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2009 Chrysler Pt Cruiser

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 2009 Chrysler Pt Cruiser are lower than the model-year median of 202.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

86 reports with mileage · 11 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 60 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports

Power Train complaints

7 reports
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85,000 miles · Sep 3, 2017
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train

MY VEHICLE SHUTS OFF RANDOMLY WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH AND WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 65 MPH. VERY SCARY, DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN MY OWN CAR. FEAR FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY.

NHTSA ODI #11021241

86,000 miles · Nov 30, 2015
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train

AFTER STARTING AND RUNNING NORMALLY FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, THE VEHICLE WILL BEGIN TO EXHIBIT ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THE GAUGES WILL DROP TO ZERO AND THEN SLOWLY RETURN, THE WARNING LIGHTS WILL FLASH, AND THE WARNING CHIME WILL SOUND REPEATEDLY. IT SEEMS LIKE WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE ENGINE GOES THROUGH A START CYCLE. MOST OF THE TIME, T…

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AFTER STARTING AND RUNNING NORMALLY FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, THE VEHICLE WILL BEGIN TO EXHIBIT ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THE GAUGES WILL DROP TO ZERO AND THEN SLOWLY RETURN, THE WARNING LIGHTS WILL FLASH, AND THE WARNING CHIME WILL SOUND REPEATEDLY. IT SEEMS LIKE WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE ENGINE GOES THROUGH A START CYCLE. MOST OF THE TIME, THIS PROBLEM IS OTHERWISE ASYMPTOMATIC, BUT OCCASIONALLY IT RESULTS IN SUDDEN POWER LOSS TO THE ENGINE. IT DOES NOT SEEM TO MATTER IF THE VEHICLE IS MOVING OR NOT; IT HAPPENS IF THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED, MOVING SLOWLY, MOVING QUICKLY, ETC. THE ENGINE HAS LOST POWER MORE THAN ONCE AT A CRITICAL MOMENT (TURNING LEFT, CLEARING AN INTERSECTION) AND MULTIPLE TIMES IN MOVING TRAFFIC.

NHTSA ODI #10807543

74,700 miles · Feb 19, 2015
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

I BROUGHT THE CAR ON 3/25/14 FROM A TOYOTA DEALER SHIP. COMPLAIN ABOUT A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AT THE TIME OF TEST DRIVE. TOYOTA PROMISE ME IT WOULD BE FIXED PICK THE CAR DROVE IT A COUPLE OF DAYS AND NOTICE THE CONTROL PANEL LIGHTS STARTED GOING ON AND OFF ALONG WITH THE CAR SHUTTING DOWN. TOOK IT BACK TO THE DE…

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I BROUGHT THE CAR ON 3/25/14 FROM A TOYOTA DEALER SHIP. COMPLAIN ABOUT A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AT THE TIME OF TEST DRIVE. TOYOTA PROMISE ME IT WOULD BE FIXED PICK THE CAR DROVE IT A COUPLE OF DAYS AND NOTICE THE CONTROL PANEL LIGHTS STARTED GOING ON AND OFF ALONG WITH THE CAR SHUTTING DOWN. TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE NOTHING WAS FOUND. I LET MY DAUGHTER DRIVE THE CAR AND WHILE ON THE FWY AT 65MPH THE LIGHTS ON THE CONTROL PANEL STARTING GOING ON AND OFF THEY CAR SHUT OFF ON HER. LUCKY SHE WAS ABLE TO GUIDE THE CAR OVER TO THE EMERGENCY LANE AVOIDING FROM GETTING HIT. I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR ABOUT 4 MONTHS SO CAR REALLY WASN'T DRIVEN THAT MUCH. BUT I HAVE THIS CAR LESS THAN A YEAR WITH A PROTECTION PLAN AND NEED TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE WORK THE INVOLVED GETTING SOLENOID PACK, BRACKET-TORQUE REACTION,T-STAT, OIL SWITCH, GASKET, AND CAMSHAFT SENSOR AND CRANKSHAFT SENSOR AS OF 2/10/2015. NOW 2 DAYS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES BACK ON TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD I NEED A COOLING FAN MODULE. WHICH IS NOT COVERED UNDER MY PROTECT PLAN AND WOULD HAVE TO PAY ALMOST 700.00 DOLLAR. I HAVE THIS CAR LESS THAN A YEAR AND HAVE BEEN HAVING SO MANY PROBLEMS AND HAVE ALMOST GOTTEN KILLED BEHIND IT CUTTING ON AND OFF ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE RESEARCH THIS CAR AND EVERYONE HAS HAD THE SAME COMPLAINT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10689389

Mileage unknown · Feb 11, 2014
Power Train

PROBLEMS WITH HARD CLUTCH WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE AND THE CLOCKSPRING WHICH BOTH ARE KNOWN ISSUES WITH THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10563807

58,750 miles · Feb 9, 2014
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, ALL GAUGES GO CRAZY, ALL DASH WARNING LIGHTS COME ON AND OFF, VEHICLE LOSES POWER AND STALLS, VERY DANGEROUS WHILE DRIVING. DEALER UNABLE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM DESPITE NUMEROUS REPAIRS AND HAVING THE CAR FOR WEEKS AT A TIME. I CANNOT EXPRESS HOW UNSAFE THIS IS.SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM REPORTED BY OTHERS BUT T…

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DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, ALL GAUGES GO CRAZY, ALL DASH WARNING LIGHTS COME ON AND OFF, VEHICLE LOSES POWER AND STALLS, VERY DANGEROUS WHILE DRIVING. DEALER UNABLE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM DESPITE NUMEROUS REPAIRS AND HAVING THE CAR FOR WEEKS AT A TIME. I CANNOT EXPRESS HOW UNSAFE THIS IS.SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM REPORTED BY OTHERS BUT THE DEALER ACTS AS IF THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THE ISSUE BEFORE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10563612

53,000 miles · Jun 12, 2012
Power Train

2009 PT CRUISER WITH 53,000 MILES WAS INFORMED BY DEALER THAT HYDRAULIC CLUTCH ASSEMBLY IS NOT RELEASING CAUSING HARD SHIFTING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10461317

42,000 miles · May 19, 2011
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE CLUTCH WAS ENGAGED, THE GEAR SELECTOR WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SHIFT IN AND OUT OF GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAULTY CLUTCH WAS NOT COVER…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE CLUTCH WAS ENGAGED, THE GEAR SELECTOR WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SHIFT IN AND OUT OF GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAULTY CLUTCH WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE SERVICE WARRANTY AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.

NHTSA ODI #10402114

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.