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2004 Chrysler Pt Cruiser

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Chrysler Pt Cruiser do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 202.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

164 reports with mileage · 53 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 44 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

16 crash reports15 fire reports14 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

44 reports
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1,620 miles · Feb 7, 2005
Electrical System

ONE DAY AFTER WASHING MY PT CRUISER, WHEN I STARTED THE ENGINE, IT WAS IDLING SO HARD THE CAR WAS JERKING FROM SIDE TO SIDE. I THOUGHT MAYBE AFTER IT RAN AWHILE IT WOULD STOP, SO I BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. THE ENGINE LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD LIT UP AND STARTING BEEPING, SO I PUT THE CAR BACK IN THE GARAGE. I PERFORMED THE TE…

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ONE DAY AFTER WASHING MY PT CRUISER, WHEN I STARTED THE ENGINE, IT WAS IDLING SO HARD THE CAR WAS JERKING FROM SIDE TO SIDE. I THOUGHT MAYBE AFTER IT RAN AWHILE IT WOULD STOP, SO I BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. THE ENGINE LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD LIT UP AND STARTING BEEPING, SO I PUT THE CAR BACK IN THE GARAGE. I PERFORMED THE TEST FROM THE OWNERS MANUAL FOR THE EMISSIONS, AND THE HARD IDLE STOPPED. HOWEVER, WHEN I WAS DRIVING THE CAR LATER THAT SAME DAY, THE CAR LOCKS KEPT LOCKING. AT ONE POINT, THEY WENT BERSERK, LOCKING CONSTANTLY FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS. ONE DAY LATER, THE CAR SEEMS TO BE RUNNING NORMALLY. I'VE HEARD OF PROBLEMS WITH SUDDEN ACCELERATION IN CHRYLERS AFTER THE CAR IS WASHED. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBLE DEFECT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10109980

Mileage unknown · Jan 27, 2005
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingFuel System, Gasoline

THE CONSUMER PT CRUISER TRIP METER CONSTANTLY RESET ITSELF, WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE DASH LIGHTS FLASH ON AND OFF, GAS GAUGE DROPS TO EMPTY AND THE BELLS START BEEPING. *BF THE MECHANIC SPRAYED STATIC GUARD IN IT THAT TIME TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE, BUT THIS DID NOT WORK. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE CLOTH SE…

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THE CONSUMER PT CRUISER TRIP METER CONSTANTLY RESET ITSELF, WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE DASH LIGHTS FLASH ON AND OFF, GAS GAUGE DROPS TO EMPTY AND THE BELLS START BEEPING. *BF THE MECHANIC SPRAYED STATIC GUARD IN IT THAT TIME TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE, BUT THIS DID NOT WORK. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE CLOTH SEATS AND TO GET OUT AND GRAB THE METAL BAR. THE GEAR SHIFTER KNOB WOULD COME OFF, THERE WAS A GRINDING NOISE IN THE REAR DUE TO THE BRAKES, IT WAS HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE AT TIME BECAUSE THE LOCK AND TUMBLERS WERE STICKING, THE ENGINE WOULD KNOCK INTERMITTENTLY DURING ACCELERATION AND WOULD ONLY GET 12.9 MILES TO THE GALLON AND WOULD RUN ROUGH INTERMITTENTLY, AND THE GAUGES WOULD QUIT WORKING AT TIMES. *SC

NHTSA ODI #10111054

5,187 miles · Oct 14, 2004
Electrical System

CAR STALLS & CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON CAR ALMOST STALLED BROUGHT TO DEALER TO PERFORM WARRANTY REPAIRS. DEALER REPLACED SPARK PLUGS, WIRES, POWER TRAIN MODULE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10095794

61 miles · Jun 6, 2004
Electrical SystemInterior Lighting

THE COMPUTER IN THE CAR KEEPS LOCKING UP, ALL THE DASH EMER LIGHTS COME ON AND NO DASH COMPONETS WORK, SPEEDOMETER, MILEAGE INDICATOR, TACK0METER INSTRUMENT PANEL OFF . ONE DOESN'T KNOW IF CAR IS WORKING PROPERLY OR NOT. COULD SHUT DOWN IN TRAFFIC AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR A PERSON TO BE STRANDED ANYWHERE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10074890

Official recalls

1

04V268000 · 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.

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

1

PE04028 · 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.