← New search

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
Compare all Pt Cruiser years →

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

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

14 reports
Clear category filter
40,000 miles · Oct 29, 2011
Electrical SystemVehicle Speed Control

PURCHASED A USED 2009 PT CRUISER IN MAY 2011, WITH 37,000 MILES. APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS AND 3,000 MILES LATER THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ON THE DASH STARTED TO LIGHT UP LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE. FIRST THE SEATBELT LIGHT CAME ON, THEN THE WHOLE CLUSTER LIT UP AND THEN THE SEATBELT LIGHT CAME ON AND WENT OFF. THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMET…

Read full complaint

PURCHASED A USED 2009 PT CRUISER IN MAY 2011, WITH 37,000 MILES. APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS AND 3,000 MILES LATER THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ON THE DASH STARTED TO LIGHT UP LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE. FIRST THE SEATBELT LIGHT CAME ON, THEN THE WHOLE CLUSTER LIT UP AND THEN THE SEATBELT LIGHT CAME ON AND WENT OFF. THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER ALSO DROPPED. I THOUGHT THIS MIGHT BE AN ALTERNATOR PROBLEM, BUT IT CHECKED OUT OK AND I DID NOT HAVE THE PROBLEM AGAIN FOR A FEW MORE MONTHS. THIS TIME IT FLASHED ON AND OFF APPROXIMATELY 3 TIMES. TODAY, 10/29/11, AT 49,000 IT HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES. I DID NOT LOSE POWER OR ACCELERATION, BUT AT ONE POINT I DID FEEL A HICCUP IN THE ACCELERATION. I HAVE HEARD THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE STALLED OUT IN TRAFFIC AND THAT THE DEALERSHIPS CANNOT EXPLAIN THIS. I LOOKS LIKE THERE IS A PROBLEM AND CHRYSLER NEEDS TO ADDRESS IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10433528

Mileage unknown · Jun 23, 2011
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash

2009 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. CONSUMER STATES UNINTENDED ACCELERATION *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE WOULD SURPASS THE SET SPEED, BY 2-3 MPH. THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAD AN ACCIDENT WHEN HE WENT AROUND A CURVE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED WHEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED OUT OF …

Read full complaint

2009 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. CONSUMER STATES UNINTENDED ACCELERATION *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE WOULD SURPASS THE SET SPEED, BY 2-3 MPH. THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAD AN ACCIDENT WHEN HE WENT AROUND A CURVE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED WHEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL AND LEFT THE ROAD WAY. THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, BUT CONSEQUENTLY THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER TWICE AND LANDED UPSIDE DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10408408

7,800 miles · Jul 14, 2010
Vehicle Speed Control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE SITTING IDLE, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF A PRECEDING VEHICLE. HE THEN ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL TO STOP THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION BUT INSTEAD, THE VEHICLE REVERSED AND CRASHED INTO THE VEHIC…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE SITTING IDLE, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF A PRECEDING VEHICLE. HE THEN ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL TO STOP THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION BUT INSTEAD, THE VEHICLE REVERSED AND CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE BEHIND HIS. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AT AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, WHILE SITTING IDLE AT A STOP SIGN, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED. HE ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKES BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE CONTACT THEN SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND APPLIED THE BRAKES. HE WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PREVIOUSLY ENCOUNTERED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR PROVIDE A REASON FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7,800 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 8,000.

NHTSA ODI #10343248

7,200 miles · Mar 9, 2010
Vehicle Speed Control

I HAVE A 2009 PT CRUISER, I HAVE ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, ENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL, TO FIND THAT IT HAS SURGED AND CAUSED THE CAR TO SPEED UP WITH OUT WARNING. I THOUGHT IT WAS ME UNTIL IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I HAVE NOT USED IT SINCE. IT DID NOT WANT TO DISENGAGE AND I HAD TO HIT THE BRAKES REALLY HARD AND HOLD THEM DOWN TO GET…

Read full complaint

I HAVE A 2009 PT CRUISER, I HAVE ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, ENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL, TO FIND THAT IT HAS SURGED AND CAUSED THE CAR TO SPEED UP WITH OUT WARNING. I THOUGHT IT WAS ME UNTIL IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I HAVE NOT USED IT SINCE. IT DID NOT WANT TO DISENGAGE AND I HAD TO HIT THE BRAKES REALLY HARD AND HOLD THEM DOWN TO GET THE CAR TO RELEASE THE CRUISE CONTROL FEATURE. CONTACTED DEALER TO ASK IF ANYONE ELSE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS, WAS TOLD I MUST BE DRIVING A TOYOTA? DID NOT FIND THAT HUMOROUS, THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH. I DO SEE THAT THEY HAD AN ISSUE IN THE 2001 MODELS FOR SOMETHING SIMILAR TO WHAT I AM REPORTING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10318041

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.