2008 Chrysler Pt Cruiser

OUR 2008 PT CRUISER WAS GOING NORTH AND A WOMAN EXITING AN INTERSTATE GOING EAST RAN A RED LIGHT AND HIT US. THE IMPACT RIPPED OFF THE FRONT BUMPER, DESTROYED THE ENGINE, AND TWISTED THE FRONT OF THE CRUISER SO THE PASSENGER DOOR COULD NOT OPEN. WE WERE GOING 35MPH I ESTIMATE HER SPEED TO BE 55MPH. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS IN THE CRUISER DEPLOYED AND THE SEAT BELT IN THE PASSENGER SIDE DID NOT HOLD THE PASSENGER BACK. THE PASSENGER IN THE CRUISER HIT THE DASH CAUSING INJURIES. THE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK OR TIGHTEN AT ALL. THIS HAS TO BE A DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT BECAUSE THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT HELD THEM BACK. *TR

I THINK THEIR IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN ON THE 2008 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE AIR BAG OFF LIGHT ON THE DASH IS SUPPOSED TO BE ILLUMINATED WHEN LESS THAN 30 LBS IS IN THE SEAT. THE AIRBAG LIGHT OFF LIGHT NEVER COMES ON. THE AIRBAG PROBLEM LIGHT HOWEVER DOES COME ON AND DINGS CONSTANTLY. I HAVE NO IDEA IF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IS EVEN WORKING. I HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND I THINK IT IS COMMON. I DO NOT THINK THIS SHOULD BE OVERLOOKED. *TR

FOLLOWING AN OIL CHANGE AND AIR FILTER REPLACEMENT AT A VALVOLINE EXPRESS SHOP, THE TECHNICIAN USED AN AIR HOSE TO BLOW OUT DEBRIS (SEEDS, NUTS, ETC.) FROM THE AIR FILTER BOX. APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE AFTER LEAVING THE SHOP, THE GAS PEDAL ON THE CAR WENT LOOSE, AND THE ENGINE KEPT REVVING, STEADILY INCREASING THE SPEED OF THE CAR. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE CAR BY BRAKING HARD AND EVENTUALLY SWITCHING TO NEUTRAL, AND PULLED THE CAR SAFELY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV AS THOUGH I HAD THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR. WHEN I CONTACTED THE VALVOLINE SHOP, THEY SENT OUT A MANAGER AND TECHNICIAN TO CHECK THE CAR. THEY QUICKLY FOUND THAT ONE OF THE "NUTS" FROM THE AIR FILTER BOX HAD BECOME STUCK IN THE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY, CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE CARS ACCELERATION. AFTER REMOVING THE OBSTRUCTION, THERE HAVE BEEN NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. ALTHOUGH I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR AND BRING IT SAFELY TO A STOP, THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT UNDER OTHER CONDITIONS (HEAVY TRAFFIC, HIGHER SPEEDS, ETC.). IT SEEMS THAT THERE SHOULD BE A SAFETY MECHANISM THAT RECOGNIZES WHEN THE BRAKE IS BEING APPLIED WHILE THE THROTTLE IS WIDE OPEN, AND ALLOWS THE DRIVER TO REGAIN CONTROL. ALSO, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT REMOVING DEBRIS FROM THE AIR FILTER BOX SHOULD BE DONE WITH A VACUUM RATHER THAN A HIGH PRESSURE AIR HOSE WHICH ESSENTIALLY BLOWS THE DEBRIS THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, POTENTIALLY CAUSING PROBLEMS LIKE THIS ONE. THE AFFECTED VEHICLE WAS A 2008 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER TOURING WITH 50,000 MILES , AND WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHEN THE ACCELERATOR FAILED. *TR

I WAS FORCED TO BRAKE QUICKLY AND THE CAR SKIDDED ALMOST AS IF ON ICE. AFTER INSPECTING THE CAR AND NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE ANY VISIBLE PROBLEMS I WAS ON MY WAY TO FIND THAT THE CAR WAS NOW PULLING TO THE LEFT AND THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WAS SHAKING VIOLENTLY WHEN TAKING LIGHT BUMPS. UPON ARRIVING HOME I FOUND THAT THE REAR SUPPORT BEAM HAD BROKEN CLEAN THROUGH. *TR

THE CHECK TIRE LIGHT CAME ON IN MY 2008 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. UPON FILLING THE TIRE, THE AIR-HOSE POPPED OFF AND HIT ME. I FOUND THAT THE THREADED PORTION OF THE STEM WAS BROKEN OFF ALONG WITH THE VALVE. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER ABOUT THE SENSOR AND THE PROBLEM THAT I HAD EXPERIENCED AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS "COMMON WEAR AND TEAR" AND THAT THEY DID NOT COVER THIS. I HAVE CHECKED WITH MULTIPLE TIRE SALES COMPANIES AND HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND HOW THE PROBLEM OCCURS. THE AIR HOSE HAS TO BE PLACED AND HELD TOTALLY STRAIGHT ON THE VALVE. THE STEMS ARE EXTREMELY FRAGILE AND OFTEN BREAK IF THE HOSE IS BENT OR PULLED. I SUFFER FROM PARKINSON'S AND BACK PROBLEMS AND CANNOT STAY BENT DOWN FOR VERY LONG SO I WAS USING A STATION THAT ALLOWS PRE-SET PRESSURE AND A CLAMPING DEVICE FOR THE STEM. THIS IS THE FIRST VEHICLE THAT I HAVE OWNED WITH THE NEW SENSORS AND HAVE HAD NO WARNING ABOUT THE DANGER INVOLVED. I FEEL THAT THIS ITEM IS EITHER DEFECTIVE, CHEAPLY MADE, OR TOO FRAGILE TO BE USED ON THE TIRE. I ALSO COULD HAVE SUFFERED WORSE THAN A BRUISED LEG WHEN THE HOSE BROKE. CHRYSLER WILL NOT REPLACE THIS PART AND I CANNOT AFFORD IT.

MY DAUGHTER WAS ON HER WAY TO NURSING SCHOOL WHEN HER 2008 PT CRUISER ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN, WITH HER FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL, TO APPROXIMATELY 85 MPH SHE HAD TO USE BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKES TO STOP IT. I ARRIVED ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER, STARTED THE CAR, THE ACCELERATOR WAS STILL STUCK IN THE WIDE OPEN POSITION. CHRYSLER TOWED THE AUTO TO OLATHE CHRYSLER, THEY SAID NO CODES WERE STORED AND SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE AUTOMOBILE. AFTER A EXTENDED CONVERSATION, THE SERVICE MANAGER AGREED TO REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR CABLE AND THE THROTTLE BODY. BUT STATED HE DID NOT THINK THEY WERE THE PROBLEM BUT HAD NO OTHER IDEAS. WHEN I ASKED IF IT WAS SAFE FOR MY DAUGHTER TO DRIVE, HE SAID I SHOULD DRIVE IT FOR A WHILE IN CASE IT HAPPENED AGAIN. MY RESPONSE WAS IS IT SAFE FOR ME TO DRIVE HE SAID BE CAREFUL. I ALSO CALLED CHRYSLER BUT GOT THE SAME RESPONSE, WITHOUT CODES STORED IT IS VERY HARD TO FIX. THEY WERE VERY NON-COMMITTAL WHEN ASKED WILL THE CAR BE SAFE TO DRIVE AFTER THE CABLE AND THROTTLE BODY ARE REPLACED? *TR

ON APRIL 8TH, THIS YEAR, I WAS IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT IN MY 2008 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER AND BROKE MY BACK; THERE IS A CHANCE I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO WORK AS A HOSPITAL INPATIENT NURSE EVER AGAIN BECAUSE I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO LIFT 100 POUNDS. MY 6 AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND MY SEAT BELT MALFUNCTIONED (IT LENGTHENED DURING THE FLIPPING OF THE CAR) ALLOWING MY BODY TO TURN AROUND, FACING THE REAR, AND CRUSHED MY SPINE AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAD JUST FINISHED A 12-HR NIGHT SHIFT AT THE HOSPITAL, WAS JUST ONE MILE FROM HOME, SWERVED TO THE SHOULDER TO AVOID A RABBIT. THE TIRES SLIPPED OFF THE SHOULDER INTO THE GRASS (THE SPEED LIMIT WAS 50MPH & I USUALLY DRIVE A LITTLE UNDER), I WAS VERY TIRED & OVER-CORRECTED WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO ROLL SIDEWAYS 4 TIMES AND THEN HIT TWO TREES. IT WAS ABOUT 8AM AND NO ONE FOUND ME FOR ALMOST 1/2 HR. I WAS CONSCIOUS THE ENTIRE TIME. I FRACTURED ONE VERTEBRA (T11) WHICH WAS SURGICALLY FUSED WITH MY T10 AND T12 VERTEBRAE, AS WELL AS THE 3 VERTEBRAE REPAIRED WITH TITANIUM RODS AND SCREWS, AND PACKED WITH DONOR BONE. I'M BLESSED IT WAS NOT WORSE. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A MIRACLE THAT I SURVIVED. I AM ALSO VERY INTERESTED IN FORCING CHRYSLER TO DO A RECALL ON THE 2008 P T CRUISERS. IF I'D HAD MY CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN IN MY CAR, MOST LIKELY ONE OF THEM WOULD HAVE DIED. I SEE ENOUGH PEOPLE DIE EVERY DAY AT THE HOSPITAL SO I DON'T WANT ANY CHILD,ETC., TO DIE IF THE SAME THING HAPPENS IN THEIR PT CRUISERS. *TR