Electrical System. Review the 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Suspension. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

22 crash reports15 fire reports14 injury reports

Wheels complaints

11 reports

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20,000 miles · Dec 10, 2004

Wheels

Read full complaint

I HAVE A 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER WITH CHROME PLATED WHEELS. I HAD A FLAT TIRE AND BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A TIRE STORE FOR REPAIR. THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TIRE BUT THE WHEELS WERE CORRODED TO THE POINT THAT THE AIR LEAKED OUT AROUND THE VALVE STEM. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER AND THEY ORDERED NEW WHEELS AND SAID THEY WOULD BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. WHEN THE WHEELS CAME IN THEY CALLED ME AND I SETUP AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THEM INSTALLED. I TOOK THE CAR THERE AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD CALL ME WHEN IT WAS DONE. THEY CALLED THREE HOURS LATER AND SAID THEY COULD NOT REPLACE THE WHEELS UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE CHRYSLER RECENTLY CHANGED THEIR POLICY. THEY SAID THE CORROSION WAS DUE TO ENVIORNMENTAL REASONS DUE TO THE AREA I LIVE. SOUTHWESTERN NEW YORK. THE CAR HAS ONLY BEEN THROUGH ONE WINTER AND PART OF ANOTHER. THESE WHEELS WERE STANDARD EQUIPMENT ON THE MODEL I PURCHASED. I FEEL THIS IS A TREMENDOUS SAFETY HAZZARD AS YOU CAN NOT TELL THE AIR HAS LEAKED OUT UNLESS YOU LOOK AT THE TIRE. IT HAS BEEN DOWN TO FIVE LBS. OF AIR AND YOU CAN'T TELL WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. I WOULD THINK THE TIRE COULD COME OFF THE WHEEL AND CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL AND SERIOUS INJURY.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10102618

Official recalls

04V268000 · Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:hose, Piping, And Connections

Jun 3, 2004

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.4L NON-TURBOCHARGED ENGINES AND AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES, THE POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE MAY CONTACT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER, POTENTIALLY DAMAGING THE HOSE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND RELOCATE, OR REPLACE AS NECESSARY, THE POWER STEERING HOSE AND CONFIRM TORQUE OF THE HOSE FASTENER AT THE STEERING GEAR END. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 20, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

03V076000 · Power Train:clutch Assembly

Mar 10, 2003

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, MANUAL TRANSMISSION MODELS ONLY, A WELDED PIN INTERNAL TO THE DUAL-MASS FLYWHEEL (DMF) ASSEMBLY CAN UNSEAT AND BECOME LODGED BETWEEN THE FLYWHEEL AND THE CLUTCH DISC.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS, THE CLUTCH MAY NOT DISENGAGE WHEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FLYWHEEL AND CLUTCH ASSEMBLIES WITH THE UPDATED DESIGN PARTS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON APRIL 14, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

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

PE04028 · Engine Compartment Fires

Opened Mar 15, 2004 · Closed Jun 18, 2004

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering; Steering:hydraulic Power Assist System; Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:hose, Piping, And Connections; Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:power Steering Fluid

PE04-028 WAS OPENED TO INVESTIGATE SEVEN COMPLAINTS ALLEGING THAT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT FIRE ON MY 2002 PT CRUISER VEHICLES.ON JUNE 3, 2004, DAIMLERCHRYSLER (DCC) NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN MY 2001-2005 PT CRUISER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH NATURALLY ASPIRATED 2.4L ENGINES AND AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES (RECALL 04V-268).THE NOTIFICATION IDENTIFIED VARIATION OF THE HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE ROUTING, WHICH ALLOWED THE HOSE TO CONTACT THE TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER, AS THE FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THIS DEFECT.CONTACT BETWEEN THE POWER STEERING HOSE AND THE TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER CAN CAUSE HOSE DAMAGE AND POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKAGE, WHICH CAN POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A FIRE. (NOTE: THE FAILURE DATA IN THIS RESUME IS LIMITED TO MY 2001-2003 VEHICLES PER DCC'S PE04-028 INFORMATION RESPONSES.)THIS CONDITION WAS LIMITED TO VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES AS VEHICLES WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS HAVE SUBSTANTIAL CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER AND THE POWER STEERING HOSE DUE TO A SMALLER TRANSAXLE DESIGN.THIS CONDITION ALSO DOES NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT VEHICLES WITH TURBO ENGINES, WHICH HAVE A DIFFERENT POWER STEERING HOSE ROUTING THAT PROVIDES SUBSTANTIAL CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER AND HOSE.DAIMLERCHRYSLER WILL INSTRUCT OWNERS TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE POWER STEERING HOSE ASSEMBLY INSPECTED AND RELOCATED, OR REPLACED, AS NECESSARY, AND TO CONFIRM THE TORQUE OF THE HOSE FASTENER AT THE STEERING GEAR END.

Additional source detail variants (4)

Steering

Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:hose, Piping, And Connections

Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:power Steering Fluid

Steering:hydraulic Power Assist System

PE02082 · Safety Belt Cinching Latch Plate

Opened Nov 6, 2002 · Closed Apr 23, 2003

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts

THERE ARE NO INJURIES OR FATALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ALLEGED DEFECT.WHILE CONDUCTING THIS INVESTIGATION, ODI FOUND THAT THE SUBJECT CINCHES MEET THE LOAD BEARING REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD 208, AND THAT MANY OF THE REPORTED FAILURES WERE DUE TO INCORRECT CHILD SAFETY SEAT INSTALLATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, THE REPORT RATE IS LOW (1.60/100K).THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE FAILS TO ESTABLISH THE EXISTENCE OF A DEFECT TREND AT THIS TIME.FURTHER ALLOCATION OF AGENCY RESOURCES TO THIS ISSUE IS UNWARRANTED AND THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION IS BEING CLOSED.