2006 Chrysler Pt Cruiser

MY WIFE AND I OBTAINED A 2006 PT CRUISER FROM HER FATHER IN 2008 WITH 12,980 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. IN 4 YEARS WE'VE ADDED ABOUT 12,000 MILES. STARTING LAST WINTER, BOTH WHILE BEING DRIVEN AT CITY SPEEDS (30-45 MPH) AND WHILE IDLING, THIS 2006 PT CRUISER HAS PERIODICALLY HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE LIGHTS AND GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE NEEDLES ALL SIMULTANEOUSLY SWITCH BACK AND FORTH RAPIDLY, THEN GO TO THE OFF POSITION. THE PANEL LIGHTS TURN OFF AT THE SAME TIME, THEN AFTER A FEW SECONDS TO A FEW MINUTES, THE PANEL RETURNS TO NORMAL. PRIOR TO LAST FRIDAY, 10/12/2012, THESE INCIDENTS HAD NOT PRESENTED A DANGER OR INTERFERED WITH DRIVING. HOWEVER, ON FRIDAY, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, AND THIS TIME THE PANEL WENT HAYWIRE AS DESCRIBED BEFORE, BUT THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST ALL ENGINE POWER. THE CAR WOULD NOT RESPOND TO HER PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR, AND SHE WAS FORCED TO COAST TO A SLOW ROLL IN THE 40 MPH TRAFFIC! THEN, THE ENGINE REENGAGED SUDDENLY AND THE CAR SURGED FORWARD WHEN SHE WASN'T EXPECTING IT. SHE REFUSES TO DRIVE IT AGAIN. OUR LOCAL CHRYSLER SERVICE TECH SEEMED TO BE COMPLETELY UNFAMILIAR WITH THIS PROBLEM WHEN I DESCRIBED IT TO HIM, AND A CALL TO CHRYSLER CORP LLC PROVED USELESS. A CURSORY INVESTIGATION ONLINE TURNS UP DOZENS OF THIS EXACT COMPLAINT OVER THE PAST 5 OR 6 YEARS, AND VIRTUALLY ALL OF THEM INDICATE A NUMBER OF ATTEMPTED SOLUTIONS, INCLUDING REPLACING THE BATTERY, THE VACUUM HOSES, THE WIRING HARNESS, THE FUSES, OR THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, AND NONE OF THESE APPARENTLY ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM. IS THIS AS COMMON A COMPLAINT AS IT APPEARS TO BE? IF SO, HOW CAN IT BE RESOLVED? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH THE LIGHTS IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED, THE GAUGES DROPPED AS IF THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN, THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,497. ..UPDATED 11/14/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE FAILURE BEGAN OCCURRING MORE OFTEN SINCE THE FIRST INCIDENT. MECHANICS HAVE ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE BUT, HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. THE CONSUMER FOUND MULTIPLE REPORTS OF IDENTICAL INCIDENTS ON AN INTERNET SEARCH ENGINE. UPDATED 11/15/2012 *JS

DRIVER SUFFERED A DIABETIC HYPOGLYCEMIC INCIDENT AND RAN OFF THE ROAD AND COLLIDED WITH A GUARD RAIL. THE ACCIDENT WAS A FRONTAL IMPACT THAT RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE FRONT BUMPER, FENDERS, ENGINE COMPARTMENT, SUSPENSION, AND FRAME. THE ACCIDENT DAMAGED APPROXIMATELY 40' OF GUARD RAIL, INCLUDING THE END SECTION. DURING THE ACCIDENT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE HAS A HISTORY OF INTERMITTENT AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ACTIVATION, AND HAS UNDERGONE REPLACEMENT OF SEVERAL KEY COMPONENTS OF THE CONTROL SYSTEM (I.E. SRS MODULE, CLOCKSPRING IN STEERING COLUMN, AND WIRING HARNESS UNDER FRONT PASSENGER SEAT). THE VEHICLE SPEED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT IS UNKNOWN, BUT ESTIMATED AT LESS THAN 40MPH. WEATHER WAS CLEAR, SUNNY. TRAFFIC WAS NONE TO LIGHT CONDITIONS. ROAD CONDITIONS WERE EXCELLENT. DRIVER SUFFERED MINOR WHIPLASH NECK INJURY AND WAS TREATED/RELEASED FOR THE HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT. SHOULD THE AIR BAGS HAVE DEPLOYED IN THIS TYPE OF ACCIDENT? DID THE PRIOR ISSUES AND REPAIRS OF THE AIR BAG CONTROL SYSTEM HAVE ANY EFFECT ON THE AIR BAGS NOT DEPLOYING? DID THE VEHICLE FRONTAL CRUSH ZONE AND THE IMPACT ATTENUATION OF THE GUARD RAIL SYSTEM AFFECT THE DECELERATION OF THE VEHICLE TO THE POINT WHERE THE AIR BAGS DID NOT NEED TO DEPLOY? INTERNET RESEARCH OF THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ISSUE (UNCONFIRMED BLOG-TYPE ENTRIES) INDICATES THAT OTHER VEHICLES OF THIS MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR (INCLUDING 1 - 2 PRIOR MODEL YEARS) HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN FRONT END COLLISIONS WHERE THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND EXHIBIT A RUMBLING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 57,600. UPDATED 10/17/12 *CN THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT A COST OF $ 3,000. UPDATED 10/22/12

OWNED THIS CAR APPROX. 3 MONTHS WITH PROBLEMS FROM DAY 1. FIRST WEEK TOOK IN FOR 3 FRONT END ALIGNMENTS, CAR ALWAYS PULLED TO THE RIGHT, PROBLEM NEVER FIXED. AFTER ONE MONTH WHEN SUMMER ARRIVED NO COLD AIR, HAD TO HAVE EVAPORATOR REPLACED $1,000, CAR IN SHOP FOR 2 WEEKS, AIR STILL NOT BLOWING COLD. REPLACED LOW PRESSURE SWITCH, HIGH END SWITCH, PRESSURE LINE, STILL NO COLD AIR, PROBLEM WAS NEVER RESOLVED. WOULD IDLE REAL HARD AT STOPS. TOLD IT WAS A BROKEN MOTOR MOUNT, REPLACED $150. CAR OVERHEATED, REPLACED THERMOSTAT, STILL OVERHEATING, COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHY...FINALLY THE TURBO ENGINE BLEW ON THE 3 MONTH ANNIVERSARY OF OWNING THIS CAR. HAD TO CALL BANK TO VOLUNTEER A SURRENDER DUE TO COST OF REPLACING ENGINE. CAR DEALER WAS NO HELP, JUST TOLD ME THERE WAS NOT A RECALL OR WARRANTY ON THIS VEHICLE. CALLED CHRYSLER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS DEALERS RESPONSIBILITY. WOW, I WILL NEVER OWN A CHRYSLER AGAIN, THIS WAS THE FIRST AND DEFINITELY THE LAST! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE LIFT GATE WITH THE ELECTRONIC KEY FOB BUT THE LIFT GATE WOULD NOT OPEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 07V149000 (VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR) THAT COULD POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,000. UPDATED 7/11/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED WITH THE MANUFACTURER. UPDATED 07/12/12

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE MY DASH LIGHTS/GAUGES WENT CRAZY (ON/OFF,ON/OFF). FINALLY WENT BACK TO NORMAL. THEN IN DEC. I WENT OUT TO START IT & NOTHING, TRIED TO JUMP IT & NOTHING...END UP BUYING NEW BATTERY & IT STARTED RIGHT UP. THIS MONTH (MAY 10 2012) WAS DRIVING TO AN APPT. & DASH LIGHTS ALL CAME ON & THEN ENGINE QUIT, PULLED OFF ROAD, TURNED KEY TO OFF & BACK ON (CAR STARTED RIGHT UP), NO MORE TROUBLE THAT DAY. MAY 13 2012 DRIVING & DASH LIGHTS WOULD ALL COME ON & THEN GO OFF SEVERAL TIMES, THE ENGINE DIDN'T STOP THIS TIME. WHAT IF I AM ON INTERSTATE AGAIN & IT DOES THIS, INJURING SOMEONE. I'M NOT HAPPY WITH CHRYSLER, THERE IS NO RECALL. MILEAGE IS 71, 200. APPARENTLY PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE IN THE STEERING COLUMN, YOU JUST SHAKE IT OR TURN KEY OFF/ON IT QUITS. DON'T KAV THE MONEY TO FIX & MECHANIC CAN'T GET IT TO THIS WHEN HE HAS CAR. *JS

2006 PT CRUISER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO CRANKSHAFT ISSUES AND VEHICLE REPAIRS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL AND THEREFORE, IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 03/13/12. THE CONSUMER WAS CONTACTED AT THE END OF THE DAY AND INFORMED THE CRANKSHAFT HAD RUINED THE ENGINE BLOCK AND NEEDED A SHORT BLOCK REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF $4,000-5,000. THE CONSUMER HAD THE SAME ISSUE AT 4,000 WHERE THE CRANKSHAFT HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A FACTORY DEFECT. CHRYSLER APPROVED THE SHORT BLOCK REPLACEMENT, BUT THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY A CO-PAY. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALER ON 03/21/12 AND WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE WAS READY TO BE PICKED UP. HOWEVER, UPON ARRIVAL THE NEXT DAY, THE ONLY THING THAT WAS REPLACED, WAS THE CRANKSHAFT, THE DEALER KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SHORT BLOCK. THE CONSUMER WAS ASSURED THE BLOCK WAS NOT DAMAGED, EVEN THOUGH THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD PREVIOUSLY THE BLOCK WAS DAMAGED. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED. A SQUEALING NOISE EMITTED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CONTACT EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING OUT OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 104,000.