2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser Suspension Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRSYLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD NOISE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CROSS MEMBER FRAME HAD RUSTED OUT. THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V387000 (SUSPENSION). THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

"TAKATA RECALL " IN MY PT CRUISER THE ENGINE DROPPED DOWN IN THE CAR AND THE FRONT AXLE BAR AND FRAME WAS BROKEN AND THE WHEELS COULD NOT TURN OR CONTROL THE CAR I AM LUCKY TO BE ALIVE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET TRYING TO TURN INTO A ICE CREAM SHOP THE CAR IS STILL DOING A SUDDEN JERKING WHEN DRIVEN AND AFTER PAYING A LOT OF MONEY TO GET IT STARTED AND FIXED I AM STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR AND NO MONEY TO GET ANOTHER.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE PULLED THE STEERING WHEEL HARD TO THE RIGHT. WE WERE DRIVING SLOW IN TOWN, HAD THIS HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEED A WRECK WOULD HAVE BEEN UNAVOIDABLE . GOT THE VEHICLE TOWED HOME AND TOOK A LOOK AT IT . FOUND THE FRONT SUB FRAME (TO WHICH THE STEERING GEAR, LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND SUCH ARE BOLTED TO) HAD RUSTED TO THE POINT THAT IT CRACKED , ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE. THIS ALLOWED THE RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM TO SHIFT BACKWARD CAUSING THE DEATH PULL TO THE RIGHT.

I FILED A CLAIM WITH CHRYSLER ABOUT THE RUSTED OUT ENGINE CRADLE AND THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE IT. *TR

UPON INSPECTION DURING A REPAIR FOR ANOTHER PROBLEM IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER KNOWN AS THE K-FRAME IS SEVERELY CORRODED AND WILL LIKELY NOT PASS ANOTHER SAFETY INSPECTION. THE REST OF THE UNDERNEATH OF THIS CAR IS RELATIVELY RUST-FREE AND THIS IS A LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE FOR ITS AGE. IF THIS PART FAILS GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, ETC. WILL ALL DROP AND CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL. *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MILES AN HOUR, THE FRONT SUSPENSION CROSS-MEMBER BROKE AS A RESULT OF SEVERE RUST. THIS CAUSED THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL TO STEER TOWARDS THE DITCH CREATING A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD. THE RUST WAS CAUSED BY WATER DRAINING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER ONTO THE PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE CROSS-MEMBER. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO ORDER A REPLACEMENT PART FROM CHRYSLER BUT SO FAR THE OUTLOOK FOR DELIVERY HAS CHANGED FOUR TIMES AND IS CURRENTLY ESTIMATED FOR 12/25/2013 (2.5 MONTHS AFTER THE CAR BECAME INOPERABLE). NOT ONLY DOES CHRYSLER IGNORE THE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THIS COMMONLY REPORTED DESIGN FLAW, THEY ARE PROVING TO BE INCAPABLE AT PROVIDING REPLACEMENT PARTS. THIS IS EVIDENT AS I AM ONE OF 28 CAR OWNERS WHO ARE WAITING FOR THIS PART FROM CHRYSLER, AND THERE IS HIGH DEMAND FOR THIS PART FROM JUNKYARDS. *TR

I WAS MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN FROM A MAIN ROAD ONTO A SIDE STREET. WHILE THE CAR WAS TURNING, I HEARD A CLUNK AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS JERKED FROM MY HANDS. THE CAR PULLED HARD TO THE RIGHT AND CRASHED INTO THE CURB. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THE SERVICE TECH SHOWED ME THE ENGINE CRADLE WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT AND THE K FRAME WAS CRACKED ALL THE WAY THRU. IT'S TO RUSTED TO BE WELDED AND I WAS TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE CRUISER AND DODGE NEON, SINCE THEY USE THE SAME FRAME. THE TECH ALSO TOLD ME I WAS LUCKY THAT I WASN'T MOVING AT HIGH SPEED OR THE RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT CHRYSLER IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, THEY ARE COMPLETELY OUT OF REPLACEMENT PARTS, AND THEY BASICALLY IGNORE ANY COMPLAINTS. *JB

WHILE SLOWING DOWN TO STOP FOR A RED LIGHT MY CAR SUDDENLY VEERED TO THE RIGHT. I HAD TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT TO KEEP THE CAR STRAIGHT WHILE I STOPPED. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A GARAGE AND UPON INSPECTION THEY FOUND THE CROSSMEMBERS UNDER THE ENGINE WERE COMPLETELY RUSTED AND BROKEN. I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW AND ALTHOUGH THE CAR IS 13 YEARS OLD IT ONLY HAS 56,000 MILES AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN STORED IN A GARAGE.

THE FRONT SUSPENSION CROSS-MEMBER IS SEVERELY RUSTED AND WILL REQUIRE REPLACEMENT BEFORE THE CAR WILL PASS INSPECTION. THE CAR WAS IN FOR ROUTINE SERVICE WHEN MY MECHANIC POINTED OUT THAT THE ONLY RUSTED PART ON THE VEHICLE WAS THE FRONT SUSPENSION CROSS-MEMBER AND THAT IT WAS BORDERING ON UNSAFE. THIS CAR HAS RELATIVELY LOW MILES AT 76K AND IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION OTHERWISE. THIS RUSTED PART COULD FAIL WITH NO INDICATION THAT DANGER WAS IMMINENT AND CAUSE LOSS OF STEERING AND ULTIMATELY A VEHICLE CRASH AT ANY SPEED. *TR

I BOUGHT A 2001 PT CRUISER AND WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS THE HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. REPLACED MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH BUT DID NOT HELP. HAD TO RE-WIRE THE LIGHTS TO MAKE THEM WORK. ALSO IT SOUNDS LIKE THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE HAS SOMETHING LOOSE. POSSIBLY BUSHINGS?? I'VE SEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE LIGHTS. WHAT IS IT GONNA TAKE TO GET A RECALL IN PLACE? WE GOT A TICKET FOR IT. *TR

FRONT SUSPENSION................AFTER FRONT END ALIGNMENT CHECK .....BOTH SIDE OF NEW TIRES WORE OUT...LEFT AND RIGHT....A CHECK LATER BUSHINGS WORE OUT AFTER 4,000 MILES...................REPLACE BUSHINGS AND ALIGNMENT RECHECK. *TT

K-FRAME ENGINE CRADLE RUSTED THROUGH. THIS CAR IS GARAGED 90 % AT HOME AND AT WORK. THE REST OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND BODY IS RUST FREE. REPORTED TO CHRYSLER 1 YEAR AGO. NO RESPONSE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS WERE REPLACED AT MILEAGE 86,795 AND THEN AT MILEAGE 103,000. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE DRIVERS FRONT WHEEL DID NOT FEEL SECURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN TO A MECHANIC SHOP WHO INDICATED THAT THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS SWAY BAR LINK FOR $1200. THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHENEVER THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, SHE WOULD HEAR A CLUNKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND THE BUSHINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 59,000. UPDATED 08/28/09. *LJ THE RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FOG LIGHT WOULD COME ON WITH NO WARNING. A NEEW MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WAS NEEDED. UPDATED 09/02/09.*JB

-STEERING WHEEL BEGAN SHAKING WHILE DRIVING CAR AND STEERING BECAME VERY LOOSE. PULLED INTO A PEP BOYS AND WAS TOLD THAT THE FRONT CONTROL ARMS AND BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (THE CAR HAD 75K MILES). I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A VERY COMMON DEFECT WITH THESE CARS AND THAT A RECALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN WARRANTED. $1200 REPAIR AND CAR STARTED SHAKING AGAIN 50K MILES LATER. -CONTINUOUS OIL CONSUMPTION. I PUT A QUART OF OIL EVERY TWO WEEKS IN THE CAR. I HAVE HAD THE CAR COMPLETELY TUNED BY A FAMILY MEMBER WHO IS A CERTIFIED MECHANIC, AND IT STILL EATS OIL. I MENTIONED THIS TO THE REPAIR TECHNICIAN WHO DID THE CONTROLS ARMS AND BEARINGS, AND HE CONFIRMED THAT THIS WAS ALSO A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS. MANY OF THE WEBSITES I WENT ON TO RESEARCH THIS HAVE HUNDREDS OF THE SAME COMMENTS FOR BOTH ISSUES. *TR

THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS ARE SQUEALING AND NEED REPLACED. THE DEALER SAID THAT IT WAS NORMAL... THEY EXPECT TO REPLACE THEM ALL AT ABOUT 50,000 MILES. THEY QUOTED $550 PER AXLE, THE BEARINGS ARE $60 IF NOT FROM THE DEALER!!! SHOULD BE NO REASON FOR WHEEL BEARINGS TO BE "TYPICAL REPLACEMENT" ITEMS! 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER, 55,000 MILES, GARAGE STORED. *TR

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE FRONT "ENGINE CRADLE", ALSO KNOWN AS THE "K-FRAME" OR "FRONT SUB-ASSEMBLY". IT IS THE STRUCTURAL STEEL FRAMEWORK BOLTED TO THE UNDERBODY THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS ATTACH TO. THE STEERING RACK IS BOLTED TO THE TOP OF IT. THE LOWER ENGINE TORSION CONNECTOR IS MOUNTED TO IT. THE REASON? TOTAL RUST OUT! THE RIGHT WHEEL HUB AND LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE AWAY FROM THE K-FRAME BECAUSE OF RUST. THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN SLOWLY AT THE TIME, AND THAT WAS A GOOD THING, BECAUSE THE CAR COULD BARELY BE DRIVEN AFTER. NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED. *TR

CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS WORN OUT AT 37000 MILES. EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR AND DIFFICULT STEERING. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 10-20 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE REAR LOWER CONTROL ARMS. WHEN THE CONTACT LEFT THE DEALER, SHE HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END WHEN THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE MOTOR MOUNT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 116,280. UPDATED 12/13/07 *TR

FRONT CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS ARE WORN OUT AT LESS THEN 40000 MILES. *AK