2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser Brakes Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD SCRAPING NOISE COMING FROM HER VEHICLE. SHE STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ALL WINTER AND BEGAN MAKING THIS NOISE ONE MONTH AGO. THE SPEED AND THE WEATHER ARE NOT FACTORS. THE NOISE IS PRODUCED WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THE PURCHASE DATE AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 41,900 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.

REAR BRAKES HAVE NOT WORKED CORRECTLY SINCE CAR WAS BOUGHT NEW IN 2002 (PT CRUISER). REAR BRAKES HAVE ALWAYS MADE A GRINDING NOISE FOR FIRST OR SECOND USE AND THEN THE GRINDING NOISE GOES AWAY. CAR HAS 69,600 MILES ON IT AND I BOUGHT IT NEW. I RECENTLY PULLED THE REAR WHEELS AND FOUND THAT THE BRAKE PADS WERE NOT WORN (FOR BOTH REAR WHEELS) AND THE DRUMS HAD RUST STREAKS ON THEM. ALSO, RUST DUST WAS COVERING EVERYTHING. IT APPEARS THAT THE BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING CORRECTLY AND I PLAN ON REPLACING THE CALIPERS. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT TIRES CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO INTENSE HEAT IN THE WHEELS. THE BRAKE CALIPER ALSO LOCKED WHICH CAUSED THE LEFT WHEEL TO LOCK AND MELT THE BRAKES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY CORRECTED THE FAILURE IN APRIL OF 2006. A DIFFERENT DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS NEVER REPLACED OR REPAIRED WHICH IS WHY THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 37,800.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKES SQUEAKED AND BRAKE DUST WAS OBSERVED ON THE HUBCAPS. THE BRAKES PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN TURNED FREQUENTLY AT EVERY 3,000 MILES. THE BRAKING CAPABILITY OF THE VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE AND CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE ALL OVER THE ROAD. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER DETERMINED THE BRAKE PADS AND THE ROTORS ARE NOT COMPATIBLE. THREE DEALERSHIPS AND HAVE ADMITTED THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT BUT BECAUSE IT DOES NOT AFFECT THE FUNCTIONING OF THE BRAKES THEY ARE NOT QUALIFIED TO ISSUE A RECALL. ACCORDING TO THE CONTACT THIS FAILURE DOES AFFECT THE FUNCTION OF THE BRAKES.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND FELT AS IF IT WAS DRAGGING. THERE WAS ALSO A SMELL WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THE FRONT LEFT BRAKE WAS STICKING. THE CALIPER WAS REPLACED AND BOLTS WERE TIGHTENED. ONE WEEK LATER, THE SAME THING OCCURRED. THIS TIME THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE CALIPER WITH THE ORIGINAL AND SUGGESTED A VISIT TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE DEALER FLUSHED THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND DURING A TEST DRIVE THE FRONT LEFT AND THE REAR RIGHT BRAKES CAUGHT ON FIRE. IT WAS DETERMINED THE ROTORS AND PADS AND ABS SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

SUBJECT: 2002 PT CRUISER BRAKES / TRANSMISSION I DO NOT KNOW IF YOU ARE THE PROPER PERSON TO BRING UP SOME SAFETY ISSUES WITH THE CHRYSLER PT CRUISER BUT IT IS MY SINCERE HOPE THAT MAYBE YOU COULD DIRECT THIS TO SOMEONE WHO CAN. ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, I HAD MY BRAKES SERVICES AT A LOCAL SHOP THAT I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH FOR 10 YEARS. WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I USED TO DO MUCH OF THE WORK TO CARS MYSELF, AND ONCE IN A WHILE I DO AN AUDIT OF THE WORK HE DOES. AS ALWAYS, HE DOES A GREAT JOB. RECENTLY I WAS DRIVING BACK FROM LAKE TAHOE ON I80. THIS IS MOSTLY FULL OF MOUNTAINS WITH VERY STEEP GRADES AND A LOT OF SHEER CLIFFS. I HAD A FULL CAR LOAD OF HUMAN AND PERSONAL PROPERTY SO I WOULD CONCEDER IT TO BE CLOSE TO THE MAX WEIGHT OF THE CAR. I PLACED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FROM OVER-DRIVE TO THE NEXT LOWEST GEAR DURING THE STEEP GRADES. WE DID NOT SLOW DOWN AT ALL! I DISCOVERED TO MY HORROR THAT THE NEXT LOWEST TRANSMISSION SPEED WAS THIRD. SO I DROPPED IT DOWN AGAIN TO THE NEXT LOWER GEAR AND IT WAS FIRST GEAR. SINCE OUR SPEED WAS 55 MILES PER HOUR, IT DID NOT ENGAGE AT ALL. THANK GOODNESS IT DID NOT. SO I APPLIED THE ABS FRONT DISCS AND REAR DRUMS. BY THE TIME WE GOT DOWN FROM THIS AREA, I TOTALLY BURNED OUT THE BRAKES. I HAVE DRIVEN OTHER CARS FROM CALIFORNIA TO TEXAS TO FLORIDA WITH SIMILAR LOADS, BUT NEVER WITH A TRANSMISSION WITH NO SECOND GEAR. I HAVE NEVER BURNED NEW BRAKES UP IN A SIMILAR FISSION AND REQUIRED ONE NEW DISC. I DO NOT THINK THAT THEY ??CHRYSLER?? DID ENOUGH ENGINEERING IN STOPPING THIS CAR WITH STEEP HIGHWAY GRADES WITH A FULL LOAD, AND THE POPULATION IS AT RISK FOR RUN-AWAY CARS IN THOSE AREAS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR VALUABLE TIME. *NM

FAIKURE OF ABS

I WAS DRIVING TO MY NEXT CLIENT ON ICY PAVEMENT AT 35 DEGREES BELOW ZERO. I APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT HAD A HARD PEDAL, NO ABS BRAKING, NOTHING. CRASHED INTO PICK-UP TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME WHO WAS ABLE TO STOP AT LIGHT. HIS TRUCK WAS 1996 AND DID NOT HAVE ABS. IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH BRAKE FLUID AT THIS EXTREME TEMPERATURE? *NM

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR A 36000 MILES CHECK UP. TWO MONTHS LATER, THE BRAKES STARTED TO SQUEAL METAL TO METAL. MECHANIC STATED THEY HAD ONLY EXAMINED THE BRAKES, AND WANTED TO CHARGE THE CONSUMER FOR THE REPAIRS. CONSUMER WENT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ROTORS HAD BEEN TURNED TOO MUCH.*AK THE CONSUMER WAS MADE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS AFTER BEING TOLD THE ROTORS WHERE TURNED TO MUCH BY THE MECHANIC. *TC

THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE BRAKES WERE DEFECTIVE AND PERFORMED POORLY WHEN APPLIED. THE CONSUMER SUSPECTS THAT THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT WORK ON THE BRAKES AT ALL. *AK THERE WAS A SCREECHING NOISE AND THE BRAKES WOULD SOMETIMES GO ALMOST TO THE BOTTOM OF THE FLOOR. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT ALWAYS LOCK, THE BRAKES WOULD RUB AND HESITATE TO STOP, THE A/C DID NOT GET COLD ON HIGH SETTINGS, THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD ELECTRONIC SYSTEM WAS OFF, THE FUEL, MPH AND THE RPM LIGHTS HAD COME ON, AT THE INSIDE TOP OF ALL FOUR DOORS, THE LINING WAS BULDGING IN AND OUT, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT NEEDED SEVERAL ATTEMPTS BEFORE LOCKING, THE RIGHT SIGNAL HAD TO BE MANUALLY STOPPED, AND THE LEFT SIGNAL LIGHT DID NOT HOLD. THERE WAS ALSO AN ISSUE WITH THE ODOMETER READING. (THE CONSUMER FELT THAT IT DID NOT DISPLAY THE PROPER MILEAGE) *SC

GRINDING NOISE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, CRACKING NOISE WHEN ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM ACTIVATED. THE BRAKE PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT APPROX. 22,000 MILES AND THE PADS WHERE WORNED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE TO THE METAL. THERE WAS NO PRE- WARNING OF THE CONDITION. I PURCHASED A PTCRUISER WHEN FIRST MANUFACTORED THE BRAKES HAD THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK

THE BRAKES STARTED MAKING A SCRATCH/GRINDING SOUND EVERY TIME I WOULD COME TO A STOP. THERE WAS NO DIFFICULTY WITH BRAKING, JUST THE NOISE. SO, I VISUALLY INSPECTED THEM AND NOTICED THE FRONT RIGHT ROTOR WAS WORN ON THE OUTER EDGE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL, REPUTABLE, TIRE STORE AND THEY FOUND THE DAMAGE TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A CLIP THAT CAME LOOSE, THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE PART OF THE BRAKE PAD. I HAVE KEPT THE DEFECTIVE PART. THE CAR HAD 26,000 MILES, MUCH OF THOSE MILES WERE HIGHWAY DRIVING. *AK

THE FRONT BRAKES STARTED SQUEAKING AS I COME TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 14,500 MILES. *NLM

BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT STARTED COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY AT 27,000 MILES, OF WHICH 20,000 OF THOSE MILES ARE FREEWAY MILES. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE BOTH WORN OUT. I ASKED FOR THE OLD PARTS AND SAW THAT THE INSIDE PADS WERE NEARLY GONE. WHEN I QUESTIONED WHY 1.) THERE WAS NEVER A WARNING FROM THE BRAKE PAD CHIRPERS AND 2.) THE BRAKES WERE WORN OUT SO SOON, I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT CHRYSLER IS USING LESSER QUALITY MATERIALS IN THE ROTORS AND PADS. THE DEALER ALSO SAID THAT ONLY THE OUTSIDE PAD HAS A CHIRPER (A WORN PAD WARNING DEVICE) AND THAT THE INSIDE PAD WILL GRIND THE ROTOR BEFORE THE OUTSIDE PAD IS WORN ENOUGH TO WARN THE DRIVER. IN OTHER WORDS, YOU WILL RUIN YOUR BRAKE ROTORS BEFORE YOU ARE WARNED.*AK

WHILE BRAKING CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD GRINDING NOISE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DECELERATE THE VEHICLE WITH NO PROBLEM. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE. *AK

UNCONTROLLABLE WOBBLE OF FRONT WHEELS AS BRAKES ARE APPLIED . THE HIGHER THE SPEED ,THE GREATER THE WOBBLE. *AK

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT. ALSO, WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE JERKED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

FRONT ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER ONLY 20000 MILES.*AK

THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE'S BRAKES FAILED AT 24000 MILES. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *PH THE DEALER DID NOT COVER THE TOTAL COST. *SCC *JB

BRAKES NEEDED REPLACEMENT AT APPROXIMATELY EVERY 11,000 MILES. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS APPROXIMATELY 11,480 MILES, NOT ONLY THE PADS NEEDED REPLACING ROTORS WERE WORN AS WELL. THE DEALER DID THIS UNDER WARRANTY STATING IT WAS EARLY WEAR AND TEAR. THE SECOND INCIDENT WAS AT APPROX. 22,080 MILES, THIS TIME IT WAS ONLY THE PADS BUT IT WAS CAUGHT EARLY WHEN THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER STEERING FLUID BECAUSE OF A BREAK IN THE HOSE THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGN OF A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES OR THE POWER STEERING. AND THE DEALER STATED THIS WAS NOT EARLY WEAR AND TEAR THIS TIME SO I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. WHEN I CONTACTED CHRYSLER WITH THIS ISSUE THEY STATED THIS IS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. I MAY BE A WOMAN BUT I KNOW A THING OR TWO ABOUT CARS AND 11,000 MILES FOR BRAKES IS NOT "NORMAL' WEAR AND TEAR!*AK