2007 Chrysler PT Cruiser Engine Problems

2007 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER CONV. HAS 85,300 MILES ON ODOMETER. CAR DEVELOPED A SEVERE ENGINE OIL LEAK PROBLEM. INVESTIGATION BY ME REVEALED A WELL KNOWN MANUFACTURING DEFECT WITH THE 2.4L ENGINE. COMPLETE OIL LOSS CAN HAPPEN VERY QUICKLY AND SEIZE THE ENGINE RESULTING IN A SUDDEN STOP IN TRAFFIC. A DANGEROUS EVENT IF TRAVELING ON A HIGH SPEED ROAD. REPAIR CAN COST UP TO $6000 FOR AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT EVEN IF IT DOES NOT SEIZE. CHRYSLER ACKNOWLEDGES THE DEFECT IN TSB # 09-001-13 / NHTSA # 10128948 BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED.

CANNOT GET GAS TO GO INTO THE GAS TANK, FUEL NOZZLE SHUTS OFF EVERY SECOND OR SO, TAKES ABOUT 30 MINUTES TO FILL THE TANK.

HAS A BURNING RUBBERY SMELL

MY 2007 PT CRUISER WITH 17,340 MILES (YES, THAT'S CORRECT), STARTED LEAKING A GOOD AMOUNT OF OIL. RESEARCHED AND FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SOME FOLKS GETTING STRANDED ON HIGHWAY WHEN CAR DROPPED ALL OF ITS OIL, BROUGHT TO DEALER. THE INVOICE STATES THE FOLLOWING: "CUSTOMER STATES VEHICLE IS LEAKING OIL. VERIFIED THE CONCERN. FOUND OIL LEAKING FROM CAM AND CRANK SEALS. DISASSEMBLED ENGINE TO REPLACE SEALS, AND FOUND EXCESSIVE CRANK SHAFT END PLAY, CAUSING THE CRANKSHAFT SEAL TO PUSH OUT. INSPECTED MOTOR, FOUND BROKEN THRUST WASHERS AND DAMAGE TO THE CRANKSHAFT. REPLACE THE ENGINE AND RECHECK, NO MORE OIL LEAKS." AND THAT'S WHAT THEY DID...TOTAL COST, INCLUDING TAX WAS $6,055. THIS WAS NOT AN EASY DECISION. CHECKING ONLINE, I FOUND IT TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. BASED ON WHAT I READ, I ASKED DEALER TO REPLACE WITH A SHORT BLOCK. SAID THEY ARE NO LONGER MADE. CAR IS ONLY WORTH ABOUT 6K BUT THERE'S NO WAY I COULD AFFORD A NEW CAR. THIS WAY I DO HAVE A 3 YR WARRANTY ON THE NEW ENGINE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK AND THE ENGINE REVVED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE STEERING COLUMN STARTED TO LOCK UP AS THE VEHICLE APPROACHED A STOP SIGN. THE STEERING COLUMN SEIZED AND THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SMOKE APPEARED UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION YARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

I NOTICED A SUDDEN OIL LEAK. I IMMEDIATELY HAD IT CHECKED TO BE TOLD IT WAS THE FRONT CRANK SHAFT AND FRONT SEAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. MY RESEARCH SHOWED IT TO BE SO COMMON A PROBLEM IN THE PT CRUISER. REPAIR COST UP TO $1300.00. AND PROBLEM WOULD LIKELY RE-OCCUR. HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED . *TR

CPSC: I1430176A. 2007 PT CRUISER. CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE TURNS ITSELF OFF DURING DRIVING, THEN RESTARTS. *LN THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE DASH LIGHTS WOULD LIGHT UP, FLICKER, AND BOUNCE AROUND. WITHIN SECONDS TO A MINUTE, THE ENGINE WOULD SHUT DOWN. THE CONSUMER STATED IT WOULD HAPPEN RANDOMLY WITHOUT WARNING. *JB

AFTER GETTING OUT OF MY CAR AND NOTICING A OIL LEAK ON THE DRIVEWAY, I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE DIAGNOSED IT AS A FAILED FRONT CRANK SEAL. VEHICLE IS MAINTAINED WITH NORMAL MAINTENANCE AND OIL CHANGES EVER 3000 MILES. IT ONLY HAS SLIGHTLY OVER 47000 MILES AND A MAJOR MECHANICAL PROBLEM.. WELL, I CONTACTED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER CARE AND THEY CANT HELP.. I HAD IT REPAIRED AND ABSORBED THE FULL COST MYSELF..THEN AS OF THIS WEEKEND 12/27/13 I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN...CALLED CHRYSLER AND THEY WON'T HELP AT ALL I'M READING ABOUT THIS BEING A PRETTY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2.4 ENGINES ISN'T IT TIME WE HOLD OUT MANUFACTURES RESPONSIBLE??? TO AT LEAST ABSORB SOME OF THE COST FOR PARTS FAILING WAY TOO SOON IN THEIR EXPECTED LIFE...IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ON A LONG TRIP I MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN MUCH WORSE SHAPE...VEHICLE WAS 4 QUARTS LOW WHEN I FINALLY ALERTED THERE WAS ANOTHER LEAK.

MY 2007 PT CRUISER HAS HAD A VIBRATION FOR TWO YEARS IN THE ENGINE. IT IS OK IN PARK, BUT WHEN IN DRIVE AND IDLE THE CAR VIBRATES HORRIBLY. IT IS WORSE WITH THE A/C RUNNING AND I LIVE IN AZ. NO ONE CAN FIX IT. I'VE REPLACED THE MOTOR MOUNTS IN 2011AND HAD EVERYTHIG ADJUSTED. I HAVE REPLACED THE MAIN MOTOR MOUNT AGAIN IN 2012 AS IT WAS CRUSHED AGAIN, BUT THE VIBRATION CONTINUES. I SPENT $1500 TO REPLACE THE LAST MOTOR MOUNT INADDITION TO THE PREVIOUS YEARS COST OF REPLACEMENT. I'VE DONE TUNE UPS, REPLACED BELTS, FLUID FLUSHES, OIL CHANGES ALL FOLLOWING THE GUIDELINES. I'VE BEEN TOLD REPEATEDLY THAT THE PT CRUISER JUST HAS THIS VIBRATION AND NO ONE CAN FIX IT. IT'S THE CAR. ALL THE MECHANICS HATE THIS CAR. I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON THIS CAR SINCE I BOUGHT IT AND DUE TO INCOME, I CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO DO THE REPAIR WORK FOR A PROBLEM THAT NEVER GETS FIXED. THIS CAR IS A PIECE OF CRAP AND I WILL NEVER BUY A CHRYSLER PRODUCT AGAIN. THEY COULDN'T PAY ME TO GET ONE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT FRONT OIL SEAL WAS BLOWING AND SPILLING OIL WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH. THE OIL WARNING LIGHT STARTED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED TO THE SHOULDER AND THE CONTACT HAD TO ADD MORE OIL TO THE VEHICLE. A YEAR PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE SEAL WAS FOUND TO BE FRACTURED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE CRANKSHAFT FRONT OIL SEAL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000. UPDATED 10/15/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SHOP FOR THE THIRD TIME. THE CRANKSHAFT EXHAUST BEARING FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE CRANKSHAFT TO MOVE FORWARD DESTROYING THE OIL PUMP. THE OIL PUMP THEN KNOCKED OUT THE CRANK SEAL DUMPING ALL THE ENGINE OIL IN MINUTES. THE OIL COVERED WINDSHIELD OF DRIVERS BEHIND THE CONSUMER, AS WELL AS THE REAR WINDSHIELD OF THE CONSUMER. UPDATED 10/23/2012 *JS

DEALER LOOKED AT THE OIL LEAK AND THE TECH INFORMED ME THE FRONT CRANKSHAFT SEAL WAS LEAKING AND THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF PLAY WITH THE CRANK. SEEMS THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 2.4 LITER MOTOR THAT CHRYSLER HAS IGNORED TO REPORT A RECALL. THERE IS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET. CHRYSLER HAS KNOWN IT HAS AN ENGINE FLAW AND REFUSES TO CORRECT THEIR MISTAKE. I UNDERSTAND REPLACING THE SEAL WON'T FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE PLAY WITH THE CRANK SHAFT, THE SEAL WILL START LEAKING AGAIN. AN OWNER WITH A PT CRUISER UNDER WARRANTY REPORTED THAT CHRYSLER REPLACED THE SEAL SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT FIXING THE PROBLEM. IF THE CRANK HAS TO MUCH PLAY, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE CRANK HAS EATEN INTO THE BLOCK. THE SHORT BLOCK MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. NOT CHEAP BY ANY MEANS. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND THEY STATED THAT BECAUSE OF THE MILEAGE THEY WOULD NOT OFFER ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. THIS CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF AND LOOKS BRAND NEW. THE ENGINE SHOULD GO ANOTHER 100,000 MILES. THIS IS A LEMON ENGINE! *KB

A/C NOT COOLING. FAN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND WHEN SHE CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL WAS POURING OUT OF THE CRANK SHAFT AND THAT THE ENGINE WAS SHAKING AND SPINNING, AS A RESULT THE FRONT SEAL WAS DESTROYED. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE LONG ENGINE BLOCK HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 47,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN OIL STARTED LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE PREVIOUSLY NOTICED A OIL PUDDLE IN THE DRIVEWAY OF HIS HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED THAT DETERMINED THAT THE SHORT BLOCK IN THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE STALLED AND CAUSED A CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,112.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THE PISTON RING IN THE ENGINE HAS BURNED OUT CAUSING THE ENGINE TO FAIL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO STATED THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTIFY THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LAMP WAS ILLUMINATED AND SMOKE BEGAN EMITTING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT SEAL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE NEXT DAY, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED AN ABNORMAL OIL LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THERE WAS EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT IN THE CRANK SHAFT WHICH CAUSED THE SEAL TO BE PUSHED OUTWARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE BUT THEY DECIDED TO EXTEND A GOODWILL WARRANTY THAT WOULD COVER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 69,100.

IWAS DRIVING AND ENTERING THE EXPRESSWAY FROM AN ON RAMP WHEN MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER I HEARD A DING SOUND. I TRIED TO EXCELLERATE AND COULD NOT GO OVER 20 MILES AN HOUR WITH OUT THE CAR SPUTTERING AS IF IT WAS NOT GETTING GAS. I DROVE TO THE NEAREST OFF RAMP AND PRECEDED TO A DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD AN OIL CHANGE DONE ON THE SAME CAR A MONTH PRIOR. I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR USED FROM CARMAX JUST 4 MONTHS AGO AND IT ONLY HAD 44,000.THE TECH SAID IT WAS PROBABLY SOMETHING MINOR. WHEN HE CALLED TO TELL ME WHAT WAS WRONG IT WAS NOT MINOR. THE CAM AND CRANK POSITION SENSORS HAD GONE OUT. AT THE TUNE OF $491.00 TO FIX IT. I CALLED THE OPERATIONS MANAGER AT CARMAX AND ALL HE WANTED TO SAY WAS THANK GOODNESS I HAD BOUGHT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY SO IT WOULD ONLY BE $300.00 FOR THE DEDUCTIBLE. I SAW THAT THERE WERE OTHERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD MORE PEOPLE TELL ME THAT THESE CARS (PT CRUISERS) HAVE MANY PROBLEMS AND THAT SOMETHING IS ALWAYS GOING WRONG WITH THEM. I WISH I HAD NEVER GOTTEN THIS TYPE OF VECHILE NOW!!! I AM STUCK WITH THIS CAR BECAUSE I CANNOT TRADE IT IN, I WOULD BE UPSIDE DOWN. HOPEFULLY I WILL NOT HAVE THE OIL PROBLEMS THAT ALL THE OTHERS HAVE HAD. IF I HAD KNOWN THEY WERE BUILT IN MEXICO I WOULD NOT HAVE EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT BUYING IT.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT, AND THE FRONT SEAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 49,000. UPDATED 07/21/11 *BF UPDATED 2/29/12 *CN