2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser engine and engine cooling problems

“WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON 2/9/2015 ALL OF A SUDDEN WHILE IN MOTION MY CAR SHUTDOWN - FROZE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. IF IT WASN'T FOR SLOW BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC I COULD HAVE BEEN IN A VERY BAD CAR ACCIDENT BECAUSE SOMEONE COULD OF HIT ME. THE CAR WOULD NOT REV OR NOTHING BUT THE LIGHTS, RADIO ALL WORKED. I GOT TOWED TO A MECHANIC THAT WAS NOT CHRYSLER AND THEY CHECKED AND THE ENGINE AND BATTERY & ALTERNATOR AND WAS FINE. BUT THEY CONTINUED TO CHECK AND FOUND IT WAS COMPUTER RELATED WHERE THE COMPUTER IS MALFUNCTIONING TO WHERE IT JUST SHUTS EVERYTHING DOWN. I WENT TO A CHRYSLER DEALER THAT DAY BECAUSE THE CAR STARTED AGAIN BUT WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF A TOW TRUCK FOLLOWING BEHIND JUST IN CASE. THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP KEPT MY CAR OVERNIGHT AND TODAY ON 2/11/2015 TOLD ME JUST TO START THE POSSIBLE FIX OF THE CAR THEY WOULD HAVE TO FIX THE TIPM (TOTAL INTEGRATED POWER MODULE) AND THEY ARE NOT SURE THIS WILL FIX IT BUT JUST TO START IT WILL COST ME $1,149.27. THEY SAID CHRYSLER IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COSTS BECAUSE MY WARRANTY IS OVER (WAS 3 YEARS). I ARGUED WITH THEM AND TOLD THEM CHRYSLER IS RESPONSIBLE AND WARRANTY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT - IT IS A DANGER…”

“OUR PT CRUISER STARTED EXHIBITING MOMENTS OF ENGINE FAILURE AFTER ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH BOARD CAME ON. WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO OUR LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO HAS REPLACED A CHIP IN THE BOARD, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. IT HAS BECOME VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THE PT CRUISER, ESPECIALLY ON HOT DAYS, BECAUSE THE PROBLEM BECOMES MORE PREVALENT DURING THIS TIME. WE HAVE MADE SEVERAL VISITS TO THE MECHANIC TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM SOLVED BUT ALL SUBSEQUENT VISITS HAVE NOT GIVEN US ANY RESULTS AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. *TR”

“2006 PT CRUISER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO CRANKSHAFT ISSUES AND VEHICLE REPAIRS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL AND THEREFORE, IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 03/13/12. THE CONSUMER WAS CONTACTED AT THE END OF THE DAY AND INFORMED THE CRANKSHAFT HAD RUINED THE ENGINE BLOCK AND NEEDED A SHORT BLOCK REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF $4,000-5,000. THE CONSUMER HAD THE SAME ISSUE AT 4,000 WHERE THE CRANKSHAFT HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A FACTORY DEFECT. CHRYSLER APPROVED THE SHORT BLOCK REPLACEMENT, BUT THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY A CO-PAY. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALER ON 03/21/12 AND WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE WAS READY TO BE PICKED UP. HOWEVER, UPON ARRIVAL THE NEXT DAY, THE ONLY THING THAT WAS REPLACED, WAS THE CRANKSHAFT, THE DEALER KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SHORT BLOCK. THE CONSUMER WAS ASSURED THE BLOCK WAS NOT DAMAGED, EVEN THOUGH THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD PREVIOUSLY THE BLOCK WAS DAMAGED. *JB”

“I OWN A 2006 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER W/AUTOMATIC TRANS. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, INC. THE 4 CYL ENGINE IN MY VEHICLE COMPLETELY FAILED 3 SEPSRASTE TIMES, TWICE LAST YEAR, AND 1 TIME SO FAR THIS YEAR WHILE DRIVING IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. THIS CONDITION CAUSES THE AIR BAG TO NOT DEPLOY; EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR LIGHTS AS WELL AS ALL POWER ASSIST SYSTEMS SUCH AS STEERING AND BREAKS, AS WELL AS ALL OTHER ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES TO FAIL. I CONTACTED THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO TAKE MY VEHICLE INTO THE LOCAL DEALER AS I WAS ABLE TO RESTART, AS WAS I ABLE EACH TIME PREVIOUS, GIVEN I EXPERIENCED NO FURTHER PROBLEMS UNTIL LAST WEEK. HOWEVER, THE DEALER DIAGNOSTIC TEST YIELDED NOTHING WHICH COULD ACCOUNT FOR THE VEHICLE COMPLETE OPERATIONAL SHUT-DOWN. I WAS ADVISED THERE ARE NO RECALLS, OR WARRANTY, AND THE DEALER INFORMED ME TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURERS CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER TO ADVISE THEM. THE CUSTOMER CASE MANAGER INDICATED THERE WOULD BE NO ASSISTANCE FORTHCOMING AS THE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING SHOWED NOTHING CONCLUSIVE. THE LATEST FALURE MILEASE WAS 72,000.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE RIGHT CRANKSHAFT SEAL FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN FEBRUARY 2010, THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE RIGHT CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT FAILED TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 83,000.”

“I WENT IN TO THE LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2012 FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE. I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE AN ENGINE MOUNT. I HAD TO REPLACE ON IN SEPTEMBER OF 2010 AND I WAS QUITE SHOCKED THAT I WAS FACED WITH THIS REPAID AGAIN. IT WAS A DIFFERENT MOUNT THIS TIME. SO I ASKED THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING. I AM 57 YEARS OLD AND IN 40 YEARS OF DRIVING I HAVE NEVER EVEN HEARD ABOUT THIS HAPPENING TO ANY ONE. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS SOMEWHAT OF A DESIGN FLAW IN THE PT CRUISER AND THAT THIS PARTICULAR DEALER PERFORMS 20 TO 30 LIKE REPAIRS A WEEK.. THIS MEANS THAT THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THIS VEHICLE. I CHECKED ON LINE AND SURE ENOUGH, IT APPEARS THAT THERE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT PT CRUISER ENGINE MOUNTS. WHAT CAN BE DONE? IT IS NOT FAIR THAT CHRYSLER CAN SELL A PRODUCT LIKE THIS - KNOWING THAT THERE ARE ISSUES - AND KEEP RAKING IN MONEY FOR THE REPAIRS. SHOULDN'T THEY BE HELD TO SOME KIND OF STANDARD? THIS IS A SAFETY MATTER, FOR SURE. IT IS A MORAL ONE AS WELL. *TR”