IllustrationAIR BAG LITE COMES ON CONSTANTLY AND ENGINE LIGHT IS ON CONCURRENTLY
2003 Chrysler Pt Cruiser
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2003 Chrysler Pt Cruiser do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 202.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Pt Cruiser years →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
550–25K
4225–50K
3850–75K
2075–100K
21100–150K
13150K+
189 reports with mileage · 69 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 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
22 crash reports15 fire reports14 injury reports
What owners actually said
258 reportsI WAS PREVIOUSLY HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME SHIFTING INTO 2ND GEAR. I WAS TRYING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY AND I LOST MY 2ND GEAR. I CURRENTLY CAN USE ALL OF THE GEARS IN MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION EXCEPT 2ND.
THE LOWER CONTROL BUSHINGS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES IN 46,197 MILES OVER 12 YEARS. THE LAST TIME CONTROL ARM AND BUSHING WERE REPLACED. FIRST TIME WAS 5-21-07 WITH 20,204 MILES ON THE CAR. SECOND TIME WAS 5-21-08, ONLY ONE YEAR LATER, 22,309 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, JUST OVER 2000 MILES FROM A YEAR AGO WHEN IT WAS DONE. THE DEA…
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THE LOWER CONTROL BUSHINGS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES IN 46,197 MILES OVER 12 YEARS. THE LAST TIME CONTROL ARM AND BUSHING WERE REPLACED. FIRST TIME WAS 5-21-07 WITH 20,204 MILES ON THE CAR. SECOND TIME WAS 5-21-08, ONLY ONE YEAR LATER, 22,309 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, JUST OVER 2000 MILES FROM A YEAR AGO WHEN IT WAS DONE. THE DEALER COVERED IT BECAUSE IT WAS WARRANTY FROM A YEAR AGO. WONDER IF IT WAS EVER DONE THE FIRST OR SECOND TIME. WE JUST HAD THE CONTROL ARM AND BUSHINGS REPLACED 5-27-2015 AT 46,197 MILES. NOW THE DEALER ORIGINALLY TOLD MY WIFE THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN UNTIL THE VEHICLE HAS ABOUT 80,000. WOW LOOKS LIKE A MAJOR ISSUE FOR THEM.
CAR STOPPED AT RED LIGHT. ENGINE DIED AND SMOKE BEGAN TO RISE FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THEN FLAMES SHOT OUT. DRIVER COULD NOT GET DOOR OPEN AT FIRST THEN AFTER SHORT TIME LOCKS RELEASED AND DRIVER WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE. FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED FLAMES AND SAID FIRE APPEARED TO BE STARTED BY FLUID LEAKAGE. THIS MODEL HAD BEEN…
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CAR STOPPED AT RED LIGHT. ENGINE DIED AND SMOKE BEGAN TO RISE FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THEN FLAMES SHOT OUT. DRIVER COULD NOT GET DOOR OPEN AT FIRST THEN AFTER SHORT TIME LOCKS RELEASED AND DRIVER WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE. FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED FLAMES AND SAID FIRE APPEARED TO BE STARTED BY FLUID LEAKAGE. THIS MODEL HAD BEEN SUBJECT TO RECALL DUE TO FIRES. CAR HAD RECALL FIX ON 9/23/04. IT NOW APPEARS THE RECALL FIXES WERE NOT PERMANENT AND THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM CAN RECUR. IT IS POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING. ATTEMPTS TO DISCUSS THE PROBLEM WITH CHRYSLER WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. CHRYSLER STONE WALLED AND FALSELY RIGGED THEIR RESPONSE PROCEDURE SO AS TO AVOID ANY RESPONSIBILITY. CHRYSLER REFUSED TO ALLOW ME TO SPEAK WITH ANY PERSON IN A POSITION OF AUTHORITY. THE CLERKS I SPOKE WITH STATED THAT SOMEONE WOULD BE IN TOUCH WITH ME. FINALLY AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE AT CHRYSLER, AND AFTER MORE THAN ONE MONTH FROM ORIGINAL CONTACT, A LETTER DATED MAY 13, 2015 WAS RECEIVED FROM CHRYSLER STATING THEY HAD TRIED NUMEROUS TIMES TO CONTACT US AND THE CLAIM WOULD BE DROPPED IF WE DID NOT RESPOND IN 10 DAYS. THIS QUITE SIMPLY IS A LIE! NO ATTEMPT WAS EVER MADE TO CONTACT US, EVEN AFTER WE CONTACTED CHRYSLER ON THREE OCCASIONS ASKING TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE. THE LETTER INSTRUCTED US TO CONTACT DEKRA AUTOMOTIVE TO ARRANGE AN INSPECTION. WE DID AND GAVE THEM ALL THE INFORMATION ONCE AGAIN. WE OFFERED TO SEND PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE BUT DEKRA WAS NOT INTERESTED. ON MAY 27 WE RECEIVED A LETTER STATING THEY WERE UNABLE TO INSPECT THE CAR SINCE IT HAD BEEN SOLD (SALVAGED) AND WERE CLOSING THE FILE. THUS, CHRYSLER HAD CREATED CIRCUMSTANCES THROUGH OBFUSCATION AND MANIPULATING THE RESPONSE TIME WHICH THEY FELT RELIEVED THEM OF ANY RESPONSIBILITY, EVEN THE NEED TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE WITH US. THIS FIRE HAZARD STILL EXISTS.
VEHICLE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT INDICATES AIR BAG IS DISABLED - DUE TO FAULTY CLOCK SPRING. UPDATED 08/18/15*JB
ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, CAR SHUT DOWN MULTIPLE TIMES ON FREEWAY, TERRIFYING...."WE LIMPED" HOME BEFORE CAR QUIT ENTIRELY. I HAD OWNED IT FOR ONE NIGHT. DROVE IT 100 MILES TOTAL. (BOUGHT IT USED, 106,000 MI ON IT.). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THEN CAUGHT FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT DID NOT DISCLOSE IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OR NOT. THE DETAILS OF WHO EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE WERE UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 201,561.
THE WIRING HARNESS MELTED, WHICH CAUSED THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH TO BURN OUT AND RUNNING TAIL LIGHTS TO NOT WORK PROPERLY. REPLACED MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH AND BURNING SMELL CAME FROM STEERING COLUMN. PULLED NEW MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH AND NOTICED MELTED CONNECTORS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CLUTCH DID NOT DISENGAGE WHEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V076000 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CLUTCH DID NOT DISENGAGE WHEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V076000 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
I PURCHASED THE CAR AND RIGHT FROM THE START I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE WHEEL BEARINGS , I HAVE HAD TO DO SO 3 TIMES ALREADY WITHIN THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME I HAVE HAD THE CAR , THERE HAS BEEN NO UNUSUAL STRESS ON THE BEARINGS TO MAKE THEM WEAR OUT , NOW IN MY EXPERIENCE I HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A WHEEL BEARING ON A CAR WITH ANY…
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I PURCHASED THE CAR AND RIGHT FROM THE START I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE WHEEL BEARINGS , I HAVE HAD TO DO SO 3 TIMES ALREADY WITHIN THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME I HAVE HAD THE CAR , THERE HAS BEEN NO UNUSUAL STRESS ON THE BEARINGS TO MAKE THEM WEAR OUT , NOW IN MY EXPERIENCE I HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A WHEEL BEARING ON A CAR WITH ANYTHING LESS THAN 100K MI ON IT , LET ALONE 3 TIMES , I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO MAKE OF IT, ALSO IM HAVING STALLING/ROUGH IDLE PROBLEMS THAT NO ONE CAN SEEM TO FIGURE OUT IT HAS STALLED 5 TIMES ALREADY AND REGULARLY IDLES ROUGH, THESE PROBLEMS ARE NOT NORMAL AND CANNOT BE FIGURED OUR ,I'VE REPLACES SEVERAL PARTS INCLUDING THE ERG VALVE PVC VALVE SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES THE IAC CLEANED THE THROTTLE BODY AND THE CARB AND IM STILL HAVING THESE ISSUES. *TR
Official recalls
204V268000 · Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:hose, Piping, And Connections
Jun 3, 2004
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.4L NON-TURBOCHARGED ENGINES AND AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES, THE POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE MAY CONTACT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER, POTENTIALLY DAMAGING THE HOSE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND RELOCATE, OR REPLACE AS NECESSARY, THE POWER STEERING HOSE AND CONFIRM TORQUE OF THE HOSE FASTENER AT THE STEERING GEAR END. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 20, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
03V076000 · Power Train:clutch Assembly
Mar 10, 2003
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, MANUAL TRANSMISSION MODELS ONLY, A WELDED PIN INTERNAL TO THE DUAL-MASS FLYWHEEL (DMF) ASSEMBLY CAN UNSEAT AND BECOME LODGED BETWEEN THE FLYWHEEL AND THE CLUTCH DISC.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS, THE CLUTCH MAY NOT DISENGAGE WHEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FLYWHEEL AND CLUTCH ASSEMBLIES WITH THE UPDATED DESIGN PARTS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON APRIL 14, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
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
2PE04028 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened Mar 15, 2004 · Closed Jun 18, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering; Steering:hydraulic Power Assist System; Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:hose, Piping, And Connections; Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:power Steering Fluid
PE04-028 WAS OPENED TO INVESTIGATE SEVEN COMPLAINTS ALLEGING THAT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT FIRE ON MY 2002 PT CRUISER VEHICLES.ON JUNE 3, 2004, DAIMLERCHRYSLER (DCC) NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN MY 2001-2005 PT CRUISER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH NATURALLY ASPIRATED 2.4L ENGINES AND AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES (RECALL 04V-268).THE NOTIFICATION IDENTIFIED VARIATION OF THE HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE ROUTING, WHICH ALLOWED THE HOSE TO CONTACT THE TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER, AS THE FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THIS DEFECT.CONTACT BETWEEN THE POWER STEERING HOSE AND THE TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER CAN CAUSE HOSE DAMAGE AND POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKAGE, WHICH CAN POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A FIRE. (NOTE: THE FAILURE DATA IN THIS RESUME IS LIMITED TO MY 2001-2003 VEHICLES PER DCC'S PE04-028 INFORMATION RESPONSES.)THIS CONDITION WAS LIMITED TO VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES AS VEHICLES WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS HAVE SUBSTANTIAL CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER AND THE POWER STEERING HOSE DUE TO A SMALLER TRANSAXLE DESIGN.THIS CONDITION ALSO DOES NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT VEHICLES WITH TURBO ENGINES, WHICH HAVE A DIFFERENT POWER STEERING HOSE ROUTING THAT PROVIDES SUBSTANTIAL CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER AND HOSE.DAIMLERCHRYSLER WILL INSTRUCT OWNERS TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE POWER STEERING HOSE ASSEMBLY INSPECTED AND RELOCATED, OR REPLACED, AS NECESSARY, AND TO CONFIRM THE TORQUE OF THE HOSE FASTENER AT THE STEERING GEAR END.
Additional source detail variants (4)
Steering
PE04-028 WAS OPENED TO INVESTIGATE SEVEN COMPLAINTS ALLEGING THAT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT FIRE ON MY 2002 PT CRUISER VEHICLES.ON JUNE 3, 2004, DAIMLERCHRYSLER (DCC) NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN MY 2001-2005 PT CRUISER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH NATURALLY ASPIRATED 2.4L ENGINES AND AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES (RECALL 04V-268).THE NOTIFICATION IDENTIFIED VARIATION OF THE HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE ROUTING, WHICH ALLOWED THE HOSE TO CONTACT THE TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER, AS THE FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THIS DEFECT.CONTACT BETWEEN THE POWER STEERING HOSE AND THE TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER CAN CAUSE HOSE DAMAGE AND POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKAGE, WHICH CAN POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A FIRE. (NOTE: THE FAILURE DATA IN THIS RESUME IS LIMITED TO MY 2001-2003 VEHICLES PER DCC'S PE04-028 INFORMATION RESPONSES.)THIS CONDITION WAS LIMITED TO VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES AS VEHICLES WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS HAVE SUBSTANTIAL CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER AND THE POWER STEERING HOSE DUE TO A SMALLER TRANSAXLE DESIGN.THIS CONDITION ALSO DOES NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT VEHICLES WITH TURBO ENGINES, WHICH HAVE A DIFFERENT POWER STEERING HOSE ROUTING THAT PROVIDES SUBSTANTIAL CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER AND HOSE.DAIMLERCHRYSLER WILL INSTRUCT OWNERS TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE POWER STEERING HOSE ASSEMBLY INSPECTED AND RELOCATED, OR REPLACED, AS NECESSARY, AND TO CONFIRM THE TORQUE OF THE HOSE FASTENER AT THE STEERING GEAR END.
Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:hose, Piping, And Connections
PE04-028 WAS OPENED TO INVESTIGATE SEVEN COMPLAINTS ALLEGING THAT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT FIRE ON MY 2002 PT CRUISER VEHICLES.ON JUNE 3, 2004, DAIMLERCHRYSLER (DCC) NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN MY 2001-2005 PT CRUISER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH NATURALLY ASPIRATED 2.4L ENGINES AND AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES (RECALL 04V-268).THE NOTIFICATION IDENTIFIED VARIATION OF THE HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE ROUTING, WHICH ALLOWED THE HOSE TO CONTACT THE TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER, AS THE FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THIS DEFECT.CONTACT BETWEEN THE POWER STEERING HOSE AND THE TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER CAN CAUSE HOSE DAMAGE AND POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKAGE, WHICH CAN POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A FIRE. (NOTE: THE FAILURE DATA IN THIS RESUME IS LIMITED TO MY 2001-2003 VEHICLES PER DCC'S PE04-028 INFORMATION RESPONSES.)THIS CONDITION WAS LIMITED TO VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES AS VEHICLES WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS HAVE SUBSTANTIAL CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER AND THE POWER STEERING HOSE DUE TO A SMALLER TRANSAXLE DESIGN.THIS CONDITION ALSO DOES NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT VEHICLES WITH TURBO ENGINES, WHICH HAVE A DIFFERENT POWER STEERING HOSE ROUTING THAT PROVIDES SUBSTANTIAL CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER AND HOSE.DAIMLERCHRYSLER WILL INSTRUCT OWNERS TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE POWER STEERING HOSE ASSEMBLY INSPECTED AND RELOCATED, OR REPLACED, AS NECESSARY, AND TO CONFIRM THE TORQUE OF THE HOSE FASTENER AT THE STEERING GEAR END.
Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:power Steering Fluid
PE04-028 WAS OPENED TO INVESTIGATE SEVEN COMPLAINTS ALLEGING THAT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT FIRE ON MY 2002 PT CRUISER VEHICLES.ON JUNE 3, 2004, DAIMLERCHRYSLER (DCC) NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN MY 2001-2005 PT CRUISER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH NATURALLY ASPIRATED 2.4L ENGINES AND AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES (RECALL 04V-268).THE NOTIFICATION IDENTIFIED VARIATION OF THE HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE ROUTING, WHICH ALLOWED THE HOSE TO CONTACT THE TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER, AS THE FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THIS DEFECT.CONTACT BETWEEN THE POWER STEERING HOSE AND THE TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER CAN CAUSE HOSE DAMAGE AND POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKAGE, WHICH CAN POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A FIRE. (NOTE: THE FAILURE DATA IN THIS RESUME IS LIMITED TO MY 2001-2003 VEHICLES PER DCC'S PE04-028 INFORMATION RESPONSES.)THIS CONDITION WAS LIMITED TO VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES AS VEHICLES WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS HAVE SUBSTANTIAL CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER AND THE POWER STEERING HOSE DUE TO A SMALLER TRANSAXLE DESIGN.THIS CONDITION ALSO DOES NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT VEHICLES WITH TURBO ENGINES, WHICH HAVE A DIFFERENT POWER STEERING HOSE ROUTING THAT PROVIDES SUBSTANTIAL CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER AND HOSE.DAIMLERCHRYSLER WILL INSTRUCT OWNERS TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE POWER STEERING HOSE ASSEMBLY INSPECTED AND RELOCATED, OR REPLACED, AS NECESSARY, AND TO CONFIRM THE TORQUE OF THE HOSE FASTENER AT THE STEERING GEAR END.
Steering:hydraulic Power Assist System
PE04-028 WAS OPENED TO INVESTIGATE SEVEN COMPLAINTS ALLEGING THAT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT FIRE ON MY 2002 PT CRUISER VEHICLES.ON JUNE 3, 2004, DAIMLERCHRYSLER (DCC) NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN MY 2001-2005 PT CRUISER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH NATURALLY ASPIRATED 2.4L ENGINES AND AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES (RECALL 04V-268).THE NOTIFICATION IDENTIFIED VARIATION OF THE HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE ROUTING, WHICH ALLOWED THE HOSE TO CONTACT THE TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER, AS THE FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THIS DEFECT.CONTACT BETWEEN THE POWER STEERING HOSE AND THE TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER CAN CAUSE HOSE DAMAGE AND POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKAGE, WHICH CAN POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A FIRE. (NOTE: THE FAILURE DATA IN THIS RESUME IS LIMITED TO MY 2001-2003 VEHICLES PER DCC'S PE04-028 INFORMATION RESPONSES.)THIS CONDITION WAS LIMITED TO VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES AS VEHICLES WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS HAVE SUBSTANTIAL CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER AND THE POWER STEERING HOSE DUE TO A SMALLER TRANSAXLE DESIGN.THIS CONDITION ALSO DOES NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT VEHICLES WITH TURBO ENGINES, WHICH HAVE A DIFFERENT POWER STEERING HOSE ROUTING THAT PROVIDES SUBSTANTIAL CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER AND HOSE.DAIMLERCHRYSLER WILL INSTRUCT OWNERS TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE POWER STEERING HOSE ASSEMBLY INSPECTED AND RELOCATED, OR REPLACED, AS NECESSARY, AND TO CONFIRM THE TORQUE OF THE HOSE FASTENER AT THE STEERING GEAR END.
PE02082 · Safety Belt Cinching Latch Plate
Opened Nov 6, 2002 · Closed Apr 23, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts
THERE ARE NO INJURIES OR FATALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ALLEGED DEFECT.WHILE CONDUCTING THIS INVESTIGATION, ODI FOUND THAT THE SUBJECT CINCHES MEET THE LOAD BEARING REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD 208, AND THAT MANY OF THE REPORTED FAILURES WERE DUE TO INCORRECT CHILD SAFETY SEAT INSTALLATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, THE REPORT RATE IS LOW (1.60/100K).THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE FAILS TO ESTABLISH THE EXISTENCE OF A DEFECT TREND AT THIS TIME.FURTHER ALLOCATION OF AGENCY RESOURCES TO THIS ISSUE IS UNWARRANTED AND THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION IS BEING CLOSED.