There are 19 stored owner reports matching the lighting leading-label group for the 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 19 of 19 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH HAD TO BE REPLACED OR ELSE THE FOG LIGHTS REMAIN ON AND DRAIN THE BATTERY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING 35-40 MPH, THE FRONT AMBER HEAD LAMPS FAILED, WHICH RESULTED IN A FRONT END PASSENGER COLLISION. THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE DURING THE CRASH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GLOVE BOX FRACTURED AND SEPARATED UPON DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAGS, WHICH CAUSED FACIAL INJURIES TO THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER. THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER SUSTAINED LACERATIONS TO THE FACE, A FRACTURED EYE SOCKET, AND A FRACTURED NASAL PASSAGE. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09E012000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08E033000 (SUSPENSION). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,450. *JS *JS
I AM HAVING ISSUES WITH MY 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE FOG LIGHT SWITCH HAS WORN OUT AND IS CAUSING MY CAR BATTERY TO BE DRAINED DUE TO THE FOG LIGHT STAYING ON. I WAS GOING TO REPLACE THE PART. HOWEVER I WAS CHECKING ONLINE FOR QUOTES WHEN I STUMBLED UPON A FORUM FULL OF COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME ISSUE. THERE ARE OVER 600 COMMENTS REGARDING PROBLEMS WITH THE PT CRUISER, MOST OF THEM WITH THE SAME ISSUE. I HOPE THERE IS SOMETHING SOMEBODY CAN DO ABOUT THIS. I AM HOPING FOR A RECALL OF THE PART, I WILL BUY A NEW PART I JUST DON'T WANT THE SAME PART AGAIN. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN LEFT STRANDED DUE TO MY CAR BEING DRAINED OF BATTERY LIFE MORE THAN 5 TIMES. *TR
THE PLASTIC HEADLIGHT LENSES ON MY 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER HAVE BECOME SO CLOUDY THEY ARE PRACTICALLY USELESS. THIS IS DANGEROUS. I HAVE SEEN OTHER PT CRUISERS AS WELL AS OTHER CHRYSLER PRODUCTS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. I AM GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE THEM AS I AM FEARFUL OF HAVING AN ACCIDENT DUE TO LOW VISIBILITY. I LIVE IN A RURAL AREA WITH ALOT OF DEER AND THIS LOW VISIBILITY CONCERNS ME. *TR
AT APPROXIMATELY 70,000 MILES THE FOG LIGHTS WOULD REMAIN ON EVEN IN THE OFF POSITION. PLACING THE TURN SIGNAL IN THE DOWNWARD POSITION WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE WOULD REMEDY SITUATION, FURTHER FIXED BY PULLING THE FOG LIGHT FUSE. LATTER ON AT 80,000 MILES THE LOW BEAMS FAILED AND WOULD NOT TURN ON. HIGH BEAMS WOULD WORK OR THE FOG LIGHTS WOULD WORK (AFTER PUTTING THE FUSE BACK IN). THE DANGER WAS FURTHER ENHANCED BY WHEN YOU WOULD USE THE TURN SIGNAL THE FOG LAMPS WOULD SHUT OFF. THIS WAS FIXED BY REMOVING THE MULTI-STICK FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AND REPLACING IT WITH A NEW COMPONENT. ALL ISSUE WERE RESOLVED BY THIS FIX. *TR
NHTSA 629139 EXTERIOR LIGHTING HEADLIGHTS, MOISTURE INSIDE VENTED HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY. HEADLIGHTS HAVE HARD WATER DEPOSITS ON INSIDE OF LAMP,WITH SUN EXPOSURE HAVE BECOME SO CORRODED THEY ARE NOT USABLE HAVE TO DRIVE WITH HIGH BEAMS ON. *TR
SHORTLY AFTER LEAVING THE HOUSE, THE FOG LIGHT INDICATOR CAME ON EVEN THOUGH THE HEADLIGHTS THEMSELVES WERE OFF. PRESSURE ON THE END OF THE STALK TURNED THE INDICATOR OFF BUT IT CAME BACK ON WHEN PRESSURE WAS RELEASED. AFTER PARKING AND SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE, THE INDICATOR (AND THE FOG LIGHTS THEMSELVES) REMAINED ON. REMOVING THE KEYS FROM THE IGNITION HAD NO EFFECT. THE ONLY THING THAT TURNED THE FOG LIGHTS OFF WAS SETTING THE TURN INDICATOR IN THE 'LEFT TURN' (DOWN) POSITION. FURTHER TESTING FOUND THAT THE ONLY OTHER WAY TO TURN OFF THE FOG LIGHTS WAS TO REMOVE THE APPROPRIATE FUSE FROM THE INTERIOR FUSE PANEL. RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM ONLINE TURNED UP SEVERAL MESSAGE BOARDS WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF DRIVERS REPORTING THIS EXACT PROBLEM GOING BACK AT LEAST THREE YEARS, WHICH TURNS OUT TO BE CAUSED BY A FAILING MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH. (ONE SUCH FORUM: HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/AUTOS/CHRYSLER-PT-CRUISER/TF81KHBDLDVT92AH2/ ). *TR
I HAVE A 2003 PT CRUISER BOUGHT IT USED AND SINCE THEN HAVE KEPT UP WITH THE MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE . WHILE COMING HOME FROM AUSTIN TO SAN ANTONIO AT 9:30 PM THE LIGHTS ON THE CAR HEADLIGHTS COMPLETELY WENT OUT THAT INCLUDED THE FOG LIGHTS. I HAD NO BLINKERS NO LIGHTS AND HAD MY WIFE AND CHILD WITH ME. PROCEEDED TO EXIT AND HAD A RELATIVE MEET ME UP IN SAN MARCOS TEXAS I FOLLOWED HIM ALL THE WAY TO SAN ANTONIO WHERE I MADE IT HOME USING MY RELATIVES CAR LIGHTS AS HELP. THE NEXT MORNING WENT OUT TO BUY THE PART THAT I NEED IT 70.25 AT THE LOCAL DEALER SHIP HERE IN SAN ANTONIO SINCE THIS HAPPEN I HAVE NO HAZARD LIGHTS AND NO TURN SIGNALS. I HAVE LOOKED AT THE CAR AND HAD TROUBLE SHOOT THE CAR WITH NO AVAIL I HAVE REPLACE THE PART AND TOOK THE ONE FROM MY DODGE INTREPID AND HAVE HAD NO LUCK TO GET BLINKER BACK ON CHRYSLER SURE ONE HELL OF A CAR ONE THAT CAN GET YOU KILL. *TR
FOG LIGHTS ARE TURNING ON BY THEMSELVES EVEN WHEN LIGHT SWITCH IS NOT ON AND WHEN CAR IS NOT RUNNING CAUSING BATTERY TO DRAIN AND MANY HEADACHES! THIS HAPPENS 3 OR 4 TIMES A DAY! *TR
I OWN A 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE COVERS FOR THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE BECOME TOTALLY YELLOW AND HAZY OR FOGGY MAKING THEM VERY, VERY DULL AT NIGHT. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER, WAS TOLD THIS WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN ADVISED AND HAVE SPOKEN WITH OTHER PT OWNERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. DUE TO THE COST OF THESE COVERS, I FEEL CHRYSLER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF SAME. *TR
THE FOG LIGHTS IN THE CHRYSLER PT CRUISER SUDDENLY CAME ON AND WILL NOT SHUT OFF. I BELIEVE THE MULTI FUNCTION SWITCHES WERE DEFECTIVE IN PT CRUISERS AND NEED TO BE RECALLED. THE BATTERY COULD HAVE DIED IF I DID NOT PULL THE FUSE.*AK
PT CRUISER 2003 FOG LIGHTS CAME ON WITHOUT WARNING, BATTERY RAN DEAD, COST OVER $200 TO REPLACES THE TURN SIGNAL STALK. CHRYSLER MECHANICS WERE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND CLEARLY WERE ENJOYING THE PROFITS. THEY REFUSED TO COVER THE REPAIR OR PARTICIPATE IN ANY WAY. I SUBMITTED A REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION TO CHRYSLER, WHICH THEY REJECTED BECAUSE THE CAR HAS 70,000 MILES ON IT. REFERENCE NUMBER: 16043282, EMAIL CASE NUMBER: 1688956. OBVIOUSLY, THE NUMBER OF MILES ON THE CAR HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TURN SIGNAL STALK WEARING OUT! THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY A POORLY-DESIGNED PART, JUDGING BY THE NUMBER OF OTHER OWNERS WHO HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. WHILE I APPRECIATED THAT MY WARRANTY WAS UP, PROBLEMS OF THIS NATURE SHOULD RECEIVE ACTIVE CONSIDERATION FOR COMPENSATION. THIS WAS NOT GOING TO MAKE OR BREAK CHRYSLER, ALTHOUGH IT HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON ME. I WOULD THINK YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HAVING ME TELL PEOPLE HOW IMPRESSED I AM WITH YOUR SUPPORT FOR SUCH A SITUATION, RATHER THAN TELL THEM THEY SHOULD AVOID CHRYSLER PRODUCTS BECAUSE THEY COULD EASILY FIND THEMSELVES IN MY SITUATION. I PLAN TO MAKE GOOD ON MY STATEMENT TO PURSUE OTHER AVENUES OF SATISFACTION. WAS THERE ANYTHING YOU COULD DO TO HELP? *AK
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE AND TAIL LIGHTS WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE PROPERLY. THE BULBS INTERMITTENTLY BURNED OUT . THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHERE THE BULBS WERE CHANGED 4 TIMES. THE FIFTH TIME THE BULBS FAILED, THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE LIGHT FIXTURE WAS DEFECTIVE. UPDATED 7/25/2006 - *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE IT WAS NOTICED THE COVERING OF THE HEADLIGHTS WERE CLOUDY. THE DEALERSHIP CLEANED THE HEADLIGHTS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING FLICKERS AND THERE IS WIND NOISE NOTICED NEAR THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. ALTHOUGH THE DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER WERE ALERTED NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE.
BRAKE LIGHT MECHANISM FELL OUT FROM POSITION UNDER DASHBOARD WHICH MADE THE BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON CONSTANTLY, RESULTING IN A DEAD BATTERY AND A DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH THE BRAKE LIGHTS BEING CONSTANTLY ON. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHT LENSES WERE SCRATCHED AND DISCOLORED, WHICH DIMINISHED THE VISIBILITY OF THE HEADLIGHTS. THE DEALER HAS NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 22,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.
I BOUGHT MY 2003--NEVER TITLED--PT CRUISER LAST MAY. I NOTICED SEVERAL WEEKS LATER THAT WHILE DRIVING THE HEADLIGHTS AND PANEL LIGHTS FLICKERED CONTINUOUSLY. AFRAID OF A SHORT AND CAUSING A FIRE I CONTACTED MY DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY. I HAD THE CAR BACK 5-6 TIMES AND THEY TRIED EVERYTHING FROM CHECKING FOR SHORTS, TO REPLACING A SWITCH, TO INSTALLING A NEW PANEL CLUSTER, AND NOTHING FIXED THE PROBLEM. AT ONE TIME THEY HAD MY CAR FOR OVER A WEEK WORKING BY PHONE WITH THE TECHNICIANS FROM CHRYSLER TO TRY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND IT STILL EXISTS. I HAVE BEEN VERY PATIENT THEM, BUT MY PATIENCE HAS WORN OUT. ON ONE OCCASION 50 MILES FROM HOME THE LIGHTS FLICKERED SO BAD THEY WENT OUT TEMPORARY AND I HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. *AK
THE GASKET ON THE THIRD BREAK LIGHT DOES NOT FIT UP TO THE REAR WINDSHIELD. THERE IS ABOUT A 1/4 INCH GAP. A NEW ONE WAS INSTALLED BUT IT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. IT MUST BE A DESIGN FLAW. *LA
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
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Vehicle import recorded: Apr 28, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.