NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Electrical System complaints
44 reportsClear category filter74,300 miles · May 4, 2012
Electrical System
FAULTY MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH MODULE CAUSED FOG LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE WHILE THE CAR WAS OFF AND IN THE DRIVEWAY, RESULTING IN A DEAD BATTERY. FOG LIGHTS CAME ON WHEN I CONNECTED JUMPER CABLES TO EXTERNAL BATTERY. FOG LIGHTS GO ON AND OFF AS THE LIGHT CONTROL STEM ON THE MULTIFUNCTION MODULE IS WIGGLED. REMOVED FOG LIGHT FUSE TO PRE…
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FAULTY MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH MODULE CAUSED FOG LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE WHILE THE CAR WAS OFF AND IN THE DRIVEWAY, RESULTING IN A DEAD BATTERY. FOG LIGHTS CAME ON WHEN I CONNECTED JUMPER CABLES TO EXTERNAL BATTERY. FOG LIGHTS GO ON AND OFF AS THE LIGHT CONTROL STEM ON THE MULTIFUNCTION MODULE IS WIGGLED. REMOVED FOG LIGHT FUSE TO PREVENT RECURRENCE UNTIL MULTIFUNCTION MODULE CAN BE REPAIRED/REPLACED. INTERNET SEARCH AND THIS SITE INDICATE THIS IS A PERSISTENT AND RECURRING PROBLEM ACROSS MANY PT CRUISER MODELS AND YEARS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10457482
69,482 miles · Oct 26, 2011
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingUnknown Or Other
REPLACED THE "LEAK DETECTION PUMP" ON MARCH 20, 2010 AND AGAIN ON OCTOBER 26, 2011 *TT
NHTSA ODI #10432966
115,000 miles · Jul 25, 2011
Electrical System
FOG LAMPS BEGAN FLICKERING ON AND OFF THEN THE INTERIOR DASH LIGHTS WENT OUT AS WELL AS THE REAR TAIL LIGHTING.
NHTSA ODI #10415828
48,500 miles · Oct 20, 2010
Electrical SystemVehicle Speed ControlCrash
PT CRUISER ON CRUISE CONTROL. EXIT FREEWAY AND TAP BRAKE. CAR BEGINS TO COAST. AS WE APPROACHED STOPPED TRAFFIC THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED AGAIN. CRUISE KICKED IN AGAIN AND INSTEAD OF SLOWING WE SPEEDED UP. APPROXIMATELY 2:30 PM - NO ALCOHOL INVOLVED AND NO SKID MARKS. HIT 5 OTHER VEHICLES. MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING AND I WAS THE PASS…
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PT CRUISER ON CRUISE CONTROL. EXIT FREEWAY AND TAP BRAKE. CAR BEGINS TO COAST. AS WE APPROACHED STOPPED TRAFFIC THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED AGAIN. CRUISE KICKED IN AGAIN AND INSTEAD OF SLOWING WE SPEEDED UP. APPROXIMATELY 2:30 PM - NO ALCOHOL INVOLVED AND NO SKID MARKS. HIT 5 OTHER VEHICLES. MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING AND I WAS THE PASSENGER. I WAS VERY BADLY INJURED INTERNALLY AND HAD FRACTURES TO RIBS, VERTEBRA. AND ANKLE. SEAT BELT AND AIR BAG SAVED MY LIFE BUT SEAT BELT RIPPED MY INTESTINES AND CAUSED SEVERE INTERNAL BLEEDING. MY HUSBAND WAS IN SHOCK BUT WITHOUT INJURY. IT TOOK 3 WEEKS TO GET A POLICE REPORT AND ON THE REPORT IT STATED THAT HE HAD STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE. NOT TRUE -- NOT TRUE. HE YELLED TO ME BEFORE THE IMPACT THAT THE CAR WAS NOT STOPPING AND I SAW THAT HE HAD THE BRAKE TO THE FLOOR. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10361426
48,100 miles · Jun 27, 2010
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting
FOG LIGHTS ON MY 2004 PT CRUISER STAY ON ALL THE TIME, DRAINING THE BATTERY. MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH DOES NOT TURN OFF THE FOG LIGHTS. PULLED THE FUSE TO DISABLE THE CIRCUIT AND ATTEMPTING TO FIND A REPLACEMENT PART. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10340290
56,000 miles · Feb 28, 2010
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting
SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN. FOG LIGHTS WILL NOT TURN OFF. BATTERY WILL RUN DOWN. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10314938
79,000 miles · Jan 22, 2010
Electrical System
I HAVE A 2004 PT CRUISER WHICH I BOUGHT IN NOV 2005. FIRST INCIDENT, REAR LEFT PASSENGER WINDOW STOPPED WORKING. HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS BURN OUT VERY RAPIDLY. LATEST "BIG" PROBLEM STARTED IN JUNE 2009, BROTHER NOTICED MY FOG LAMPS ON, NOT ONLY HAD I NOT TURNED THEM ON, I NEVER USED THEM BEFORE. THOUGHT IT WAS A RANDOM I…
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I HAVE A 2004 PT CRUISER WHICH I BOUGHT IN NOV 2005. FIRST INCIDENT, REAR LEFT PASSENGER WINDOW STOPPED WORKING. HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS BURN OUT VERY RAPIDLY. LATEST "BIG" PROBLEM STARTED IN JUNE 2009, BROTHER NOTICED MY FOG LAMPS ON, NOT ONLY HAD I NOT TURNED THEM ON, I NEVER USED THEM BEFORE. THOUGHT IT WAS A RANDOM INCIDENT BUT BATTERY KEPT DYING. FINALLY DETERMINED IN JULY 2008 BY MECHANIC THAT THE SWITCH ARM WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. TOLD BY DEALERSHIP ARE BACK ORDERED AND TO "JUST UNPLUG THE LIGHTS" TO FIX. MECHANIC REPLACED, THOUGHT PROBLEM SOLVED. THEN PANEL KEPT CLAIMING DOOR AJAR. NO DOOR WAS OPEN!!! MECHANIC REPLACED DOOR LATCH. THOUGHT PROBLEM SOLVED. WENT OUT TO CAR ON 1/19/09, IT WAS GONE. CITY TOWED IT DUE TO COMPLAINT OF MY ALARM GOING OFF AND NOT SHUTTING OFF. COST ME $234 TO RECLAIM AND FIND ALARM IS MALFUNCTIONING AND BATTERY BEING DRAINED AGAIN!! INTERIOR LIGHTS GOING OFF AND ON WHILE DRIVING. SO FAR SINCE JUNE 2009, (BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, SWITCH ARM, DOOR LATCH, TOWING) HAVE SPENT ABOUT $1000 IN REPAIRS. I HAVE YET TO FIND OUT COST OF ALARM AND OBVIOUS ELECTRICAL REPAIRS TO COME. UNTIL READING OTHER COMPLAINTS, HAD NO IDEA THE SMELL OF BURNING I HAVE SMELT ON OCCASION MAY ACTUALLY BE COMING FROM MY OWN CAR. DO YOURSELF A FAVOR, DON'T EVER BUY A CHRYSLER. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10301895
41,000 miles · Oct 17, 2009
Electrical System
ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AFTER BEING RESET. CHECKED BY MECHANIC, COMPUTER SAYS PROBLEM IS IN "CRUISE CONTROL", & HAS BEEN RESET 3 TIMES. & IS ON AGAIN! *TR
NHTSA ODI #10288786
100,000 miles · Oct 14, 2009
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting
IN MY 2004 PT CRUISER-FIRST WAS UNABLE TO TURN ON LIGHT IN RAIN, THEN ALL OF THE LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING, WHILE I WAS DRIVING. GOT IT FIXED FOR $600, THEN FOG LAMPS WILL NOT TURN OFF. ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE IS SMOKE COMING FROM THE CONSOLE, NOW THE ONLY WAY I CAN KEEP MY FOG LIGHTS FROM DRAINING THE BATTERY IS TO REMOVE THE FUSE E…
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IN MY 2004 PT CRUISER-FIRST WAS UNABLE TO TURN ON LIGHT IN RAIN, THEN ALL OF THE LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING, WHILE I WAS DRIVING. GOT IT FIXED FOR $600, THEN FOG LAMPS WILL NOT TURN OFF. ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE IS SMOKE COMING FROM THE CONSOLE, NOW THE ONLY WAY I CAN KEEP MY FOG LIGHTS FROM DRAINING THE BATTERY IS TO REMOVE THE FUSE EACH DAY. I HAVE HEARD OF BOTH PROBLEMS OCCURRING IN PTS WITH OTHER PEOPLE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10287429
82,151 miles · Sep 26, 2009
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting
2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER, THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH FAILED AND THE FOG LIGHTS ON THE CAR REMAIN ON EVEN WITH THE SWITCH OFF AND THE KEY OUT. THIS DRAINS THE BATTERY. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE, THERE ARE OVER 4000 PARTS ON BACK-ORDER SO MANY OTHER PT CRUISERS ARE HAVING THE ISSUE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10285334
NHTSA investigations
1PE04028 · 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.
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