2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser Suspension Problems

VEHICLE AT 76,000 MILES RIDES ROUGH AND DURING CHECK UP WAS FOUND TO HAVE BAD FRONT BUSHINGS AND THREE CRACKED ENGINE MOUNTS. TWO LICENSED MECHANICS ADVISED THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO A SINGLE OWNER, NEVER MISTREATED VEHICLE AT THAT MILEAGE. THIS WAS CAUGHT PRIOR TO A POTENTIAL SAFETY INCIDENT. *TR

I BOUGHT A PT CRUISER SEDAN AND THE CAR LOT I BOUGHT IF FROM SAID IT NEEDED FRONT SHOCKS AND IT WOULD BE READY IN TWO DAY. I PICK UP THE PT CRUISER AND DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HAVE IT CHECK OUT FROM TOP TO BOTTOM. IT HAS OVER 100 MECHANICAL ISSUES, FROM SHOCKS WHICH WERE NEVER PUT ON. THERE IS OIL IN THE SPARK PLUGS AND LEAVES A SMELL WHEN THE HEATER IS ON WHICH MAKES US VERY ILL. IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. ALSO, THE CAR LOT I BOUGHT IT FROM WHICH IT WAS SOLD FOR AROUND $2,000 DOLLARS AND NEEDS OVER $3,000 DOLLARS WORTH OF WORK. THEN I GOT SLAPPED WITH AN EXTRA 5,000 FROM THE LOAN COMPANY. THIS IS A LEMON. I AM NOT PAYING FOR ANYTHING AND HIM AND I HAVE WENT AROUND AND AROUND ABOUT THIS PIECE OF JUNK. THEY CAN REPO IT AND THEN I AM GETTING AN ATTORNEY FOR SELLING ME A CAR THAT SHOULD NOT BE ON THE ROAD. TOO DANGEROUS.

OWNED THIS CAR APPROX. 3 MONTHS WITH PROBLEMS FROM DAY 1. FIRST WEEK TOOK IN FOR 3 FRONT END ALIGNMENTS, CAR ALWAYS PULLED TO THE RIGHT, PROBLEM NEVER FIXED. AFTER ONE MONTH WHEN SUMMER ARRIVED NO COLD AIR, HAD TO HAVE EVAPORATOR REPLACED $1,000, CAR IN SHOP FOR 2 WEEKS, AIR STILL NOT BLOWING COLD. REPLACED LOW PRESSURE SWITCH, HIGH END SWITCH, PRESSURE LINE, STILL NO COLD AIR, PROBLEM WAS NEVER RESOLVED. WOULD IDLE REAL HARD AT STOPS. TOLD IT WAS A BROKEN MOTOR MOUNT, REPLACED $150. CAR OVERHEATED, REPLACED THERMOSTAT, STILL OVERHEATING, COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHY...FINALLY THE TURBO ENGINE BLEW ON THE 3 MONTH ANNIVERSARY OF OWNING THIS CAR. HAD TO CALL BANK TO VOLUNTEER A SURRENDER DUE TO COST OF REPLACING ENGINE. CAR DEALER WAS NO HELP, JUST TOLD ME THERE WAS NOT A RECALL OR WARRANTY ON THIS VEHICLE. CALLED CHRYSLER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS DEALERS RESPONSIBILITY. WOW, I WILL NEVER OWN A CHRYSLER AGAIN, THIS WAS THE FIRST AND DEFINITELY THE LAST! *TR

IT WAS DISCOVERED DURING REPAIRS THAT BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARMS WERE DEFECTIVE. HAD TO HAVE THEM REPLACED ALONG WITH OTHER DAMAGE BY TIRE DEALER. *TR

THE FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSIONS PARTS BEGAN BOUNCING EXCESSIVELY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A HUMMING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT END WAS ALSO WOBBLING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS AND HUBS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $792.36. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A COMPLAINT. HE WAS LATER AWARDED $400 TOWARDS THE MONEY HE PAID FOR THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 47,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING HER VEHICLE, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND STEERING COLUMN BEGAN TO VIBRATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH. THE MORE SHE ACCELERATES, THE MORE THEY VIBRATE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE FRONT AXLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND STEERING COLUMN CONTINUED TO VIBRATE AND THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANY FAILURE. ON HER NEXT VISIT TO THE DEALER, SHE WAS TOLD THAT HER VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND SHE SHOULD HAVE RETURNED SOONER. SHE RETURNED TO THE DEALER FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 37,263 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.

HERE IS AN EXTRACT OF WHAT I SEND TO CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE, WHICH THEY REJECTED- NO INJURY WAS INVOLVED: I DO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH ONE REPAIR THAT WAS NEEDED, THOUGH. I HAD TAKEN THE CRUISER IN FOR SERVICE ON AUG 7, 2006 AT THE ADVICE OF OAKLAWN MOBILE IN CRANSTON, RI. I THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WITH THE CRUISER WAS TO DO WITH A STEERING RACK THAT PURITAN REPLACED IN 2003 AND REPAIRED VIA A RECALL AGAIN IN 2005. HOWEVER, IT WAS DUE TO WORN FRONT-END PARTS. SPECIFICALLY BOTH FRONT TIE RODS, WHEEL BEARINGS, AND CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS. GIVEN THAT THE CAR ONLY HAS 40,400 MILES AND HAD JUST COME OFF WARRANTY, I FOUND IT ODD THAT PARTS WOULD WEAR OUT THAT FAST. ESPECIALLY SINCE THE VEHICLE IS GENTLY DRIVEN. I DECIDED TO REVIEW THE NHTSA WEBSITE TO SEE IF I COULD FIND ANY INFORMATION RELATING TO THIS SORT OF REPAIR. IT TURNS OUT THAT THERE WERE 20 ODD COMPLAINTS ABOUT SUSPENSION PROBLEMS SPECIFIC TO THE '02 CRUISERS. MOST OF THE INFORMATION WAS REDACTED, BUT I DID FIND (AND ENCLOSE) ONE COMPLAINT THAT WAS VERY SIMILAR TO MINE. I WISH TO REQUEST FROM DAIMLERCHRYSLER WHAT I THINK IS FAIR AND EQUITABLE COMPENSATION IF THE FORM OF 90% OF THE REPAIR BILL OF $1320.64 TO BE REFUNDED. I TAKE THIS UP WITH THE COMPANY RATHER THAN THE DEALER. THE ENCLOSED COMPLAINT, AS WELL AS THE SERVICE REP AT PURITAN, STATED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH EARLY PT CRUISERS. I WOULD ACCEPT A 10% REDUCTION FOR NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ON THE VEHICLE, AS A REASONABLE CONSUMER WOULD EXPECT SOME SORT OF SUSPENSION WEAR AFTER 40,000 MILES, RATHER THAN 100% WEAR THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED. *NM