RoadVitals

2005 Chrysler Pt Cruiser Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance 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.
12
Latest Mar 2, 2018
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.
6%
of 187 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.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
2

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Chrysler Pt Cruiser submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 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 driver-assistance

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Mar 2, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME STIFF. AFTER REMOVING PRESSURE FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
11075818
Incident
Jan 15, 2018
Mileage
200,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Oct 5, 2016
Fire reported

MY CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE

NHTSA ID
10914085
Incident
Oct 2, 2016
Mileage
180,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Nov 11, 2015

I LOST CONTROL OF THE PT CRUISER ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND COULD NOT CONTROL THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE. I HAD TO RIDE THE BRAKE WITH BOTH FEET. THE ENGINE RPM WENT OVER 4000 RPM. WHEN I CAME HOME, I NEEDED ALL MY STRENGTH TO MOVE SHIFT INTO PARK WHILE KEEPING BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. I WAS ENTERING A ROTARY.

NHTSA ID
10789793
Incident
Sep 14, 2015
Mileage
94,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Nov 14, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND CAUSED THE SPEED TO INCREASE TO APPROXIMATELY 85 MPH. ALSO, THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,293.

NHTSA ID
10654970
Incident
Nov 8, 2014
Mileage
160,293 mi
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Aug 7, 2014

PLEASE HELP, THIS IS MY ONLY CAR AND MY SON AND I DEPEND ON IT FOR EVERYTHING. WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY MY VEHICLE BEGAN MISSING ( SHAKING ETC..) UNTIL IT FINALLY DIED ON THE EXPRESSWAY. IT STARTED WHEN I PULLED AWAY FROM A STOP LIGHT AND BEGAN TO PICK UP SPEED ACCELERATING TO BLEND IN WITH TRAFFIC FLOW. I WAS NOT ABLE TO GET OVER 40 MPH. 1. THE RPM GAGE JUMPS ALL OVER THE PLACE 2. THE CAR QUITS WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD 3. THE QUITS WHILE RUNNING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC MOVING SLOW (MORE OFTEN ON HOT DAYS) 4. CAR DIES AT STOP LIGHTS (RANDOM) 5. CAR ENGINE DIES WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE (RANDOM) 6. CAR DIES NO RESPONSE FOR SECONDS THEN IT RESTARTS AT HIGH SPEEDS ON THE EXPRESS WAY. I TOOK IT TO AN AUTO PARTS STORE THAT WILL DIAGNOSE PROBLEMS WITH CARS USING A TOOL THAT THEY HOOK UP TO THE CAR. THEY SAID IT WAS THE CAM SHAFT SENSOR, MY FATHER CONTACTED THE LOCAL SERVICE STATION AND THEY RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE TIMING CHAIN AS WELL. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ON GOING SINCE 2012, THOUGH I WOULD LOVE TO SELL IT I WOULD FEEL RESPONSIBLE IF SOMEONE WAS KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. I NEVER KNOW WHEN THE PROBLEM WILL START I HAVE SPENT MORE MONEY THAT I SHOULD TRYING TO FIX THIS. IS THERE SOMEONE WHO CAN HELP SO MY CAR WILL BE SAFE FOR ME AND MY SON? *TR

NHTSA ID
10620731
Incident
Apr 30, 2012
Mileage
1,250,015 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 10, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR FAILED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000. *TR

NHTSA ID
10516017
Incident
Jun 9, 2013
Mileage
111,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Jan 12, 2011

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AND IT BEGAN TO CHUG AND JERK. I THOUGHT IT WAS BAD GAS AND CALLED A FRIEND. THE NEXT MORNING OUT OF THE BLUE IT BEGAN TO SELF ACCELERATE. I TRIED TO HIT THE GAS TO SEE IF IT WAS STUCK, HIT THE CRUISE ON/OFF, APPLIED THE BRAKES - NOTHING. IT WAS GOING 60 MPH BY ITSELF. I FLEW THRU STOP SIGNS, UNABLE TO STOP THE CAR, NOTHING WORKED. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I EVENTUALLY PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND TURNED OFF THE KEY AND HAD IT TOWED. THE HARD PLASTIC COVER THAT COVERS THE ACCELERATOR HAD BROKEN OFF AND LODGED ITSELF ON TOP OF THE ACCELERATOR, MAKING THE CAR ACCELERATE EVEN WHEN NO GAS WAS APPLIED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10376449
Incident
Jan 9, 2011
Mileage
70,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 9, 2007

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING ON A SECONDARY ROAD THE 05 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER ACCELERATED FROM 30 MPH TO 90 MPH. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE TURBO ON THE VEHICLE ENGAGED. THE CONTACT PRESSED ON THE BRAKES AND KICKED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AT THE SAME TIME, ONCE THE VEHICLE STARTED TO DECREASE IN SPEED HE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. HE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE BOTH 23800.*AK

NHTSA ID
10182145
Incident
Feb 9, 2007
Mileage
23,800 mi
AirbagsDriver assistance
Filed Aug 7, 2006
Crash reported1 injury reported

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPING AFTER DRIVING 10 MPH THROUGH A PARKING LOT WITH BRAKE PRESSURE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD INTO A CONCRETE PILLAR AND THE FRONT AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT AND SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. MODERATE DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE POLICE WERE ON THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE A FAILURE OR DEFECT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 09/15/06. *JB UPDATED 9/20/2006 - *NM

NHTSA ID
10164829
Incident
Jul 24, 2006
Mileage
33,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Dec 1, 2005
1 injury reported

I AM WRITING TO ASK HAS THERE HAVE BEEN ANY REPORTS OF THE 2002 PT CRUISER HAVING AN ACCELERATION PROBLEM? ON 11/30/2005 AS I WAS MAKING A U-TURN WHEN MY CAR ACCELERATED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED THAT CAUSED ME TO HIT A CURB AND BLEW OUT MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE, IT ALSO LEFT ME IN A DISORIENTED STATE OF MIND. I HAD NO CONTROL OVER THAT CAR UNTIL IT HIT THE CURB. PLEASE AT YOUR EARLIEST CONVENIENCE CAN YOU LET ME KNOW IF THERE HAS BEEN OTHER REPORTS OF THIS. *JB

NHTSA ID
10144158
Incident
Nov 30, 2005
Mileage
74,345 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 13, 2005

MY CAR HAS ONLY ABOUT 1,500 MILES ON IT, AND IT USUALLY DRIVES BEAUTIFULLY, BUT TODAY I SLOWED DOWN (FROM ABOUT 35 MPH) TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN AT A LIGHT AND THE BRAKES SEEMED SOFT SOMEHOW, THEN I HAD TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT A FOUR-WAY STOP ABOUT TWO BLOCKS FURTHER ALONG AND IT WAS HARD TO STOP AND I COULD HEAR THE ENGINE RACING. IN FACT THE CAR JUMPED OUT INTO THE INTERSECTION A LITTLE WAYS AFTER IT STOPPED. I LOOKED THIS UP AND READ ABOUT SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND I CAN SAY THAT I DID NOT HAVE MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR (IF I HAD, THE CAR OBVIOUSLY WOULD NOT HAVE STOPPED -- IT JUMPED FORWARD AFTER I'D HAD TO PUSH THE BRAKE TO THE FLOOR, AND THE ENGINE WAS RACING MADLY EVEN AFTER I LOOKED TO SEE IF FOR SOME REASON THE GAS PEDAL WAS STUCK AND SHIFTED OUT OF DESPERATION INTO PARK). I BELIEVE THAT THE THROTTLE MALFUNCTIONED FOR SOME REASON AND I WILL TAKE THE CAR TO A DEALER THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW.

NHTSA ID
10125062
Incident
Jun 12, 2005
Mileage
1,522 mi
Driver assistanceTires & wheels
Filed Apr 6, 2005

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTREME VIBRATION DURING ACCELERATION. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT WHILE ON THE ROAD. MANUFACTURER WILL BE CONTACTED BY CONSUMER.*AK BOTH THE MANUFACTURER AND GOODYEAR DEALER WERE CONTACTED HOWEVER WAS NOT ABLE TO HELP. *TT

NHTSA ID
10115202
Incident
Mar 7, 2005
Mileage
1,000 mi

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

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .