2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser Electrical System Problems

WHen the fog lights are engaged, smoke and burning smell appears to be coming inside the steering wheel on the left side.

I REPLACED MY VEHICLES BATTERY 2 DAYS AGO(NOV 12, 2019)(VERY OLD BATTERY AND WITH THE COLD IN MASSACHUSETTS IT NEEDED TO BE CHANGED). NOW WITH A PROPERLY FUNCTIONING BATTERY THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR IN PCM (NOT ALTERNATOR) IS SIGNALING ALTERNATOR TO RAISE CHARGING VOLTAGE INTERMITTENTLY TO AS HIGH AS 17.1VOLTS, BUT HAS BEEN FREQUENTLY BOUNCING BETWEEN 14.1V -16.7VOLTS. THIS INCREASE OF VOLTAGE TO A UNSAFE LEVEL CAUSES ALL ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES THAT ARE IN CONNECTED TO THE CHARGING SYSTEM AND ARE OPERATIONAL TO FLASH/ FLICKER. EXTREMELY DISTRACTING AT NIGHT WITH HEADLIGHTS AND DASHBOARD FLASHING/ FLICKERING. AFTER A LOT OF RESEARCH I FOUND OUT THE PCM NEEDS TO BE REPROGRAMMED WITH THE PROPER UPDATED FIRMWARE IN ORDER TO FIX THE FACTORY WEAK PARAMETERS. I SPOKE WITH A SERVICE MANAGER TODAY(NOV 14,2019) AT MY LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP (CENTRAL JEEP CHRYSLER DODGE RAM FIAT @ 56 BOSTON PROVIDENCE TPKE, NORWOOD, MA 02062) ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND ASKED TO HAVE MY PCM REPROGRAMMED SINCE ONLY THAT SPECIFIC MODEL CAR MANUFACTURES SERVICE SHOP WILL HAVE THE CAPABILITY AND PCM FIRMWARE TO REPAIR IT. THE MANAGER REFUSED TO DO ANY WORK ON MY CAR SINCE HE SAID, "I WONT TOUCH CARS OLDER THAN 10YEARS AND CLOSE TO 100,000MILES". THEN ASKED IF I WAS EVEN A CUSTOMER AT THAT SPECIFIC LOCATION, SAYING NO AGAIN AFTER I SAID I WASN'T. THERE IS NO OTHER OPTION THAN THE FACTORY DEALERSHIP TO FIX A FACTORY FLAWED PCM, WHICH MAKES THE RISK OF MY BATTERY EXPLODING DUE TO THE INCREASED REGULATED VOLTAGE VERY LIKELY. THIS PROBLEM ISN'T NEW TO CHRYSLER SINCE THEY HAVE ISSUED SEVERAL TSB(S) IN MY SPECIFIC VEHICLE AND THIS EXACT PROBLEM: 18-112-16 18-026-03 REV.A 18-016-03 18-020-04

THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE WHERE THE RADIO CUP HOLDERS AND THE SHIFTER. CAR IS UNDRIVEABLE DUE TO THE DAMAGE. MY CAR WAS STATIONARY AT THE TIME. THE RADIO KEPT TURN ON AND OFF. I HEARD CRACKING WHEN I WENT INTO WORK. WHEN I CAME OUT I SAY THERE WAS A WHOLE LOT OF DAMAGE. I DID GET THE CAR STARTED AND WAS ABLE TO GET IT HOME, BUT IT'S NOT DRIVABLE SINCE THE CAR DIED AS I WAS PULLING INTO MY DRIVEWAY. WHEN I WENT TO PUT IT INTO PARK IT WAS LIKE PARK WAS NOT AN OPTION. AMD THE CAR KEPT MOVING SO I PUT THE E BREAK ON.

I DON'T TRULY KNOW WHAT'S HAPPEN TO IT N IF IT'S BEEN FIXED BUT I DO KNOW THAT PRIOR IT WOULD HAVE UNCONTROLLABLE SPEED CONTROL N STEERING PROBLEMS N GPS N VIDEO N AUTO RECORDING N RADIO FREQUENCIES.

VEHICLE WAS PARKED. TURNED OFF. MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH THAT HAD BEEN REPLACED PREVIOULSY MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN. FOG LIGHTS JUST CAME ON OUT OF NOWHERE LUCKILY I TURNED AROUND AND NOTICED IT. WHEN I OPENED MY CAR DOOR I NOTICED THE SWITCH WAS SMOKING. AFTER SOME QUICK THINKING I PULLED THE FUSE. IF I HAD NOT THOUGHT OF THIS I BELIVE IT WOULD HAVE CAUGHT MY CAR ON FIRE AND THE ONES PARKED NEXT TO IT. I HAVE HAD THE FUSE PULLED FOR A YEAR. FLASH FORWARD TO MY CURRENT STATE IN VA AND IT'S INSPECTION TIME. I FAILED FOR A FAULTY FUNCTION SWITCH. THE GUYS REPLACED THE SWITCH FIRST STOPLIGHT I COME TO NO SIGNAL. TOOK IT BACK TO GARAGE THEY SAID SWITCH WAS BAD OUT OF THE BOX. AFTER THIS EPIDEMIC THIS WILL BE THE 4TH MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH THAT I KNOW OF INSTALLED ON THIS CAR. HOW IN THE WORLD HAS THIS PART NOT BEEN RECALLED YET. PLEASE DO SOMETHING!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THEN CAUGHT FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT DID NOT DISCLOSE IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OR NOT. THE DETAILS OF WHO EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE WERE UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 201,561.

THE WIRING HARNESS MELTED, WHICH CAUSED THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH TO BURN OUT AND RUNNING TAIL LIGHTS TO NOT WORK PROPERLY. REPLACED MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH AND BURNING SMELL CAME FROM STEERING COLUMN. PULLED NEW MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH AND NOTICED MELTED CONNECTORS. *TR

BATTERY WENT COMPLETELY DEAD AFTER ONLY TWO YEARS. HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED AND NOW THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS AND THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKER TERRIBLY AND EVEN MORE WHEN ON HIGH BEAMS. *TR

2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO IGNITION PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED SHE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE RADIO GOING OUT, WHENEVER SHE HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD. IT TURNED OUT, AFTER SEVERAL SERVICE APPOINTMENTS, THAT THE IGNITION KEY HAS BEEN KNOCKED OUT OF PLACE AND THE ELECTRICITY WAS OFF. *JB

LOW VOLTAGE LIGHT CAME ON, LOST ALL POWER ON THE HIGHWAY.I HAD TO HIT THE SHOULDER QUICKLY. I THEN TESTED CODE WITH KEY (3 CLICKS OFF/ON) GOT CODE P0622 AND P2403..TOWED TO A SHOP, TO FIND OUT THE WIRES FROM ALTERNATOR TO THE COMPUTER SHORTED OUT, IT'S A KNOWN PROBLEM, WIRING HARNESS RUNS ALONG CV SHAFT AND RUBS AGAINST A BOLT NEAR THE FRAME, THUS SHORTING OUT THE CHARGING SYSTEM AND BURNING OUT THE COMPUTER. SO NOW THE BILL FOR REPAIRS ARE ALMOST $650.00 AND LUCKY WE GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY IN TIME, ALMOST GOT HIT BY A SEMI CAUSE WE LOST POWER SO QUICK. I AM GLAD WE DIDN'T GET KILLED. IF CHRYSLER AND THE GOVERNMENT KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM WHY IS THERE NO RECALL.....OR A SAFETY WARNING . *TR

I'VE HAD THIS VEHICLE APPROX. 2 YEARS. AT AN EARLIER TIME I HAD USED THE FOG LIGHTS TWICE WITH NO INCIDENT. LATER AND PRIOR TO 12/17/13 THE FOG LIGHT INDICATOR APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, THE FOG LIGHT SWITCH WASN'T EVEN TURNED ON BUT THE LIGHT CAME ON BY THEMSELVES. I JIGGLED THE SWITCH AND THE LIGHTS AND INDICATOR WENT OUT, AFTER THAT THE FOG LIGHTS WOULDN'T WORK AT ALL. ON 12/17/13 I WENT OUT TO MY GARAGE TO FIND THE FOG LAMPS ON. THE HEADLIGHTS WERE OFF, THE CAR NOT RUNNING, THE KEYS WEREN'T EVEN IN THE IGNITION. THE LIGHTS JUST CAME ON BY THEMSELVES. I MANAGED TO TURN THEM OFF (FOR THE NIGHT) ONLY TO FIND WHEN I GOT TO WORK THE NEXT MORNING I COULDN'T SHUT THEM OFF. I DROVE THE CAR HOME, FINALLY PULLED THE FUSE FOR THE FOG LAMPS AND RETURNED TO WORK. I'VE ALSO HAD INCIDENCES WHERE THE HEADLIGHTS WILL DIM SLIGHTLY AND THEN ILLUMINATE FULLY. ACCORDING TO SOME OF THE FORUMS I'VE READ, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. SOME PEOPLE ALSO REPORT BURNING WIRES AND DEAD BATTERIES. I WISH THEY WOULD FILE A COMPLAINT. THANK YOU. *TR

ABOUT 3 THREE YEARS AGO THE HEADLIGHTS STARTED FLICKERING AND THE RADIO LIGHT WOULD TOTALLY GO OUT. NOW THE FOG LIGHTS ARE COMING ON WITH THE CAR TURNED OFF. I AM TAKING THE CAR TO A MECHANIC - HOPEFULLY THEY CAN FIX THE ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIRBAG AND THE CHECK LIGHT ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

2003 TURBO PT CRUISER ISSUE WITH ENGINE OVER HEATING LIGHT COMING ON ENGINE WAS NOT OVER HEATING. A WEEK LATER RUNNING LIGHTS AND FOGLAMPS STARTED COMING ON WHILE CAR IS OFF AND SITTING. CHECKED A SITE THAT SAID IT WAS A PROBLEM IN THE TURBO 2003 AND 2004 TURBO CRUISERS AND THE ISSUE WILL GET WORSE. MY CAR IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *TR

HIGH BEAMS COMING ON WITHOUT BEING TURNED ON, AT FIRST ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK THEN EVERYDAY IT WOULD HAPPEN THEN EVERYTIME USING THE VEHICLE, THE HIGH BEAMS CAME ON AFTER I TURNED THEM OFF WHEN GETTING OUT OF MY CAR UPON RETURNING TO MY CAR WOULD NOT CRANK, THE HIGH BEAMS WHERE STILL ON, HAD TO GET MY CAR JUMPED STARTED, REMOVED THE FUSE AND HAVEN'T HAD THE HIGH BEAMS TO COME ON AGAIN, BUT I NEED MY HIGH BEAMS ESP. FOR LONG DISTANCE DRIVING THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS, THERE'S A SHORTAGE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE FUSE AND HIGH BEAMS LIGHTS. *TR

1. I GENERALLY DRIVE OUR 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER WITH THE FOG LIGHTS ON DURING THE DAY, AND THE HEADLIGHTS AT NIGHT. THIS MEANS I WAS TURNING THE FOG LIGHT SWITCH ON THE TURN SIGNAL UNIT SEVERAL TIMES A DAY. 2. BEGINNING EARLY IN 2009 I EXPERIENCED TIMES WHEN THE FOG LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN OFF WITH THE SWITCH WITHOUT A LOT OF CYCLING, OR THE FOG LIGHTS WOULD TURN THEMSELVES ON WHEN THE DOOR CLOSED. THE VIBRATION OF THE VEHICLE MADE THAT HAPPEN. THEN, WHEN TRYING TO GET THE FOG LIGHTS TO TURN OFF, THE SWITCH BEGAN TO SMOKE. TURNING OFF THE CAR CLEARED THAT, SO I STOPPED USING THE FOG LIGHTS. THE TURN SIGNALS AND HEADLIGHT PORTION OF THE SWITCH WORKED FINE. 3. I CONTACTED THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE OUT OF THE SWITCH. I THEN CONTACTED A LOCAL AUTO MAINTENANCE COMPANY I HAVE USED IN THE PAST AND TRUST. THEY QUOTED ME A BETTER SERVICE PRICE, AND THAT THE SWITCH WAS BACKORDERED. THERE WERE OVER 5000 SWITCHES ON BACKORDER AND IT WAS SIX MONTHS AFTER THE ORDER WAS PLACED BEFORE WE RECEIVED THE SWITCH AND HAD IT INSTALLED. MY CONCERN IS TWO FOLD: 1. THE 5000 MAY WELL HAVE BEEN THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG IN TERMS OF FAILURES, AND 2. IF I HAD NOT BEEN SITTING THERE, WOULD THE LIGHTS, AFTER COMING ON BY THEMSELVES HAVE CAUSE THE SWITCH TO ACTUALLY CATCH THE VEHICLE ON FIRE? I THOUGHT THAT THE BRIEF TIME I WAS SMOKE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TO BLOW THE FUSE, BUT IT DIDN'T. *TR

FOG LIGHTS CONTINUE TO FLASH WITHOUT MY TURNING THEM ON. THIS IS MY THIRD DEAD BATTERY? IS THERE A RECALL? *TR

I PURCHASED A 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER IN JULY 2008 IN OCT WE NOTICED LIGHTS FLICKERING HEADLIGHT SWITCH STARTED BURNING FOG LIGHTS CAME ON DIDN'T WORK BEFORE TOOK IT DODGE NEW SWITCH AND 22 PIN CONNECTOR . NEW PCM REPROGRAMMED IT STILL SAME PROBLEM LIGHTS FLICKER AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. *TR

WE OWN A 2003 PT CRUISER. IT HAS MANIFESTED THREE SEPARATE PROBLEMS, ALL OF WHICH ARE SIMILAR TO COMPLAINTS I HAVE FOUND FROM OTHERS ON THE INTERNET: FIRST, THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT COMES ON. THE DEALER SAID WE NEEDED TO CLICK THE GAS CAP. WE DID THAT, BUT THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. SECOND, THE FOG LIGHT SWITCH FAILED SUCH SO THAT THE LIGHTS TURNED ON WITHOUT THE SWITCH BEING TOUCHED. WE DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM ONLY AFTER THE BATTERY HAD BEEN DRAINED, STRANDING MY WIFE AT WORK. I "FIXED" THIS PROBLEM BY PULLING THE FUSE ON THE FOG LIGHTS. I HAVE READ COMPLAINTS IN WHICH THIS FAULTY SWITCH HAS ACTUALLY STARTED FIRES. THIRD, WE HAVE THE INFAMOUS INTERMITTENT STARTING"PROBLEM. I HAVE REPLACED THE STARTER AND THE BATTERY. I CHECKED ALTERNATOR FUNCTION AND INTEGRITY OF ALL CABLE CONNECTIONS TO THE STARTER. THEN I READ OTHERS' COMPLAINTS AND HAVE FOUND THERE IS NO AVAILABLE SOLUTION. THE PROBLEM BECAME MORE AND MORE FREQUENT, AND NOW THE VEHICLE IS DEAD IN THE DRIVEWAY. OUR VEHICLE HAS ONLY 54,000 MILES ON IT, AND WE BELIEVE WE SHOULD EXPECT MANY MORE MILES FROM IT. WE ARE AFRAID TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER AND HAVE HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF FRUITLESS DIAGNOSTICS DONE ON IT. WE STILL OWE $1,800 TO CHRYSLER FINANCIAL FOR THE CAR. IT PAINS US TO MAKE PAYMENTS ON A VEHICLE THAT IS A LUMP IN OUR DRIVEWAY. WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT NO CHARGE, ASSUMING THE MANUFACTURER HAS FOUND A SOLUTION. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY OUT OF WARRANTY, THE PROBLEM BEGAN TO OCCUR LONG BEFORE THE WARRANTY EXPIRATION, BUT WE COULD NOT GET IT TO REPEAT FOR THE DEALER. IS THERE A "SECRET WARRANTY" FOR THIS ISSUE? WE CANNOT FIND A FULL-TEXT TSB TO FIND OUT. *AK

ON THE STREET ENGINE STOPPED, POWER STEERING INOPERATIVE, SMOKE APPEARED FROM UNDER THE HOOD. TURNED THE KEY OFF. RAISED THE HOOD, HAD FIRE BENEATH THE BATTERY AREA. DEALER STATED THAT A MISROUTED CABLE BETWEEN THE BATTERY AND STARTER SHORTED OUT, CAUSING THE FIRE WHICH RUINED THE CABLING, BATTERY AND STARTER. CHRYSLER'S EXTENDED WARRANTY WILL NOT COVER THIS DAMAGE BECAUSE THE BATTERY CABLE WAS NOT COVERED. *AK