Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Airbags reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
20
Latest Feb 18, 2017
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
8%
of 258 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
16
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
16
What this page shows
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Chrysler Pt Cruiser submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 20 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Owner reports naming airbag
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Airbags
Filed Feb 18, 2017
Crash reported2 injuries reported
"TAKATA RECALL" I WAS DRIVING A 2003 PT CRUISER WHEN MY WIFE AND I WERE HIT HEAD ON BY A TRUCK THAT WENT LEFT OF CENTER WHEN A VAN TURNED LEFT IN FRONT OF HIM. WE WERE HIT AGAIN ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND THE STEERING COLUMN FELL ON MY LEFT LEG. MY GRANDDAUGHTER STOPPED AT THE SCENE BECAUSE SHE WAS DRIVING PAST AND SAW US. SHE SAW I WAS BLEEDING FROM MY HEAD AND PUT PRESSURE ON IT AS SOON AS SHE COULD. UPON BEING TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL I HAD BOTH OF MY EARS NEARLY SEVERED OFF. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SHRAPNEL FROM THE AIR BAGS HAD CUT BOTH MY EARS AND SEVERED THEM. ALSO IT HAS BEEN TWO YEARS AND I AM STILL GETTING MATERIAL OUT OF MY HEAD FROM THEM. I HAVE BIG SORE SPOTS WHERE THE MATERIAL HAS RISEN AND CAME OUT OF MY HEAD.I ALSO GOT MERSA IN MY LEG AND MY WIFE GOT 4 BROKEN BACK RIBS. THEY ALSO DETERMINED I RECEIVED A CONCUSSION. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION BUT GOING ABOUT 25 AS I WAS SLOWING DOWN AS THE VAN IN FRONT OF US WAS TURNING.WE DO HAVE PHOTOS AND MEDICAL RECORDS AS WE HAD A LAWYER WHO SUED THE DRIVER WHO TURNED IN FRONT OF US AND WE CAN GET PICTURES AND RECORDS IF YOU WOULD LIKE.I DO NOT HAVE THEM ON MY COMPUTER.
NHTSA ID
10955449
Incident
Oct 26, 2014
Mileage
163,000 mi
AirbagsElectricalEngine+1 more
Filed Feb 6, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE CHECK ENGINE AND AIR BAG WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WHERE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, CPU, SPARK PLUGS, AND FUEL CAP WERE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 151,000.
NHTSA ID
10949870
Incident
Nov 30, 2016
Mileage
151,000 mi
AirbagsBody & structureExterior lighting
Filed Oct 31, 2016
Crash reported2 injuries reported
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING 35-40 MPH, THE FRONT AMBER HEAD LAMPS FAILED, WHICH RESULTED IN A FRONT END PASSENGER COLLISION. THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE DURING THE CRASH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GLOVE BOX FRACTURED AND SEPARATED UPON DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAGS, WHICH CAUSED FACIAL INJURIES TO THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER. THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER SUSTAINED LACERATIONS TO THE FACE, A FRACTURED EYE SOCKET, AND A FRACTURED NASAL PASSAGE. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09E012000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08E033000 (SUSPENSION). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,450. *JS *JS
NHTSA ID
10920257
Incident
Mar 27, 2016
Mileage
112,450 mi
AirbagsDriver assistance
Filed May 21, 2016
Crash reported2 injuries reported
DETAILS OF ACCIDENT LISTED IN POLICE REPORT.I WAS DRIVING MY2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER WHEN BEING CHASED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE IN ROAD RAGE WHICH CAUSED MY CAR TO GET HIT BY ANOTHER CAR WHICH IS LISTED IN POLICE REPORT.MY PASSEGER AND I RECEIVED BODILY DAMAGES SUSTAONED BY THESE AIRBAGS MY PASSENGER WAS STRUCK BY AN OBJECT THAT WAS INTACT WITH THE AIRBAG ..LACERATION ABOVE LEFT EYE, BROKEN EYESOCKET,BROKEN NASAL PASSAGE,FRACTURED RIBS PASSENGER WILL NEED FACIAL SURGERY DUE TO AIRBAG IMPACTS SEATBELTS WHERE WORN AT TIME OF ACCIDENT.I ALSO HAVE PHOTOS AND HOSPITAL RECORDS OF PASSENGERS INJURIES.PLEASE CONTACT MR.ARTHUR INGRAM OR JACOB PATTERSON AT NUMBER PROVIDED.
NHTSA ID
10870129
Incident
Mar 27, 2016
Mileage
116,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jul 14, 2015
AIR BAG LITE COMES ON CONSTANTLY AND ENGINE LIGHT IS ON CONCURRENTLY
NHTSA ID
10733867
Incident
Jun 1, 2015
Mileage
28,000 mi
Airbags
Filed May 20, 2015
VEHICLE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT INDICATES AIR BAG IS DISABLED - DUE TO FAULTY CLOCK SPRING. UPDATED 08/18/15*JB
NHTSA ID
10717443
Incident
Mar 31, 2011
Mileage
123,000 mi
AirbagsElectrical
Filed Oct 21, 2014
Crash reported2 injuries reported
STOP AT A RED LIGHT AND WAS HIT FROM BEHIND BY ANOTHER CAR GOING OVER 30 MILES PER HOUR. IT PUSHED US INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MY HUSBAND AND SON GOT WHIP LASH. *TR
NHTSA ID
10649088
Incident
Aug 7, 2003
Mileage
500 mi
Airbags
Filed Nov 16, 2010
Crash reportedFire reported1 injury reported
TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60-65 MPH, HE REMEMBERED CHANGING LANES AND THERE WAS SHAKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED OFF OF THE GROUND PER A WITNESS SINCE THE CONTACT DOESN'T RECALL THE DETAILS OF WHAT OCCURRED. HE DOES REMEMBER THAT THE ENGINE WAS SMOKING AND THAT THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED HEAD AND HIP INJURES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000. UPDATED 02/02/11 *CN
NHTSA ID
10365932
Incident
Nov 1, 2010
Mileage
61,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Sep 18, 2009
Crash reported1 injury reported
MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING EAST BOUND WHEN HE WAS HIT T BONE AND EVENTUALLY LANDED HEAD ON INTO A TREE. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR
NHTSA ID
10284535
Incident
Sep 12, 2009
Mileage
88,000 mi
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Jan 24, 2009
Crash reported1 injury reported
WE OWNED A 2003 PT CRUISER AND I HAD A WRECK ON APRIL 18, 2008 AND THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AND THE SHOULDER STRAP DID NOT CATCH TO HOLD ME FROM BEING THROWN FORWARD. I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND A CAR REAR ENDED ME AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH. IT THREW ME FORWARD INTO THE STEERING WHEEL AND I INJURED MY LEFT SHOULDER WHERE I HAD MY HAD RESTING ON THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAD TO HAVE SURGERY AND I FEEL THAT THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF THE SHOULDER STRAP HAD CAUGHT WHEN THE COLLISION HAPPENED. WE BOUGHT ANOTHER PT CRUISER, A 2007 AND MY HUSBAND AND HIS FRIEND WHO WAS DRIVING HAD AN ACCIDENT ON JANUARY 21, 2009. THEY SWERVED TO KEEP FROM HITTING A DOG AND HIT A GUARD RAIL ALMOST HEAD ON AND AGAIN THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SHOULDER STRAPS DID NOT CATCH. I FEEL THAT THIS COULD BE A BAD PROBLEM WITH THE PT CRUISERS. HAVE YOU HAD ANY OTHER REPORTS OF THIS SORT OF PROBLEM? *TR
NHTSA ID
10256184
Incident
Apr 18, 2008
Mileage
72,000 mi
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Oct 27, 2006
9/1/06 AS I WAS PARKING MY CAR MY DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED . AFTER SEVERAL PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS TO CHRYSLER'S CUSTOMER SERVICE DIVISION, THERE WAS NO REPLY. ON 9/29/06, MY PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, AS WELL AS MY PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT LOCKED UP WHILE I WAS DRIVING 50 MILES AN HOUR. THAT DAY I CALLED CHRYSLER AGAIN AND AN INVESTIGATION WAS CREATED. AFTER THE INVESTIGATION CHRYSLER FOUND NO RESPONSIBILITY ON THEIR PART. I SUBMITTED A CLAIM INTO MY INSURANCE COMPANY, AND THEY FOUND THE DEFECT TO BE A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT, AND WILL NOT COVER THE DEPLOYED AIR BAGS OR LOCKED SEAT BELT. AT THIS TIME THERE HAS BEEN NO REPARATION. *NM
NHTSA ID
10172011
Incident
Sep 1, 2006
Mileage
55,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Sep 21, 2006
Crash reported3 injuries reported
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED OUT UNEXPECTEDLY CAUSING A REAR END COLLISION. THERE WAS BRAKING PRIOR TO THE IMPACT HOWEVER, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE OCCUPANTS OF BOTH VEHICLES SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT BODY SHOP AND THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN.
NHTSA ID
10168831
Incident
Aug 29, 2006
Mileage
42,000 mi
Airbags
Filed May 30, 2006
Crash reported
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH, WITH PRIOR BRAKING, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE MADE IMPACT WITH AN SUV. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD AND HAS BEEN DEEMED TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ALERTED.
NHTSA ID
10158551
Incident
May 30, 2006
Mileage
49,500 mi
Airbags
Filed Apr 7, 2006
Crash reported1 injury reported
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH A SIDE IMPACT ACCIDENT OCCURRED HOWEVER, THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. EVEN THOUGH THE CONTACT WAS WEARING HIS SEAT BELT INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. ALTHOUGH, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THE AIRBAGS WERE NOT INSPECTED. THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WAS REPLACED. THE POLICE WERE ALERTED AND A REPORT WAS FILED. UPDATED 05/04/06. *JB
NHTSA ID
10154806
Incident
Dec 28, 2005
Mileage
66,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Dec 6, 2005
DT: CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY. ALSO, IT MADE NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE AIR BAG MODULE WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 01/11/06. *JB
NHTSA ID
10144599
Incident
Jan 15, 2005
Mileage
11,000 mi
AirbagsElectricalTransmission
Filed Nov 10, 2005
MY 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER, GT MODEL, HAS HAD PROBLEMS SINCE I HAVE HAD IT. FIRST, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEY REPLACED A HOSE, THEN IT CAME ON AGAIN, AND THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH, AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL IT WENT COMPLETELY OUT. IT DID, AT 28,000 MILES, IT WAS THE TURBO CHARGER. SECONDLY, THE AIRBAG MALFUNCTIONED, THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE SEAT, TOOK THREE TIMES TO GET THE RIGHT SEAT. THIRD, NOW, I WOULD PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE OR REVERSE, AND IT JUST SIT THERE, THEN JERKS INTO GEAR. SOMETIMES IF YOU GIVE IT GAS IT WOULD JUST REV UP. THEY SAID IT WAS THE PUMP IN THE TRANSMISSION, THEY TOOK 4 PLUS DAYS TO REPLACE IT. WHEN I PICKED IT UP I HEARD A NOISE AND SMELL SOMETHING BURNING. WHEN I TOOK IT OUT THERE THEY DIDN'T HEAR OR SMELL ANYTHING SO I WAS SENT ON MY WAY. THEN IT STARTED DOING THE SAME THING IT DID WHEN YOU PUT IT IN REVERSE OR DRIVE. I TOOK IT IN, HE SAID IT NEEDED A BATTERY. I PUT A DIEHARD BATTERY IN IT, BUT SEARS SAID THAT WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. THEN THE CHECK THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THEY SAID IT WAS THE EVAC PUMP. THEY FIXED THAT. THEY CLAIMED THAT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY I HAD WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN TWO WEEKS BEFORE. NOW, I HEAR A GRINDING WHEN I START THE CAR UP, SOMEONE SAID IT SOUNDS LIKE THE FLYWHEEL AND THEY DIDN'T ASSEMBLE THE TRANSMISSION CORRECTLY, AND THAT WAS PROBABLY WHERE THE BURNING SMELL WAS COMING FROM. I AM TAKING IT IN TO THE SHOP TODAY FOR THIS. *NM
NHTSA ID
10142376
Incident
Oct 21, 2005
Mileage
59,712 mi
Airbags
Filed Nov 26, 2004
Crash reportedFire reported
CONSUMER'S VEHICLE T-BONED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 40 MPH, AND NEITHER FRONTAL AIR BAG DEPLOYED. CONSUMER REPORTED NO INJURIES. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK
NHTSA ID
10101670
Incident
Nov 11, 2004
Mileage
35,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Nov 17, 2004
Crash reported1 injury reported
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 50 TO 55 MPH AND REAR ENDED A TRUCK. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY.*AK
NHTSA ID
10101227
Incident
Nov 5, 2004
Mileage
81,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Dec 18, 2003
Crash reported
AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN VEHICLE WAS HIT IN A 3 CAR COLLISION. THIS VEHICLE WAS IN THE CENTER OF THIS COLLISION.*AK
NHTSA ID
10051794
Mileage
9,000 mi
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Apr 30, 2003
Crash reported
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, ALSO THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE PASSENGER PROPERLY. *JB
NHTSA ID
10017886
Incident
Apr 30, 2003
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Other components reported on this vehicle
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own