOPE THE CAR DOES NOT BLOW UP ON US IN ITS PRESENT CONDITION!!!*AK

NHTSA ID

765607

Incident

May 20, 2002