There are 11 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiserin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
NEED TO PUT THIS VEHICLE IN SHOP TO HAVE THE RECALLS DONE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ROUTERS ON THE VEHICLE FAIL EVERY 20,000 MILES. THE FAILURE MAKES THE VEHICLE VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO A FAULTY BRAKING SYSTEM. A MECHANIC STATED THAT MOST PT CRUISERS HAVE VERY POOR ROUTERS. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 45,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.
I BROUGHT A 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER WITH 36,222 ON 11/1/08. WELL LESS THAN FIVE MONTHS I HAD TO HAVE THE BRAKES COMPLETELY REPLACED BECAUSE OF THE CONSTANT GRINDING NOISE AND NOW THE FRONT BARRONS HAVE TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE REPLACED THE BACK LEFT BARRON AND IT COST A WHOPPING $200.00 AND THE BRAKES COST $564.00. I HAVE GONE TO THE DEALER TO ASK IF THEY COULD HELP AND WAS INFORMED THAT MY WARRANTY HAD RUN OUT AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THEY TOLD ME TO CALL CHRYSLER AND I WAS TOLD THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO. I ASK IF THERE WAS A RECALL AND WAS INFORMED NO, BUT AFTER READING SOME OF THE OTHER COMPLAINTS I BELIEVE THAT THEY REALLY NEED TO MAKE A RECALL. I CURRENTLY HAVE 46,400. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARS A GRINDING NOISE WHEN THE BRAKE IS DEPRESSED. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IS HARD TO STOP. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS RUST BUILD UP ON THE DRUMS, HOWEVER, NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 17,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. IT WAS DRIVEN OFF THE ROAD AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS USED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. IT WAS SLOWLY DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT BRAKE SHOP WHO DETERMINED A HOSE RUPTURED AND THE HOSE WAS REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS ALERTED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 04V481000, REGARDING THE SERVICE BRAKES; HYDRAULIC; ANTILOCK. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.
OUR BRAKES NEEDED REPLACED FOR INSPECTION THE COMPANY REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS WE DIDN'T DRIVE MORE THE 15,000 MILES AND BRAKES STARTED GRINDING AND MAKING NOISE THEY NEEDED REPLACED AGAIN IT SEEMS THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THESE PT.CRUISERS SINCE THEY WERE MADE. HAVING TALKED TO SEVERAL OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A MAJOR COMPLAINT AMONG THE OWNERS OF PT CRUISERS NO MATTER WHAT YEAR MADE WE STILL HAVE OURS AND IT HAS HAD IT'S BRAKES REPLACED MORE OFTEN THAN WHAT IT WAS DRIVEN WE CURRENTLY HAVE 88,000 ON OURS AND THE BRAKES START THIS NOISE THEN FAIL AFTER 20,00 MILES THIS APPEARS TO BE VERY UNSAFE IT ALSO APPEARS TO HAPPEN ON THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE FIRST THEN MOVES AROUND. THIS MAKES ANY PT CRUISER UNSAFE AND THEY SHOULD BE RECALLED TO FIX THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM BEFORE SOMEONE DIES. *TR
DT: THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP FOR POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE. THE BRAKES WERE MUSHY. WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE WOULD KIND OF GLIDE. THE DEALERSHIP SAID BRAKES HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED BEFORE 15,000 MILES. THIS WAS NORMAL ON THIS VEHICLE.*AK *JB
THE CONSUMER PT CRUISER TRIP METER CONSTANTLY RESET ITSELF, WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE DASH LIGHTS FLASH ON AND OFF, GAS GAUGE DROPS TO EMPTY AND THE BELLS START BEEPING. *BF THE MECHANIC SPRAYED STATIC GUARD IN IT THAT TIME TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE, BUT THIS DID NOT WORK. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE CLOTH SEATS AND TO GET OUT AND GRAB THE METAL BAR. THE GEAR SHIFTER KNOB WOULD COME OFF, THERE WAS A GRINDING NOISE IN THE REAR DUE TO THE BRAKES, IT WAS HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE AT TIME BECAUSE THE LOCK AND TUMBLERS WERE STICKING, THE ENGINE WOULD KNOCK INTERMITTENTLY DURING ACCELERATION AND WOULD ONLY GET 12.9 MILES TO THE GALLON AND WOULD RUN ROUGH INTERMITTENTLY, AND THE GAUGES WOULD QUIT WORKING AT TIMES. *SC
ALMOST HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE/ ALMOST WENT THROUGH A TRAFFIC LIGHT. I HAVE COMPLAINED MUTLIPLE TIMES ABOUT MY BRAKE. I HAVE HAD MY CAR IN TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES FOR THE BRAKES, AND EVERY TIME AM TOLD BRAKES ARE FINE. THEY DID ADJUST THE BRAKES ONCE BUT THE BRAKES SQUEAL & GRIND ALL THE TIME. WAS TOLD IT WAS JUST THE NEW STYLE BRAKES/ BRAKE ROTOR IS RUSTING BADLY AND CHIPPING AWAY AROUND THE TOP BUT WAS TOLD THIS IS A NORMAL EVENT DUE TO THE ELEMENTS. ALSO MY DASHBOARD IS COMING AWAY FROM MY WINDOW AND THIS HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED OR LOOKED AT. MY TIRES NEVER SEEM TO STAY INFLATED AND WAS TOLD THIS IS DUE TO THE WEATHER EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLE I HAVE OWNED. MY CAR HAS POWER SURGES AND THEY SAY THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG THAT THIS IS NORMAL. BELT NOISE/ SQUEALING THEY SAY THIS IS NORMAL WEAR. I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR SINCE NOV 2004. I ALSO HAVE NICKS IN MY WINDSHIELD AND THEY SAID THEY FILLED THEM, AFTER HAVING ANOTHER GLASS COMPANY LOOK AT MY WINDSHIELD THEY SAID THEY WINDSHIELD HAD NOT BEING FILLED WITH ANY TYPE OF FILLER, SO NO IT WAS NOT REPAIRED. *AK
BRAKES CONSTANTLY HAVE GRINDING AND NOISE PROBLEMS, BRAKE PEDAL FEELS SOFT OR GOES TO THE FLOOR EASILY. THIS PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED SINCE THE PURCHASE OF A 2004 PT CRUISER WITH TURBO, BUT APPEARS TO BE A 2003 CHASSI AND BREAKS HENCE THE DRUM BREAKS ON THE REAR. DRUM BREAKS ON A TURBO MODEL HUMMMM. *TR
05/19/2004, WHILE TRAVELING FROM KNOXVILLE TN, ON I-40 IN A RENTED PT CRUISER, A CHEVY BLAZER CHANGED LANES IN FRONT OF US AS TRAFFIC CAME TO A STOP. WE WERE ALREADY SLOWING FOR A CONSTRUCTION ZONE AND WERE TRAVELING AT LESS THAN 45 MPH. WE APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THEY LOCKED UP AND STARTED TO SKID, THE CAR ALMOST STOPPED IN TIME BUT THE BRAKES WENT SOFT AND THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD, PROPELLING US INTO THE PERSON IN FRONT OF US, TOTALING THE PT. WE LEFT 25 FEET OF SKID AND THE CAR ONLY HAD 500 MILES ON IT. WE RENTED THE CAR FROM BUDGET AND IT HAD 5 MILES ON IT WHEN WE GOT IT. I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION FROM THE OWNERS MANUAL THAT THERE IS A BREAKING IN PROCEDURE FOR THE CAR. THIS WAS NOT FOLLOWED IF IT IS A RENTAL WITH 5 MILES ON IT. I HAVE FILED A CLAIM WITH CHRYSLER THEY SENT ME A LETTER CLAIMING THEY "INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT." I DON'T BELIEVE THEM FOR A SECOND. THE VN IS [XXX], MY FIANCEE AND I WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND TREATED FOR MINOR INJURIES. IF YOU NEED AND MORE INFORMATION I CAN FURNISH IT UPON REQUST.*AK UPDATED 07/25/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
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.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026