2007 Chrysler Pt Cruiser

THE LOCK ON THE BACK GATE WILL RANDOMLY DISENGAGE. THIS CAUSES THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHT TO COME ON AND DRAIN THE BATTERY. I FIND THAT IT MAINLY HAPPENS WHEN CLOSING THE DOORS. SOMETIMES I DON'T KNOW UNTIL I START DRIVING AND THE "GATE" LIGHT COMES ON AND DINGS AT ME . . . WHICH MEANS I HAVE TO PULL OVER, GET OUT OF THE CAR, AND OPEN & CLOSE THE HATCH AGAIN.

ABOUT A MONTH AGO, I WAS DELIVERING FOR A PIZZA COMPANY ON SOMEWHAT WET ROADS. THE GUY IN FRONT OF ME HAD NON-FUNCTIONING TAIL LIGHTS, SO I DID NOT SEE HIM BREAKING UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. I HIT MY BRAKES AND SWERVED TO AVOID HIM, WENT OFF THE ROAD DOWN A 15-20 FOOT EMBANKMENT, AND HIT A SIX TO EIGHT INCH TREE HARD ENOUGH AT 35 MILES AN HOUR TO SPLIT IT IN HALF AND HAVE IT FALL ON TOP OF MY CAR, AND TO BRING ME TO A DEAD STOP. EVEN WITH THAT FORCE, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT GO OFF. I HAD ASKED CHRYSLER TO LOOK INTO IT, BUT AFTER THREE WEEKS, THEY BASICALLY TOLD ME THAT I DID NOT HIT THE BRAKES HARD ENOUGH BECAUSE THE RATE OF DECELERATION NECESSARY TO ACTIVATE THEM WAS NOT PRESENT. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE ONLY REASON, OR EVEN THE ACTUAL REASON, THEY DID NOT GO OFF.

MY 2007 PT CRUISER WITH 17,340 MILES (YES, THAT'S CORRECT), STARTED LEAKING A GOOD AMOUNT OF OIL. RESEARCHED AND FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SOME FOLKS GETTING STRANDED ON HIGHWAY WHEN CAR DROPPED ALL OF ITS OIL, BROUGHT TO DEALER. THE INVOICE STATES THE FOLLOWING: "CUSTOMER STATES VEHICLE IS LEAKING OIL. VERIFIED THE CONCERN. FOUND OIL LEAKING FROM CAM AND CRANK SEALS. DISASSEMBLED ENGINE TO REPLACE SEALS, AND FOUND EXCESSIVE CRANK SHAFT END PLAY, CAUSING THE CRANKSHAFT SEAL TO PUSH OUT. INSPECTED MOTOR, FOUND BROKEN THRUST WASHERS AND DAMAGE TO THE CRANKSHAFT. REPLACE THE ENGINE AND RECHECK, NO MORE OIL LEAKS." AND THAT'S WHAT THEY DID...TOTAL COST, INCLUDING TAX WAS $6,055. THIS WAS NOT AN EASY DECISION. CHECKING ONLINE, I FOUND IT TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. BASED ON WHAT I READ, I ASKED DEALER TO REPLACE WITH A SHORT BLOCK. SAID THEY ARE NO LONGER MADE. CAR IS ONLY WORTH ABOUT 6K BUT THERE'S NO WAY I COULD AFFORD A NEW CAR. THIS WAY I DO HAVE A 3 YR WARRANTY ON THE NEW ENGINE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK AND THE ENGINE REVVED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON A HIGHWAY, APPROACHING THE CITY, WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON. WEATHER CLEAR AND SUNNY. HIGHWAY TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT. MY SPEED WAS AT AROUND 70 MPH. THE DRIVER APPARENTLY DECIDED TO EXIT THE RAMP AS IT WAS LINED WITH VEHICLES. THE DRIVER PULLED OUT OF RAMP AND STEERED TO LEFT LANE ON HIGHWAY, IN FRONT OF ME. I HAD TO BRAKE SUDDENLY TO AVOID COLLISION. MY CAR SUDDENLY SKIDDED AND SPUN AROUND ONCE, WITH RUBBER BURNING FROM TIRES. MY VEHICLE NEARLY CRASHED AGAINST THE RAIL AS MY CAR SKIDDED FOR 2ND TIME TO STOP. NO INJURIES OR PROPERTY DAMAGES. INSPECTED MY CAR LATER AT GAS STATION. DID NOT DETECT ANY VISUAL PROBLEMS. COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHY MY CAR SKIDDED AND SPUN AROUND ON HIGHWAY. AFTER THE SHOPPING TRIP, I DROVE HOME WITH NO INCIDENTS. AS I PULLED IN HOME, THERE WAS SMOKE COMING OUT OF UNDER HOOD. MY CAR WAS INSPECTED BY TWO MECHANICS, FROM SEPARATE TIME AND LOCATION, AND I WAS TOLD MY COOLING FAN BROKE. POSSIBLE THAT THE INCIDENT LEADED THE FAN TO SHUT DOWN DUE TO MECHANICAL ERROR, THE FIRST MECHANIC SAID. COST TO REPLACE THE COOLING FAN AND LABOR CAN RUN AS HIGH AS $400. ALSO, THE AIRBAG LIGHT, ON DASHBOARD, STAYS ON MOST OF TIME.