Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
90–25K
1725–50K
1550–75K
975–100K
5100–150K
1150K+
56 reports with mileage · 13 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
Electrical System. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Suspension. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Exterior Lighting. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports1 fire reports4 injury reports
What owners actually said
69 reports
70,500 miles · Nov 8, 2019
Tires
CATASTROPHIC TIRE FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION - COOPER RESPONSE TOURING 205/55 R16 91H ON 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. TREAD DEPTH = 5/32, TIRES WERE NEW ON USED CAR PURCHASED IN 07/2014. NO DRY ROT OR VISIBLE CRACKING ON TIRES, 23K MILEAGE ON TIRES. IN 07/2018, TWO OF THE TIRES IN THE SET OF 4 WERE REPLACED …
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CATASTROPHIC TIRE FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION - COOPER RESPONSE TOURING 205/55 R16 91H ON 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. TREAD DEPTH = 5/32, TIRES WERE NEW ON USED CAR PURCHASED IN 07/2014. NO DRY ROT OR VISIBLE CRACKING ON TIRES, 23K MILEAGE ON TIRES. IN 07/2018, TWO OF THE TIRES IN THE SET OF 4 WERE REPLACED DUE TO THE BEGINNINGS OF TREAD SEPARATION (WOULD NOT BALANCE). I AM A FORMER TIRE DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER FOR A MAJOR US TIRE MANUFACTURER AND I HAVE ANALYZED HUNDREDS OF FAILED TIRES RETURNED TO THE MANUFACTURER. BASED ON MY ANALYSIS, I BELIEVE THAT THIS TIRE FAILED BY DELAMINATION OF THE TREAD DUE TO IMPROPER CONSTRUCTION OR CURING AND NOT DUE TO A TIRE PUNCTURE. SINCE 3 OF 4 OF THESE TIRES HAVE FAILED, I BELIEVE THAT THE ENTIRE BATCH MAY BE DEFECTIVE.
NHTSA ODI #11278905
120,000 miles · Mar 19, 2019
Steering
A HOLE WAS MADE IN THE POWER STEERING LINE. ALL THE FLUID DUMPED OUT. I WAS DRIVING FORWARD AND SUDDENLY IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE LINE SHOULD NOT BE RUN LIKE THAT. I ATTEMPTED TO PUT IN MORE FLUID AND IT ALL JUST POURED RIGHT OUT!
NHTSA ODI #11189967
130,000 miles · Aug 17, 2018
Steering
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER CONVERTIBLE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO BECOME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING HOSE WAS FAULTY AND CAUSED THE POWER STEERING …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER CONVERTIBLE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO BECOME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING HOSE WAS FAULTY AND CAUSED THE POWER STEERING FLUID TO LEAK OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER (JEFF WYLER CHRYSLER, 1117 STATE RT. 32, BATAVIA, OH) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
NHTSA ODI #11120584
41,000 miles · Apr 19, 2016
Air BagsCrashInjury
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER CONVERTIBLE. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE DID A NOSE DIVE AND FLIPPED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. SOME OF THE VEHICLE'S OCCUPANTS WERE EJE…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER CONVERTIBLE. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE DID A NOSE DIVE AND FLIPPED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. SOME OF THE VEHICLE'S OCCUPANTS WERE EJECTED AND OTHERS WERE STUCK IN THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT AND TWO OTHER OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 06/15/16*LJ *TR
NHTSA ODI #10860283
1,000,000 miles · Oct 7, 2015
Air BagsCrashInjury
CAR STOP AT RED LIGHT HIT FROM BEHIND BY 2016 CAR DRIVEN BY GIRL JUST GOT LISCENSE CAR WAS DRIVEN INTO A ULITEY TRUCK AIR BAG NEVER ENGAGED WAS HIT WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO SEND TRUCK FORWARD ABOUT 2 FEET
NHTSA ODI #10780697
40,000 miles · Sep 23, 2015
Electrical System
CAR INTERMITTENTLY WILL NOT START. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED SO MANY TIMES THAT THE INSURANCE RATE WENT UP AND WE PAID FOR REPAIRS THAT WE DID NOT NEED BECAUSE IT NEVER FIXED THE PROBLEM. REPAIRS INCLUDE (BATTERY, STARTER, IGNITION, SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES) WE NOW BELIEVE THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE TIPM. THE OTHER PROBLEMS WE ENCOUNTE…
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CAR INTERMITTENTLY WILL NOT START. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED SO MANY TIMES THAT THE INSURANCE RATE WENT UP AND WE PAID FOR REPAIRS THAT WE DID NOT NEED BECAUSE IT NEVER FIXED THE PROBLEM. REPAIRS INCLUDE (BATTERY, STARTER, IGNITION, SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES) WE NOW BELIEVE THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE TIPM. THE OTHER PROBLEMS WE ENCOUNTERED ARE WINDOW WON'T GO UP OR DOWN. DEALERSHIPS DO NOT KNOW HOW TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM SO THEY CONTINUE TO CHARGE US FOR UNNECCESARY REPAIRS.
NHTSA ODI #10775388
48,000 miles · Aug 5, 2015
Electrical SystemEngineExterior Lighting
CAR WENT COMPLETELY DEAD AT CAR WASH AT NIGHT LEAVING ME AND MY YOUNG GRANDDAUGHTER STRANDED UNTIL WE COULD GET A JUMP. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WITH THE BATTERY NOT HAVING ANY PROBLEMS NOR ANY LIGHTS BEING LEFT ON IN INTERIOR. HAPPENED TO NOTICE THE OTHER DAY THE FOG LAMPS WERE ON BUT THE SWITCH WAS NOT TURNED ON. IT WAS D…
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CAR WENT COMPLETELY DEAD AT CAR WASH AT NIGHT LEAVING ME AND MY YOUNG GRANDDAUGHTER STRANDED UNTIL WE COULD GET A JUMP. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WITH THE BATTERY NOT HAVING ANY PROBLEMS NOR ANY LIGHTS BEING LEFT ON IN INTERIOR. HAPPENED TO NOTICE THE OTHER DAY THE FOG LAMPS WERE ON BUT THE SWITCH WAS NOT TURNED ON. IT WAS DRAINING THE SYSTEM. HAD TO PULL THE FUSE TO FOG LAMPS IN ORDER TO STOP THE DRAINAGE. THIS HAS LEFT ME STRANDED WITH SMALL CHILDREN FORCING RELIANCE UPON STRANGERS IN ORDER TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. NOW THE FOG LAMPS ARE INOPERATIVE UNTIL A FIX CAN BE FOUND, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A POTENTIAL COLLISION IF DRIVING IN FOGGY CONDITIONS WHICH COULD PROVE FATAL DUE TO IT BEING A CONVERTIBLE. THIS IS A GT TURBO EDITION...UPDATED 09/28/15 *BF *CN
NHTSA ODI #10746283
Mileage unknown · Mar 27, 2015
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting
FOG LAMPS INTERMITTENT ON AND OFF WITH SWITCH OFF. DRAINED BATTERY AND SHORTED FUSE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10702246
82,137 miles · Nov 28, 2014
Tires
DRIVING ON ENTRANCE RAMP TO HIGHWAY WHEN THERE WAS A VIOLENT SHUDDER. CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO STEER (SEVERE VIBRATION). PULLED OFF ON EMERGENCY SHOULDER. THERE IS A LARGE HOLE IN TIRE SIDEWALL. SIDEWALL WAS SHREDDED. TREAD WAS NOT AFFECTED. 4500 MILES ON TIRES. TIRE WAS REMOVED AND SPARE TIRE WAS MOUNTED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10661170
Mileage unknown · Sep 16, 2014
Wheels
DEC 2013 HAD TO REPLACE RIM ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE 2014SEPT RIM CRACKED ON PASSENGER SIDE REAR.T. THE REAR PASSENGER RIM HAS BEEN CRACKED TWICE. TOTAL OF THREE TIMES RIM CRACKED.COMING HOME AND GOING TO GYM.FIRST TIME I HAD RIM REPAIRED SECOND TIME BOUGHT NEW RIM. THE THIRD NOTHING BUT TOOK OFF AND PUT DONUT TIRE ON. THE FIRST…
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DEC 2013 HAD TO REPLACE RIM ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE 2014SEPT RIM CRACKED ON PASSENGER SIDE REAR.T. THE REAR PASSENGER RIM HAS BEEN CRACKED TWICE. TOTAL OF THREE TIMES RIM CRACKED.COMING HOME AND GOING TO GYM.FIRST TIME I HAD RIM REPAIRED SECOND TIME BOUGHT NEW RIM. THE THIRD NOTHING BUT TOOK OFF AND PUT DONUT TIRE ON. THE FIRST TIME I DON'T REMEMBER THE DATE.I BOUGHT 4 NEW TIRES. 2014. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10633634
Official recalls
0
No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0
No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
2005 Chrysler Pt Cruiser Convertible Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year