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2005 Chrysler Pt Cruiser Convertible

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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
15,600 miles · Mar 2, 2008
Suspension

WHEEL VIBRATION AND LOOSE STEERING THEN GRINDING NOISE; FOUND BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARING BAD ON 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER - MILEAGE IS 15, 600; WAITING FOR REPAIR AT DEALER - ESTIMATE OF $500 - $600 TO REPAIR PLUS ALIGNMENT COSTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10219806

43,000 miles · Feb 16, 2008
Electrical SystemSuspension

I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR MORE THAN ANY OTHER NEW VEHICLE I'VE OWNED. I HAD AC COMPRESSOR PROBLEMS STILL UNDER WARRANTY... I REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY AT 36700 MILES. NOW, BOTH FRONT WHEEL HUB AND BEARING ASSEMBLIES ARE SHOT, AND WILL BE REPLACED AT 43,000 MILES. I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW, AND IT IS MY 3RD AND L…

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I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR MORE THAN ANY OTHER NEW VEHICLE I'VE OWNED. I HAD AC COMPRESSOR PROBLEMS STILL UNDER WARRANTY... I REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY AT 36700 MILES. NOW, BOTH FRONT WHEEL HUB AND BEARING ASSEMBLIES ARE SHOT, AND WILL BE REPLACED AT 43,000 MILES. I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW, AND IT IS MY 3RD AND LAST CHRYSLER PRODUCT. I HAD AN 2002 PT, THIS 2005 CRUISER, AND I'VE GOT AN 2006 CRUISER THAT IS STARTING TO SHOW SIGNS OF WHEEL BEARING ISSUES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10218220

35,535 miles · Feb 14, 2008
Suspension

AFTER ONLY 35.5K MILES THE DEALERSHIP MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT BOTH FRONT HUBS AND BEARINGS NEED REPLACEMENT. AN ONLINE SEARCH REVEALED MANY MANY OWNERS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. UNSAT! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10218091

Mileage unknown · Feb 4, 2008
Suspension

PT CRUISER 2005. HEARING THUMPING NOISES FROM RIGHT FRONT. SEP. 2006 DEALER REPLACES BEARING, (20118 MILES) JULY 07 MORE NOISE DEALER FINDS AXLE SPACERS MISSING (28009 MILES) JAN. 08 MORE NOISE DEALER FINDS BAD BEARINGS AGAIN, THIS TIME OUT OF WARRANTY ($630 31406 MILES). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10216828

20,000 miles · Feb 1, 2008
Suspension

RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BEARING IS BAD AFTER ONLY 20,000 MILES ON MY PT CRUISER. I HAVE JUST READ 65 COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM ON HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/AUTOS/CHRYSLER-PT-CRUISER/TIL09OD8D72ERULQA/P2 HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO HAVE THE PROBLEM BEFORE A RECALL IS DONE ON THIS. THIS IS CRAZY! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10216685

Mileage unknown · Jul 18, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling

MY PT CRUISER SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT BURNS OIL PRIOR TO 3,000 MILES DUE OIL CHANGE. CHRYSLER CLAIMS "IT IS NORMAL FOR THIS CAR TO BURN 1 QUART OF OIL EVERY 1,000. MILES. THEY REFUSE TO CHECK IN BETWEEN OIL CHANGES THAT THIS IS IN FACT HAPPENING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10196674

Mileage unknown · Apr 6, 2007
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

MY 2005 PT CRUISER IS EQUIPPED WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AND A TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM. DURING A RECENT SNOW STORM THE INDICATOR LIGHTS FOR BOTH OF THESE SYSTMES ILLUMINATED. I HAVE JUST RETURNED FROM MY LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER, WHO HAS INFORMED THAT THE LIGHTS CAME ON BECAUSE THESE SYSTEMS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING. THE REASON FOR THIS…

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MY 2005 PT CRUISER IS EQUIPPED WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AND A TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM. DURING A RECENT SNOW STORM THE INDICATOR LIGHTS FOR BOTH OF THESE SYSTMES ILLUMINATED. I HAVE JUST RETURNED FROM MY LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER, WHO HAS INFORMED THAT THE LIGHTS CAME ON BECAUSE THESE SYSTEMS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING. THE REASON FOR THIS, THEY BELIEVE, IS THAT SNOW HAD COLLECTED IN THE WHEELS. AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THEIR POSISTION IS THAT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEMS PROVIDED ON THIS CAR WILL FUNCTION EXCEPT DURING A SNOW STORM WITH WET, STICK, SLIPPERY SNOW. IS THIS TYPICAL OF THESE TYPES OF SYSTEMS? IT MAKES NO SENSE TO ME THAT CAR COMPANIES BE ALLOWED TO PROVIDE SAFETYSYSTEMS WHICH DON'T WORK WHEN THEY ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE NEEDED. BY THE WAY, I LIVE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. WE GET SNOW REGULARLY. IT IS FREQUENTLY WET AND STICKY.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10187207

39,000 miles · Apr 5, 2007
Visibility

ROLLING DOWN THE BACK PASSENGER WINDOW ON MY 2005 PT CRUISER CONVERTIBLE 2-DR WHILE THE FRONT WINDOW IS UP CAUSES THE INSULATING STRIP BETWEEN THE WINDOWS TO SLIDE OFF THE BACK WINDOW AND STICK IN THE WINDOW MOUNT. I ASKED THE DEALERSHIP TO EVALUATE THE PROBLEM, AND THEY SAID THE WINDOWS WERE OUT OF ADJUSTMENT WHICH CAUSED THE …

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ROLLING DOWN THE BACK PASSENGER WINDOW ON MY 2005 PT CRUISER CONVERTIBLE 2-DR WHILE THE FRONT WINDOW IS UP CAUSES THE INSULATING STRIP BETWEEN THE WINDOWS TO SLIDE OFF THE BACK WINDOW AND STICK IN THE WINDOW MOUNT. I ASKED THE DEALERSHIP TO EVALUATE THE PROBLEM, AND THEY SAID THE WINDOWS WERE OUT OF ADJUSTMENT WHICH CAUSED THE SEAL TO STICK, AND SUGGESTED IF I DIDN'T WANT TO PAY $500.00 TO FIX IT I COULD PUT ADHESIVE ON IT. I HAVE A FEAR IF MY CHILDREN SHUT THE DOOR HARD THE FRONT WINDOW WILL BREAK FROM SLAMMING AGAINST THE EXPOSED METAL ON THE SIDE OF THE BACK WINDOW. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10187123

50,295 miles · Mar 26, 2007
Exterior Lighting

2005 PT CRUISER GT CONVERTIBLE WITH 50,000 MILES.I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND NOTICED FOG LIGHTS ON. THE FOG LIGHTS CANNOT BE TURNED ON WITHOUT THE HEADLIGHTS BEING ON. BUT HERE WAS THE FOG LIGHTS ON AND IT DRAINED MY BATTERY COMPLETELY. THE ONLY WAY I COULD TURN THE FOG LIGHTS OFF WAS TO TAPE THE UNIVERSAL SWITCH, SO THAT THE FO…

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2005 PT CRUISER GT CONVERTIBLE WITH 50,000 MILES.I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND NOTICED FOG LIGHTS ON. THE FOG LIGHTS CANNOT BE TURNED ON WITHOUT THE HEADLIGHTS BEING ON. BUT HERE WAS THE FOG LIGHTS ON AND IT DRAINED MY BATTERY COMPLETELY. THE ONLY WAY I COULD TURN THE FOG LIGHTS OFF WAS TO TAPE THE UNIVERSAL SWITCH, SO THAT THE FOG LIGHT SWITCH WAS FORCED TO CLOSE. AFTER SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL YEARS, I AM WONDERING WHY THE NHTSA DOESN'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10186136

Mileage unknown · Feb 22, 2007
Tires

LEASED A 2005 PT CRUISER CONVERTIBLE, DREAM CRUISER SERIES 4 IN NOVEMBER OF 2004. FIRST FAILURE OF THE TIRES WAS THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE IN AUGUST 2006. I WAS PARKED SOMEWHERE WAITING FOR SOMEONE AND WHEN THEY WALKED BACK TO MY CAR THEY NOTICED THAT I HAD A BULGE IN THE TIRE DUE TO A CRACK IN THE SIDEWALL. HAD TO GET THE…

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LEASED A 2005 PT CRUISER CONVERTIBLE, DREAM CRUISER SERIES 4 IN NOVEMBER OF 2004. FIRST FAILURE OF THE TIRES WAS THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE IN AUGUST 2006. I WAS PARKED SOMEWHERE WAITING FOR SOMEONE AND WHEN THEY WALKED BACK TO MY CAR THEY NOTICED THAT I HAD A BULGE IN THE TIRE DUE TO A CRACK IN THE SIDEWALL. HAD TO GET THE VERY EXPENSIVE TIRE (GOODYEAR - 205/50/17 RS-A) REPLACED, WITH ONLY APPROXIMATELY 13,000 MILES ON THE CAR. NEXT FAILURE WAS IN OCTOBER OF THE SAME YEAR. DRIVING AT 35 MPH AT THE END OF A LINE OF THREE CARS WHEN ALL THREE HIT THE SAME POTHOLE. THE FIRST TWO CARS DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM, MY PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE COMPLETELY BLEW OUT THE SIDEWALL AND I HAD TO HAVE AN EMERGENCY REPLACEMENT, THIS TIME WITH JUST UNDER 15,000 MILES ON THE CAR. BOTH TIRE DEALERSHIPS SEEMED TO CASUALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT THEY HAD SEEN SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THESE PARTICULAR TIRES ON THIS PARTICULAR MODEL OF CAR. DEALERSHIP DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THE PROBLEM EXCEPT TO GIVE ME A NUMBER FOR CHRYSLER. CHRYSLER DOESN'T DEAL WITH TIRES AND THEY DIRECTED ME TO GOODYEAR. GOODYEAR SAID IT WAS DUE TO ROAD HAZARDS AND THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY OF THE COSTS AND COMPLETELY DENIED HAVING HEARD OF ANY OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS TYPE OF TIRE. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10183254

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.