What breaks most · 2005 to 2005 model years
Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible problems by year
Owners have filed 69 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible across model years 2005 to 2005. One year stands out: 2005 for electrical system complaints.
- Years to check closely: 2005
- Complaints on file
- 692005 to 2005, all trims
- Worst year
- 200569 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 41 fires · 6 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 50kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 0Across 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 69 | 4 | 0 | Electrical system (19) |
What fails on the 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 28% |
19 | 1 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 20% |
14 | 0 | Shop suspension parts for the 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible |
| Exterior lightingHeadlights, tail lights and bulbs | 12% |
8 | 1 | Shop exterior lighting parts for the 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible |
| Tires | 10% |
7 | 0 | — |
| Wheels | 9% |
6 | 0 | — |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 9% |
6 | 0 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 9% |
6 | 1 | Shop steering parts for the 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible |
| Air bags | 7% |
5 | 3 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
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.
-
2005 pt cruiser multifunction switch failed . Fog lights would not go off even after i removed the key. Smoke came out of switch.
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 Convertible years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2005 carries the most filings on the Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible. The 2005 alone has 69 complaints, led by electrical system.
What is the most common Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible problem?
On the 2005 model year, the most-reported component is electrical system with 19 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible complaints that include mileage is about 50,000 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.