Problems · NHTSA complaints

2007 Chrysler PT Cruiser problems

Owners filed 150 complaints about the 2007 Chrysler PT Cruiser with NHTSA between Jan 2007 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is air bags (28).

Complaints
150
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
18
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
23
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags28
  2. Engine and engine cooling27
  3. Electrical system23
  4. Engine23
  5. Power train17
  6. Steering11
  7. Exterior lighting9
  8. Suspension8
  9. Fuel/propulsion system5
  10. Seats5
  11. Seat belts5
  12. Vehicle speed control4
  13. Service brakes4
  14. Visibility4

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20076
200811
200914
201016
201115
20127
201316
201411
201515
201610
201713
20185
20195
20202
20210
20221
20230
20241
20251
20261

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Air bags

28 reports13 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2007 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING AND CRASHED HEAD ON INTO A UTILITY POLE. THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG PARTIALLY DEPLOYED AND DID NOT COMPLETELY INFLATE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A BRUISED CHEST AND INJURIES TO THE RIGHT HAND AND SHOULDER. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS RECEIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED AWAY. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. POLICE REPORT NUMBER: [XXX] WAS FILED. GARY MILLER CHRYSLER (5746 PEACH ST, ERIE, PA) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.*BF ('PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).')*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 8, 2019Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11278917

Engine and engine cooling

27 reports1 fire
“AFTER GETTING OUT OF MY CAR AND NOTICING A OIL LEAK ON THE DRIVEWAY, I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE DIAGNOSED IT AS A FAILED FRONT CRANK SEAL. VEHICLE IS MAINTAINED WITH NORMAL MAINTENANCE AND OIL CHANGES EVER 3000 MILES. IT ONLY HAS SLIGHTLY OVER 47000 MILES AND A MAJOR MECHANICAL PROBLEM.. WELL, I CONTACTED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER CARE AND THEY CANT HELP.. I HAD IT REPAIRED AND ABSORBED THE FULL COST MYSELF..THEN AS OF THIS WEEKEND 12/27/13 I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN...CALLED CHRYSLER AND THEY WON'T HELP AT ALL I'M READING ABOUT THIS BEING A PRETTY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2.4 ENGINES ISN'T IT TIME WE HOLD OUT MANUFACTURES RESPONSIBLE??? TO AT LEAST ABSORB SOME OF THE COST FOR PARTS FAILING WAY TOO SOON IN THEIR EXPECTED LIFE...IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ON A LONG TRIP I MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN MUCH WORSE SHAPE...VEHICLE WAS 4 QUARTS LOW WHEN I FINALLY ALERTED THERE WAS ANOTHER LEAK.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 27, 2014Engine and engine coolingODI 10578702

Electrical system

23 reports1 fire
“Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2007 Chrysler PT Cruiser. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 31,056, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 28,400. The vehicle report indicated that in 2017 the mileage was 48,000. The contact reported the issue to the New Jersey DMV.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 2, 2026Electrical systemODI 11768446

Engine

23 reports1 fire
“I'm driving along, cruise set to 65. Ac on. Radio on. No sounds or weird feels from the car. Every light on the dash comes on. They went off after two seconds, with the seatbelt light being last to shut off. Then the car hits 113k miles about ten miles later and just... shuts off. All gauges drop to zero. Ac shuts off. Radio still playing. Full tank of gas. Headlights still on, brakes worked, power steering worked, and emergency flashers worked. I managed to get out of traffic and pull over without causing an accident. I turn the radio off and turn the key off for a few minutes. It cranked right back up and ran a little rough for a moment before smoothing out. I drove home without incident, but kept the radio and cruise off. And stayed under 65. Thankfully, traffic was light. The car has not been fixed as of this posting, nor has it been seen by anyone due to the weekend. Unsure of when I can get it fixed due to finances, but if this happens in heavy traffic or on one of many roads with no shoulder, lives will be at risk.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 17, 2022Electrical system, Unknown or other, EngineODI 11469857

Power train

17 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED WITH THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE READING HOT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO I-10 CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (79200 VARNER RD, INDIO, CA 92203) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE COOLING FAN WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SEVERAL INDEPENDENT MECHANICS WHERE THE COOLING FAN ASSEMBLY, MODULE, HIGH AND LOW SPEED RELAYS, THE THERMOSTAT, COOLING FAN, RADIATOR CAP AND COOLANT WERE ALL REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON AND OFF AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CRYSTAL CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (36444 AUTO PARK DR, CATHEDRAL CITY, CA 92234) WHERE THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REACHED OUT TO MANUFACTURER AND LEFT A MESSAGE HOWEVER, THE CONTACT HAD NOT HEARD BACK FORM THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 28, 2020Power train, EngineODI 11361520

Steering

11 reports2 crashes
“THE HORN DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY AND IS DEFECTED. IT ONLY WORKS WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL TURNS TO THE LEFT AND SOMETIMES IT GETS STUCK AND WON'T TURN OFF. WON'T WORK WHILE TRAVELING STRAIGHT OR TURNING RIGHT. THE HORN DID NOT ALLOW ME TO WARN A DRIVER THAT ALMOST BACKED INTO ME, THIS FORCED ME TO MOVE AWAY FROM HIM IN AN UNSAFE POSITION AND HE STILL DID NOT SEE ME AND KEPT ON BACKING OUT. HAD THE HORN WORKED IT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS ISSUE THAT ALMOST CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I DROVE HOME TO INSPECT THE HORN AS TO WHY IT WASN'T WORKING IS WHEN I LEARNED THAT IT ONLY WORKED WHILE SITTING STILL AND TURNING THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT AND AT TIMES IT STUCK AND WOULDN'T TURN OFF. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT HAS BEEN LIKE THIS BECAUSE I DON'T USE IT VERY OFTEN, UNTIL THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT HAPPENED. ALSO THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SHOWS TO BE OFF WITH AIR BAG LIGHT ON.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 17, 2017Steering, Air bags, Unknown or otherODI 11005994
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.