2008 Chrysler Pt Cruiser Brakes Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER ON A DIRT PATCH, WHICH STOPPED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND SMOKE ENTERED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKE PADS MELTED, WHICH CAUSED THE SMOKE TO RISE FROM BENEATH THE TIRES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 72,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10893164

Incident

Aug 1, 2016

Mileage

72,000 mi

IN DEC. 2013, AT 71K MILES, IN THE CAR USED BY MY COLLEGE-AGE DAUGHTER, WHEN STARTING THE CAR ON A COLD MORNING (20'S) I NOTED ROCK-HARD BRAKE PEDAL AND NO POWER ASSIST WHATSOEVER WHILE BACKING DOWN OUR DRIVEWAY. BY THE STREET, IT HAD A NORMAL PEDAL FEEL AND ASSIST. THIS REPEATEDLY HAPPENED IN COLD-MORNING STARTS. THE DEALER, KLABEN CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE OF KENT, OHIO, WAS HELPFUL AND EVENTUALLY REPLACED THE BRAKE BOOSTER A FEW WEEKS LATER, FOR FREE. A YEAR LATER MY DAUGHTER MENTIONED THE CAR WAS DOING THIS AGAIN (COLD WEATHER HAD RETURNED). I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO KLABEN AND SAID I WAS COMPELLED TO CONTACT NHTSA AS IF I OR MY DAUGHTER HIT A PERSON BECAUSE OF NO BRAKE ASSIST WHATSOEVER, IT WOULD BE TRAGIC. IN MARCH OF 2015, KLABEN AGAIN REPLACED THE BOOSTER AND PCV FILTER, FREE, INFORMING ME THAT THERE WAS OIL IN THE BOOSTER. WHILE THIS SERVICE WAS APPRECIATED, WHEN MY DAUGHTER WAS HOME FROM COLLEGE RECENTLY (JAN. 2016), I STARTED HER CAR AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ROCK-HARD WHEN PUSHING IT TO TAKE THE CAR OUT OF PARK. IT IMMEDIATELY HAD POWER ASSIST AFTER THAT, BUT THIS TELLS ME THE PROBLEM IS RETURNING. THERE WAS A SAFETY RECALL LAST YEAR (AFTER OUR CAR'S LAST BOOSTER REPLACEMENT) ON 2013-14 DODGE DART MODELS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE REPAIR WAS IDENTICAL--REPLACE BOOSTER IF OIL IS FOUND IN THERE. I BELIEVE OTHER CHRYSLER MODELS BESIDES THE DART ARE EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE, AS OUR CAR HAS. THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED AND HOPEFULLY A PERMANENT FIX FOUND. I BELIEVE OUR CAR'S COLD-WEATHER BRAKING WILL CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE AND I DON'T WANT THIS PROBLEM TO REAR ITS UGLY HEAD IN THE NEXT WINTER.

NHTSA ID

10824698

Incident

Jan 10, 2016

Mileage

95,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE INTERMITTENTLY OCCURRED TWO MINUTES AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE MANUALLY NEEDED TO BE RESTARTED IN SOME INSTANCES OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED.THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000.

NHTSA ID

10790710

Incident

Nov 16, 2014

Mileage

70,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO RESPOND. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FUNCTIONED AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT PROVIDED.

NHTSA ID

10764229

Incident

Jan 4, 2010

I WAS COMING HOME FROM WORK AND DRIVING DOWN THE STREET WHEN THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD WENT OUT, THE GAS GAUGE WENT TO ZERO AND THE CAR JUST DIED. I LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKING AND I WAS LUCKY THERE WAS NO ONE BEHIND ME AT THE TIME. THE KEY WAS LOCKED IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND I COULD NOT RESTART. I CALLED 911 FOR HELP AS CARS WERE NOW ZOOMING UP BEHIND ME STALLED IN THE LANE. I WAS SO SCARED THAT SOMEONE WOULD HIT ME. I SAT WAITING FOR THE TOW TRUCK FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES WHEN THE LIGHTS SUDDENLY CAME ON AGAIN AND THE GAS GAUGE WENT BACK TO FULL. I TRIED TO START IT AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT 2 BLOCKS HOME. THE NEXT DAY I DROVE TO THE CLEANERS AND WHILE TRYING TO PARK IT DIED IN THE PARKING LOT. I AGAIN WAITED AND IT FINALLY STARTED AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAY THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG. THEY SUGGESTED I JUNK IT FOR ABOUT $100. I HAVE ALSO TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND HE SAID HE COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. I SEE THERE ARE OTHERS WHO HAVE REPORTED A SIMILAR PROBLEM. AND NOW THERE IS A CHRYSLER RECALL ON OTHER 2008 MODELS WITH WHAT SEEMS LIKE THE SAME PROBLEM. I CANNOT DRIVE THIS CAR BECAUSE IT IS UNSAFE IN TRAFFIC. *TR

NHTSA ID

10692964

Incident

Feb 6, 2015

Mileage

100,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC WHEN ALL OF THE DASH LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING. AT THAT TIME I LOST ALL STEERING AND BRAKING FOR THE VEHICLE. IT HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 10 TIMES SINCE THEN, TWICE WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10652279

Incident

Oct 24, 2013

Mileage

85,021 mi

WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR IN JANUARY 2014 IT HAD 58,000 MILES ON IT. ONE WEEK AFTER PURCHASE THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE LIGHT BLEW OUT. I WENT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP (CARMAX) AND HAD IT REPLACED.NO PROBLEM. THREE MONTHS LATER THE LIGHT HAS BLOWN AGAIN. I GET A MECHANIC TO LOOK AT IT, NEEDS A SOCKET REPLACEMENT. #ISSUE 1 IN MAY 2014, THERE WAS A SLIGHT ELEVATION IN THE TEMPERATURE (HIGH 80'S), I WANTED TO TRY ON THE A.C., WHEN DOING SO I HEARD A "POP" THAT SOUNDED LIKE IT CAME FROM THE VENT. I THOUGHT MAYBE IT CAME FROM NOT BEING USED FOR AWHILE. THE AIR DID NOT BLOW COLD RIGHT AWAY, IT TOOK ABOUT 15 MINS BEFORE THE CAR BEGAN TO COOL. NOW ON THE SECOND ATTEMPT TO RUN THE A.C., THE SAME THINGS HAPPENED (THE "POP", 15MIN COOLING TIME) BUT A NEW PROBLEM CAME UP...WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN PARK IT BEGAN TO SHAKE! IT WAS IDLING, WHILE SITTING; THEN WHEN I PUT IT IN DRIVE IT WAS OKAY (SLIGHT IDLE, BUT STOPPED). THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, IT IS VERY SPONTANEOUS. MY PLAN WAS TO GET SERVICE ON THE A.C BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT'S THE REAL PROBLEM #ISSUE 2 PLEASE HELP!!!! *JS

NHTSA ID

10598267

Incident

May 19, 2014

Mileage

61,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE BRAKES ALSO EMITTED A SQUEAKING NOISE DURING THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT DEALER, WHO CONDUCTED A DRIVABLE PERFORMANCE CHECK AND A BODY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CHECK BUT COULD NOT FIND THE FAILURE. THE DEALER INSPECTED AND READJUSTED THE REAR BRAKES. THE DEALER THEN ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO PERFORM ANOTHER DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,954 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

NHTSA ID

10462413

Incident

Dec 20, 2010

Mileage

51,954 mi

DRIVING 25 MPH ON A STOP AND GO HIGHWAY WITH TRAFFIC LIGHTS. IT WAS NOT RAINING, BUT THE PAVEMENT WAS WET. THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED ABRUPTLY. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THEY IMMEDIATELY LOCKED CAUSING ME TO SKID 120 FEET INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10347334

Incident

Jul 23, 2010

Mileage

46,000 mi