What breaks most · 2001 to 2010 model years
Chrysler PT Cruiser problems by year
Owners have filed 2,523 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Chrysler PT Cruiser across model years 2001 to 2010. Three years stand out: 2001 for electrical system complaints, 2002 for electrical system complaints and 2006 for electrical system complaints. The quietest years are 2008, 2007 and 2005.
- Years to check closely: 2001, 2002, 2006
- Fewest complaints: 2008, 2007, 2005
- Complaints on file
- 25232001 to 2010, all trims
- Worst year
- 2001618 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 194109 fires · 206 injuries · 7 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 55kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 25Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 618 | 36 | 7 | Electrical system (78) | |
| 511 | 40 | 5 | Electrical system (97) | |
| 258 | 22 | 4 | Electrical system (45) | |
| 217 | 16 | 3 | Electrical system (44) | |
| 187 | 11 | 5 | Electrical system (27) | |
| 349 | 35 | 1 | Electrical system (138) | |
| 149 | 18 | 0 | Air bags (28) | |
| 115 | 11 | 0 | Electrical system (45) | |
| 97 | 4 | 0 | Electrical system (60) | |
| 22 | 1 | 0 | Engine (5) |
What fails on the 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 13% |
78 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 11% |
67 | 2 | Shop body and structure parts for the 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 11% |
66 | 1 | Shop suspension parts for the 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 10% |
62 | 1 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 10% |
61 | 4 | Shop steering parts for the 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser |
| Wheels | 10% |
61 | 3 | — |
| Exterior lightingHeadlights, tail lights and bulbs | 8% |
48 | 0 | Shop exterior lighting parts for the 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 8% |
47 | 5 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
The electrical system is malfunctioning the fans do not kick on at all,even after reaching temperature.Even when the "Air" condition is turned on full blast or the "Heater" it doesn't matter which one is used it still doesn't engage the "Fan".
-
My lights shut off while driving. Not only did my headlights shut off but my dash board lights and the lights on my gear shift did as well. My doors will not lock as well.
-
Engine lights come on randomly. Idle speeds inconsistent. Windshield cracked straight across we had no idea what happened until we read an article about chrysler’s defective totally integrated power modules problems titled “chrysler tipms causing power problems
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Chrysler PT Cruiser years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2001, 2002, 2006 carry the most filings on the Chrysler PT Cruiser. The 2001 alone has 618 complaints, led by electrical system.
What is the most common Chrysler PT Cruiser problem?
On the 2001 model year, the most-reported component is electrical system with 78 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Chrysler PT Cruiser problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Chrysler PT Cruiser complaints that include mileage is about 55,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.