2007 Chrysler Pt Cruiser Powertrain (other) Problems

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA ID

11623671

Incident

Aug 12, 2024

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED WITH THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE READING HOT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO I-10 CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (79200 VARNER RD, INDIO, CA 92203) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE COOLING FAN WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SEVERAL INDEPENDENT MECHANICS WHERE THE COOLING FAN ASSEMBLY, MODULE, HIGH AND LOW SPEED RELAYS, THE THERMOSTAT, COOLING FAN, RADIATOR CAP AND COOLANT WERE ALL REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON AND OFF AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CRYSTAL CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (36444 AUTO PARK DR, CATHEDRAL CITY, CA 92234) WHERE THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REACHED OUT TO MANUFACTURER AND LEFT A MESSAGE HOWEVER, THE CONTACT HAD NOT HEARD BACK FORM THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

11361520

Incident

Sep 1, 2018

IT STALLS AND WON'T GO OVER 40MPH.

NHTSA ID

11265745

Incident

Oct 2, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS AND ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT, THE SHIFT LEVER FAILED TO ENGAGE INTO GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER WAS LOOSE AND NEEDED TO BE TIGHTENED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT SEVERAL YEARS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

NHTSA ID

10794430

Incident

May 5, 2010

Mileage

30,000 mi

AS WITH THE OTHER IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS, REGARDING MANUAL TRANSMISSION SHIFTING AND, WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS ABOVE 80 DEGREES SHIFTING GEARS BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT AND AT TIMES IMPOSSIBLE. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED YEARS AGO AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE. IT'S AS IF THE BUSHINGS IN THE SHIFT MECHANISM EXPAND WHEN HEATED AND THE SHIFTER STICKS IN ITS CURRENT GEAR; WITH GREAT FORCE YOU CAN KNOCK IT OUT AND WITH GREAT FORCE YOU CAN RE-ENGAGE. THE NEXT MORNING AT 50 DEGREES THE SHIFTER WORKS PROPERLY ONCE AGAIN. LATER IN THE DAY ABOVE 80 DEGREES THE PROBLEM RE-OCCURS; THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME THE TEMPERATURE IS ABOVE 80 DEGREES. THE RESULTING HAZARD LEAVES YOU STUCK IN TRAFFIC UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS, WHICH IN TURN MAKES YOU A HAZARD TO OTHER DRIVERS. I HAVE HAD TWO NEAR MISS (REAR END) COLLISIONS AS A RESULT. CHRYSLER STOPPED PRODUCTION OF THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION PT TWO YEARS BEFORE DISCONTINUING THE AUTOMATIC PT. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL. CHRYSLER DID NOT AND AS A RESULT I'M SURE THE OTHER AFFECTED CUSTOMERS DID AS I HAVE DONE AND WALKED AWAY FROM THE BRAND. I'VE PURCHASED 4 VEHICLES SINCE THAT TIME AND THEY WERE CERTAINLY NOT A CHRYSLER PRODUCT. THE LATTER IS COSTING CHRYSLER MORE THAN THE $300 IT WOULD HAVE COST TO CHANGE THE BUSHINGS TO A TYPE THAT IS NOT AFFECTED BY HEAT.

NHTSA ID

10726210

Incident

Jun 17, 2008

Mileage

5,000 mi

WITHOUT WARNING, THE ENGINE TURNS OFF AND ALL POWER IS LOST. THE IGNITION SWITCH DOES NOT MOVE. ONCE THE CARE IS STOPPED, YOU HAVE TO TURN THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION AND THEN TURN IT BACK ON. WHEN PUT ON THE DEALER'S COMPUTER, THE COMPUTER ONLY SAYS "THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER." DEALER SUGGESTS PUTTING IN A NEW IGNITION BUT DOES NOT GUARANTEE THIS WILL FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CAR CAN NO LONGER BE TRUSTED ON THE HIGHWAY OR INTERSTATE. I CAN ONLY DRIVE IT IN TOWN AT SLOW SPEEDS SO I WON'T CAUSE A CRASH IF IT SUDDENLY DIES ON ME.

NHTSA ID

10722559

Incident

Nov 12, 2014

Mileage

42,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON (WHICH IT NEVER HAD BEFORE), AND WITHIN LESS THAN A MINUTE THE CAR CEASED UP, LOST POWER AND DIED. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY AS IT STARTED PUTTERING BEFORE CEASING COMPLETELY. THIS INCIDENT HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST FOUR MORE TIMES SINCE ORIGINAL DATE. I HAD THE MOTOR TESTED AT THE AUTO BODY SHOP AND THE SAID THE CAM SENSOR NEEDS CHECKED BUT THE ENGINE IS BURNING MY OIL UP AND SINCE THIS HAPPENED AND HAS HAD TO HAVE OIL PUT IN 3 TIMES SINCE THEN IN ORDER TO MAKE IT RUN WHEN IT STOPS. JUST LAST MONTH I SPENT OVER 500.00 REPLACING THE RADIATOR AND POWER STEERING LINES WHICH I WAS INFORMED WAS PART OF A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE BUT WAS NOT COVERED SINCE IT DIDN'T APPLY TO MY VIN #. I AM SCARED BECAUSE I HAVE CHILDREN I DRIVE WITH AND BECAUSE I CANNOT AFFORD TO KEEP REPAIRING THIS VEHICLE, WHICH IS MY ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. THE VEHICLE WAS PAID FOR IN CASH IN FULL AND HAS NO RECOURSE FROM THE DEALER OR SO I WAS TOLD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10704223

Incident

Mar 20, 2015

Mileage

101,000 mi

FRONT CRANK CASE SEAL FAILED DUE TO THRUST BEARING FOR CRANK SHAFT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10534141

Incident

Aug 1, 2013

Mileage

60,000 mi

I HAVE HAD MY 2007 PT CRUISER TO THE DEALER FOR A VIBRATION IN THE ENGINE. THEY OF COURSE HEARD NOTHING AND RECOMMENDED A TUNE UP WHICH I HAD HAD DONE THE PREVIOUS MONTH. I TOOK IT SOMEWHERE ELSE AND HAD TO HAVE THE MOTOR MOUNTS AND TRANSMISSION MOUNT REPLACED. I HAD THE TIMING BELT REPLACED AS THEY HAD TO REMOVE THE ENGINE AT THIS TIME AND TRIED TO SAVE MONEY. THE MECHANIC ADJUSTED EVERYTHING TO THE CORRECT SPECIFICATIONS AND THE VIBRATION CONTINUES TO THIS DAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10513523

Incident

May 31, 2011

Mileage

81,500 mi

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH AND I STARTED TO HEAR THIS VERY LOW WINE. I TOOK MY CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WAS MY CLUTCH. I HAD A 1200 CLUTCH REPLACEMENT DONE AT APPROX 56000 AND NOW AT 101000 I AM HAVING AN ISSUE WITH THE CLUTCH NOT GOING INTO GEAR WHEN ITS HOT OUTSIDE OR THE AC IS ON. MY CAR WORKS PERFECTLY IN THE WINTER AND EARLY MORNING HOURS BUT ONCE IT REACHES 85 DEGREES OUTSIDE I AM HAVING TO FORCE IT INTO GEAR. NO CAR SHOULD HAVE 3 CLUTCHES IN LESS THAT 5 YEARS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10464523

Incident

Jul 7, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE CLUTCH WAS ENGAGED AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND THEN RESTARTED IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO RESUME NORMALLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN THE TEMPERATURES EXCEEDED 90 DEGREES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE CLUTCH WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTO SHOP FOR A SECOND OPINION. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE SLAVE CYLINDER AND MASTER CLUTCH. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE CONTACT REPLACED BOTH PARTS HIMSELF. MOST RECENT, THE FAILURE OCCURRED FOR THE THIRD TIME AND THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.

NHTSA ID

10463078

Incident

Oct 15, 2008

Mileage

18,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS AND CONTINUED TO BECOME STUCK IN SECOND GEAR. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURES. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT GEARS AGAIN. THE DEALER REPLACED ALL OF THE ENGINE SOLENOIDS TO REMEDY THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURES PERSISTED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE SHOP. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 10,000.

NHTSA ID

10260593

Incident

Nov 10, 2008

Mileage

10,000 mi

UPON ACCELERATION BETWEEN 0 AND 30 MPH THERE IS A FEEL OF THE ENGINE MISSING OR THE TRANSMISSION/TORQUE CONVERTER CHATTERING. HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TWO TIMES AND THEY ADVISE THERE IS NOTHING ABNORMAL OCCURRING IN THE VEHICLE THAT IT IS A CHARACTERISTIC PROBLEM IN THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10244079

Incident

Jul 15, 2008

Mileage

15,000 mi