RoadVitals

2005 Chrysler Pt Cruiser Powertrain (other) Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Powertrain (other) 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 Nov 7, 2016
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.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. 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 powertrain

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

Powertrain (other)
Filed Nov 7, 2016

SHIFT LEVER GEAR CONTROL SNAPPED BACKING OUT STUCK IN STREET WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE VEHICLE IN MOTION

NHTSA ID
10924665
Incident
Nov 7, 2016
Mileage
156,000 mi
Powertrain (other)Steering
Filed Dec 5, 2015

IN JULY 2014 NOTICED BACK WINDOW ON PASSENGER WAS LOOSE, WINDOW FELL OUT WHILE DRIVING 11 2014... HAD TIMES WHEN CAR WAS ACTING LIKE IT WASN'T GETTING GAS WHILE DRIVING AND CHECK ENG. LIGHT CAME ON BUT WOULD GO OUT AFTER IT QUIT. FINALLY MADE IT TO AN AUTO REPAIR TO HAVE IT SCANNED AND PART REPLACED AFTER 9 MOS. SETTING. RAN GOOD FOR ONE WEEK THEN STARTED ACTING UP AGAIN DOING THE SAME THING. IN AUGUST OF 2015 I WAS APPROACHING MY HOME GOING DOWN A BIG HILL ON MY RD. WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT WAS 45 MPH WITH A SEMI RIGHT BEHIND ME. THE CARS SPEED WAS 45 THENWENT DOWN TO 20 IN A MATTER OF SECONDS FAST ENOUGH FOR THE TIRES TO SQUEAL. I HAD MY 2 YR. OLD GRANDSON IN THE BACK SEAT WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I KNEW I COULDN'T MAKE IT IN MY DRIVEWAY SO I IMMEDIATELY TURNED ON MY 4WAYS AND PULLED IN MY NEIGHBORS HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET SO I DIDN'T GET RAN OVER BY THE SEMI TRUCK. ALSO WHEN I HAD THE CAR REPAIRED IN JUNE OF 1915 THE STEERING IN THE CAR WAS REAL STIFF AND STILL IS ONLY WHEN TURNING BUT HAS POWER STEERING FLUID. BOUGHT MY OWN SCANNER AND IT SAYS I NOW NEED TO REPLACE A TRANS. CONTROL UNIT PART # P0700 ALONG WITH THE PART THAT WAS JUST REPLACED. I'M AT WITS END, WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY RECALLS ON ANY OF THESE PROBLEMS . PLEASE HELP ME BECAUSE I REALLY NEED MY CAR AND FEEL RIGHT NOW IT IS A DEATH TRAP AND DON'T KNOW WHERE ELSE TO TURN.

NHTSA ID
10808571
Incident
Jun 28, 2014
ElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Sep 21, 2015

DASHBOARD LIGHTS GO OUT AT WILL AND ENGINE LIGHTS SHOW CODES EVEN AFTER REPLACING SENSORS NOW 02 SENSORS NOT WORKING .LOOK LIKE THIS HAD BEEN A ONGOING PROBLEM FOR YEARS NOW AND CHRYSLER FAILS TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP MYSELF AND OTHER PT DRIVERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
10766519
Incident
Dec 10, 2013
Mileage
53,700 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Sep 21, 2014

THIS IS NOT THE FIRST INCIDENT. WHILE DRIVING THE VECHILE WILL SUDDENLY STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. THE TEMPERATURE GAGE GOES UP AND THE CAR SHUTS OFF. CAUSE ME AND MY FAMILY BODY TO JERK BACK AND FORTH. THE CAR IS STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. WHEN THE CAR SHUTS OFF THERE IS NO WARNING, THEREFORE OTHER VECHILES ALMOST CRASHES INTO THE BACK OF THE PT CRUISER. MY CHILDREN AND I FEELS IN SAFE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10637837
Incident
Sep 20, 2014
Mileage
112,000 mi
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Jun 14, 2014

WHILE STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT THE CAR JUST TURNED ITSELF OFF. RESTARTED AGAIN BY TURNING THE IGNITION. HAS DONE THIS SEVERAL TIMES SINCE AND EVEN WILE RUNNING ON THE FREEWAY AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. HAVE TO MANAGE TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY AND WAIT A BIT TO RESTART VIA THE IGNITION SWITCH. ONE TIME A GENTLEMAN EVEN PUSHED THE CAR TO HELP BE GET IT OFF OF THE ROADWAY. HAVE TRIED NUMEROUS TIMES TO REPAIR AUTO BY CHANGING OUT THE VARIOUS SENSORS INDICATED BY THE CODE SHOWN IN THE MILEAGE/SPEEDOMETER GAUGE. NUMEROUS TECHNICIANS HAVE TRIED TO REMEDY THE SITUATION. WORKS FOR AWHILE, THEN REVERTS TO STALLING AGAIN AND AGAIN. *JS

NHTSA ID
10598302
Incident
Jun 27, 2013
Mileage
91,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed May 29, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 116,000.

NHTSA ID
10594816
Incident
May 27, 2014
Mileage
116,000 mi
EnginePowertrain (other)Suspension
Filed Oct 21, 2013

AFTER COMING FROM THE STORE I NOTICE A BIG SPOT OF OIL ON THE GARAGE FLOOR,I WIPE IT UP WENT INSIDE THE HOUSE THE NEXT DAY I WENT ON SOME ERRANDS CAME BACK TO THE HOUSE AND SOME MORE OIL, AT THIS POINT CALL MY LOCAL PARTS HOUSE HE CAME UP WITH A BAD FRONT OIL SEAL. SO I WANTED TO DID FURTHER INTO THIS, AND FOUND A LOT OF DODGE, CHRYSLER, OWNER HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM.I PULL UP AND COPY THESE PROBLEM'S SOME P/T OWNERS SAID THE DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE THEM TO CHANGE THE ENGINE BECAUSE OF THE THRUST BEARING WAS TO FAR OUT OF SPECS.AND PUSHING THE FRONT SEAL OUT AND CAUSING LEAK. IF THIS WOULD HAPPEN AT HIGH SPEEDS,THIS WOULD HAVE A TERRIBLE TERRIBLE PROBLEM. I THINK CHRYSLER KNOWS ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE ONE CHRYSLER TECH DID SAY HE KNOWS THE 2.4L HAS A CRANK SEAL ISSUE ON A HANDFUL OF THE VEHICLE. NOW OUR P/T ONLY HAS 55,000 MILES ON IT AND THIS PROBLEM SHOULD NOT BE. MOST OWNER THAT I'VE READ ABOUT HAS MILEAGE NO MORE THAN 110.000.AND SOME HAVE HAD THE SEAL REPLACE TWO-THREE TIMES. I THINK CHRYSLER NEEDS TO STEP UP TO PLATE AND ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM NOW WE ARE STUCK WITHOUT A CAR. THIS COULD COST IN THE THOUSANDS,THIS PROBLEM SHOULD HAVE ADDRESS LONG AGO.THE HOLE UNDER CARRIAGE IS SOAK WITH OIL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10548718
Incident
Oct 17, 2013
Mileage
55,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Sep 14, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR STATE INSPECTION WHEN THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE WAS PROGRAMMED INCORRECTLY AND CAUSED THE ON-BOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM SOFTWARE TO PROVIDE A FUEL SYSTEM READING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHERE THEY ADVISED THE DEALER TO PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

NHTSA ID
10475423
Incident
Aug 23, 2012
Mileage
105,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Oct 11, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH THE ENGINE STALLED AND RESTARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER SEVEN TIMES BUT THE TECHNICIANS WERE UNABLE TO DETECT A TROUBLE CODE DURING THE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY STATED THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE POWER TRAIN WIRING HARNESS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,278.

NHTSA ID
10429425
Incident
Mar 29, 2011
Mileage
63,278 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Mar 25, 2010

HAVE A 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER AND ONLY 45,000 MILES ON IT. AFTER FEELING A BAD VIBRATION FOR A WEEK OR SO AND NOISES WHEN MAKING TURNS, I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO WHERE I HAD NEW TIRES PUT ON THINKING THEY HAD DEFECTIVE DETAILS TO THEM. COME TO FIND OUT THAT THE FRONT BEARINGS ARE BAD ALREADY. THINKING TO MYSELF THAT THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING IN THIS EARLY OF MILEAGE, I STARTED LOOKING INTO TRYING TO REPLACE THEM MYSELF AS THE COSTS EVERYWHERE FOR THIS REPAIR IS TOO MUCH FOR OUR FAMILY TO BEAR RIGHT NOW. IN LOOKING FOR THE DIAGRAMS FOR THE FRONT END, I CAME ACROSS THIS FORUM WITH 155 POSTS OF THE SAME COMPLAINT ON THIS MODEL CAR FROM 2001 TO CURRENT MODELS, INCLUDING ONE POST OF A LADY WHO LOST HER SON IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS FAULTY PART/ASSEMBLY. I TRUELY BELIEVE THIS WARRANTS FURTHER REVIEW AS IT SEEMS WITH SO MANY OF THE SAME ISSUE (AND THIS IS ONLY WHAT HAD BEEN POSTED, NOT INCLUDING PEOPLE WHO HAD THIS ISSUE AND JUST KEEP PAYING FOR THE REPAIR OVER AND OVER) IT MAKES ME QUESTION THE QUALITY OF CHRYSLER PT'S FOR SURE. PLEASE REVIEW THIS AS IT MAY SAVE SOMEONE'S (INCLUDING MY OWN) LIFE. WEBSITE FOR POSTS FOR YOUR REFERENCE IS HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/AUTOS/CHRYSLER-PT-CRUISER/TIL09OD8D72ERULQA/P4

NHTSA ID
10322192
Incident
Mar 14, 2010
Mileage
45,000 mi
Powertrain (other)Suspension
Filed Dec 7, 2006

2005 PT CRUISER (TURBO) WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP FOR ANNUAL INSPECTION AND OIL CHANGE. INSPECTION WAS NOT GRANTED. VEHICLE WAS PRONOUNCED "UNSAFE TO DRIVE" AS THE BEARINGS ON THE SPINDLE (ON AXLE) WERE DESTROYED AND BOTH FRONT WHEELS WERE WOBBLING. MECHANIC SAID ONE OR BOTH WHEELS COULD COME OFF. IN THE NEXT BAY WAS ANOTHER PT CRUISER (TURBO) WITH THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM. THE MECHANICS DISCUSSED WHETHER THE DESIGN WAS SUFFICIENT TO SUPPORT THE POWER OF THE TURBO. UNTIL THE PARTS ARRIVE (WE HAVE TO PAY THE $600+ FOR THEM) WE HAVE A RENTAL AT THE DEALERS SUGGESTION AND OUR COST. *JB

NHTSA ID
10175532
Incident
Dec 6, 2006
Mileage
78,000 mi
Powertrain (other)Tires & wheels
Filed Jul 22, 2006

CAR HAD SHAKE IN FRONT THROUGH STEERING WHEEL AND RT. FLOORBOARD. CHANGE TIRES AND WHEELS. CHANGES TIRES TWICE. REPLACED LEFT FRONT AXLE WITH SINGLE AXLE. REPLACED SAME AXLE WITH TWO PIECE AXLE. STILL HAS SHAKE IN IT. FACTORY TECH SAID LIVE WITH IT. *NM

NHTSA ID
10163164
Incident
Nov 9, 2005
Mileage
50 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

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .