2009 Chrysler Pt cruiser
The Verdict
The 2009 Chrysler Pt cruiser has 97 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are electrical (43 complaints) and engine (31 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 74/100, it earns a "Solid Pick" rating. If you're shopping for a Chrysler Pt cruiser, consider the 2010 model year which has 77% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2010 has 77% fewer complaints
View the 2010 Chrysler Pt cruiser dashboard →
Klunk Score: Solid Pick
Fewer complaints than most vehicles. Generally dependable, but check the top problems below.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
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Worst Problems
Complaints
The contact owns a 2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH, the front driver's side seat erroneously rolled backwards, and the driver was unable to reach the brake pedal. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was contacted regarding the failure. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 87,000.
SPORADIC INSTRUMENT CLUSTER POWERS ON AND OFF ILLUMINATING ALL LIGHTS. WHEN CONDITION OCCURS IT IS VASTLY DISTRACTING UNABLE TO DETERMINE VEHICLE SPEED ACCURATELY. WHEN THE ISSUE IS PRESENT THE ENGINE WILL TYPICALLY SHUT OFF. THIS SEEMS LIKE AN INCREDIBLY BAD CONDITION TO ALLOW IN A VEHICLE AND CONTACTING CHRYSLER LED TO NO SOLUTION FOR RESOLVING. INTERNET SEARCH SUGGESTS THIS IS NOT A ONE OFF SITUATION AND EXISTS ACROSS SEVERAL MODEL YEARS. CHRYSLER DOES HAVE A RECALL NOTICE "01V288000" FOR MODEL YEAR 2001 WHICH APPEARS TO BE VERY SIMILAR IN NATURE. DUE TO THE HIGHLY DISTRACTING NATURE OF THIS CONDITION AND FREQUENCY OF SIMILAR OWNER REPORTS IT SEEMS PARTICULARLY EGREGIOUS THAT A RECALL NOTICE DOES NOT EXIST.
WHILE RUNNING AT 45 MPH ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, THE GAUGES WENT TO ZERO, AND THE MOTOR STARTED STUMBLING. TRYING TO NURSE IT HOME, I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT WHERE THE PREVIOUS THINGS HAPPENED AGAIN BUT ALSO THE MOTOR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. THIS LEFT ME STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY 4 LANE HIGHWAY. ENGINE FINALLY RESTARTED WHERE I DROVE IT HOME. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED AND I SEE WHERE ONLINE THIS HAS BEEN COMPLAINED ABOUT OVER AND OVER. I CAN NOT AFFORD TO THROW THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AT IT AND CHRYSLER DOESN'T CARE.
WHILE DRIVING ALL THE WARNING LIGHT COME ON ENGINE STALLS EVEN AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. CAR HAS TO STOPPED, KEY TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED AND THE ERRORS CLEAR. IT HAS DONE SINCE IT WAS NEW.. IT HAS BEEN RESEARCHED BY DEALER WHILE IN FOR SERVICE. NEVER FIXED IT IS STILL DOING IT..
INTERMITTENTLY ALL DASH LIGHTS COME ON AND ALL GAUGES BEGIN FLUCTUATING AND THE CAR WILL BEGIN TO SPUTTER AND SOMETIMES DIES AND THEN IT DOESN'T DO IT AGAIN FOR MILES
MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, ALL THE LIGHTS ON DASH ILLUMINATE WHEN THE CAR IS FIRST STARTED, SOMETIMES FLASHING ON AND THEN OFF WHEN DRIVING. IF DRIVING, SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL EITHER ACCELERATE OR SLOW DOWN. BECAUSE THE SPEEDOMETER GOES BACK AND FORTH, I HAVE NO IDEA HOW FAST I'M GOING. IF I SLOW DOWN WHEN APPROACHING A RED LIGHT OR TO MAKE A TURN, THE CAR HAS CUT OFF. LOOKING ONLINE, THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM OF PT CRUISER OWNERS, YET I'VE NEVER SEEN A RECALL. DIAGNOSTICS RAN A FEW TIMES AND NO READING SHOWS UP. ONLY TOLD, IT APPEARS TO BE AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE.
I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN DECEMBER OF 2016. THE ODOMETER READING WAS 74,000 MILES AT THAT TIME. IT FUNCTIONED WITHOUT PROBLEMS UNTIL MARCH 2018. THE CAR WAS DRIVEN ABOUT 2 MILES AND THEN WAS PARKED FOR ABOUT 5 HOURS. I STARTED THE CAR AND DROVE ABOUT 2 BLOCKS AT ABOUT 25 MPH WHEN ALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON, THE GAS GAUGE WENT TO EMPTY AND I FELT A LOSS OF POWER. IT RECOVERED AFTER A FEW SECONDS. IT HAPPENED AGAIN ABOUT 1 MINUTE LATER. I COASTED TO A STOP SIGN AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. I TURNED IT BACK ON ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER AND DROVE ON. I TURNED ONTO A BUSY STREET AND AFTER DRIVING A FEW BLOCKS IN TRAFFIC THE POWER LOSS HAPPENED AGAIN. IT RECOVERED ON ITS OWN AFTER ABOUT 5 SECONDS. I GOT OFF THE BUSY S STREET AND ONTO A SIDE STREET. IT HAPPENED AGAIN AFTER DRIVING A FEW BLOCKS AND DID NOT RECOVER. I COASTED INTO A PARKING SPOT AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES I STARTED THE CAR AND DROVE ABOUT 1.5 MILES TO MY HOUSE WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE CAR SPENT SEVERAL WEEKS IN A REPUTABLE LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM, SO COULD NOT DIAGNOSE. I THEN DROVE THE CAR FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS WITHOUT INCIDENT. IT HAS STARTED DOING IT AGAIN. I DO NOT BELIEVE I CAN SAFELY DRIVE IT ON A BUSY STREET OR A FREEWAY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR TURNED ON AND OFF BY ITSELF WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH. ALSO, THE HORN DID NOT WORK DUE TO THE AIR BAG INDICATOR THAT WAS WIRED INTO THE HORN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE CONTACT CALLED HILLTOP CHRYSLER DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT IF THERE WAS A FAILURE WITH THE HORN OR AIR BAG, THE REPAIRS WOULD BE AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000. *TT *TR
ENGINE LEAKING OIL
I WAS IN A HWY. ALL OF A SUDDEN, ALL THE GAUGES LIGHT UP AND I LOST POWER. I PUSH THE GAS PEDAL BUT NO ACCELERATION. I MANAGED TO PARK ON THE SIDE. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTED THE CAR AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED JUST 3 WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR. IT HAPPENED AGAIN ONE MONTH LATER. IT HAS BEEN NOW ONE WEEK LATER. I AM AFRAID IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN. IT IS A VERY SAFETY HAZARD SINCE I ALWAYS TRAVEL ON A BUSY HIGHWAY.
MY VEHICLE SHUTS OFF RANDOMLY WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH AND WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 65 MPH. VERY SCARY, DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN MY OWN CAR. FEAR FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY.
THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT IS TORN. THE STITCHING UNRAVELED FROM THE BELT PART WHICH GOES ACROSS THE CHEST. THE METAL PIECE IS IN THE FASTENER, BUT NO BELT IS ATTACHED TO IT. IT IS DANGEROUS FOR THE PASSENGER AND UNLAWFUL IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.
A FOLLOW-UP TO COMPLAINT 11001939 ; WHERE THE WHEEL SENSOR/VALVE BLEW OUT OF THE RIM ; TOOK THE TIRE AND RIM TO "COSTCO TIRE" WHERE I HAD BOUGHT THE TIRES ; THE CHRYSLER ALUMINUM SENSOR WAS STILL INSIDE THE TIRE ; THEY SAID THE ALUMINUM WAS SO CORRODED ; THEY COULD NOT REPAIR IT ; NOW AS AN ENGINEER IN THE METALS INDUSTRY ; YOU N E V E R ; PUT ALUMINUM AND STEEL PARTS TOGETHER BECAUSE JUST THEM TOUCHING EACH OTHER ; CAUSES A GALVANIC REACTION WHICH DOES EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED HERE...............CORROSION AND SEPARATION. ANY TIME THE TWO METAL TOUCH YOU GET THIS REACTION; TO PUT THESE TOGETHER YOU SURROUND THE METAL WITH A SLEEVE CALLED A "JOCK" KIT TO KEEP THE SEPARATE; OBVIOUSLY TO PREVENT THIS. EVEN THOUGH I STOPPED THE VEHIHCLE AS SOON AS MY SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON I ALSO DESTROYED THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE (BFGOODRICH ADVANTAGE)........THE TIRE MANAGER ASKED HOW I KEPT THE VEHICLE FROM CRASHING; I TOLD HIM I WAS AN EXPERIENCED RACE CAR DRIVER AND DIDN'T PANIC. NOW ; ALL CHRYSLER PT CRUISER TO MY AND COSTCO'S TIRE MANAGER HAVE SEEN HAVE THE SAME SET-UP FOR WHEEL SENSORS IN ALL THEIR MODELS ; I OWN 2 OF THEM ; LOVE THEM ; BUT THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE AND WITH WATER ETC. ADDED TO THE FACTS, I'M SURE THEIR ARE OTHERS' WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND MAYBE NOT THE EXPERIENCE TO NOT MAKE THIS A "ROLLOVER" OR "OTHER LANE SWERVE " SITUATION. I LIVE IN PA. BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NEVER DRIVEN THE WINTER THRU SALTS FOR SNOW ; REALLY A CONCERN IN MY MIND HOW THESE ARE IN STEEL RIMS.............PROBABLY DOES NOT EFFECT THE ALUMINUM OPTIONAL WHEELS THEY OFFERED. THANKS
WHEEL SENSOR /AIR VALVE BLEW OUT OF WHEEL ITSELF ON THE INTERSTATE 79 @ 70 MPH ; OBVIOUSLY LOST ALL AIR SUDDENLY ; HAVE HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM FROM ANOTHER PT CRUISE OWNER ; THESE ARE FACTORY INSTALLED WHEEL SENSOR/AIR VALVES................NO DAMAGE STOPPED WITH 10 SECONDS. I SEE REPORTS HERE AS FAR BACK AS 2011 ; SHOWN UNDER TIRES.
TAKATA RECALL I BOUGHT A 2009 PT CRUISER FROM IMPERIAL CHRYSLER IN MENDON, MA IN AUGUST 2013. IMMEDIATELY, IT STARTED TO ACT UP-THIS WAS SEPT 2013. DURING DRIVING THE DASH LIGHTS WOULD SUDDENLY GO ON, THE GAUGES WOULD GO UP & DOWN, AND THEN IT WOULD STALL. I WOULD PULL OFF THE ROAD AND IT WOULD START RIGHT UP, HOWEVER, THIS COULD OCCUR 3-4 MORE TIMES DURING THAT DAY, OR IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN FOR A COUPLE WEEKS. IT WAS VERY INCONSISTENT AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. WHEN IMPERIAL CHRYSLER HAD IT IN SEPTEMBER 2013, THEY DID A FEW DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WERE NOT WORKING WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR, UNRELATED TO THE ISSUE DESCRIBED ABOVE. THEY STATED THAT THEY WEREN'T EXPERIENCING THE ISSUE THAT I WAS HAVING AND COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. THEY ADVISED THAT I SHOULD LEAVE THE CAR FOR A WEEK SO THEY COULD DETERMINE WHAT WAS REALLY HAPPENING. AFTER THE CAR SEEMED TO BE OK UNTIL THE SUMMER OF 2016 WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON ROUTE 128 AND THE DASH LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING, GAUGES UP AND DOWN AND THE CAR STALLED. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER INTO THE BREAKDOWN LANE, WHERE I WAS ABLE TO RE-START THE CAR AND MOVE ON. THIS WAS A VERY SCARY POSITION TO BE PLACED IN, BEING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY WITH CARS RACING BY. AS A RESULT, I HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING ANYWHERE BUT LOCALLY. DURING THE NEARLY 4 YEARS I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR, I HAVE PUT ON JUST UNDER $16,000 MILES DUE TO THESE UNRESOLVED ISSUES. I PURCHASED THE CAR WITH JUST OVER $68,000 MILES ON IT. AS YOU CAN SEE, I HAVE HAD NO LUCK WITH THE CHRYSLER-TRAINED EXPERTS AT IMPERIAL CHRYSLER. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL LOCAL MECHANICS WHO HAVE THEORIES ON WHAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE. HOWEVER, THEY CANNOT GUARANTEE A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, THE GAUGE READINGS FLUCTUATED, AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE FAILURES RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD "AN ELECTRONICS PROBLEM." THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW WHAT PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.
ALL WARNING LIGHTS FLASH WHILE DRIVING, CAR DIES THEN RESTARTS, VERY DANGEROUS IN TRAFFIC. CHRYSLER CAN'T FIND THE ISSUE, TOOK IT MECHANICS THEY CAN'T FIND THE ISSUE. SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE 100'S OF ISSUES WITH MANY DIFFERENT YEARS OF THE PT CRUISER HOWEVER CHRYSLER IS IGNORING AND THERE IS NOTHING TO FIX. SOME DAYS THIS HAPPENS A LOT THEN IT WILL GO 3 OR 4 DAYS WITHOUT.
I'VE HAD MY PT CRUISER FOR ATLEAST 3 YEARS NOW. TODAY AS I WAS DRIVING ALL THE LIGHTS STARTED GOING ON AND OFF ON THE DASH BOARD AND WAS ACTING AS IF IT WERE GOING TO STALL OUT. HOWEVER , EVERY TIME I HIT THE GAS THE MPH GAUGE WOULD GO UP. HOWEVER MY GAUGES ON MY DASH BOARD HAD STOPPED WORKING UNTIL I'D HIT THE GAS PETAL AGAIN. IT DID THIS FOR AT LEAST A FEW MINUTES I WAS ON A BUSY ROAD WHEN IT HAPPENED AND WAS NOT ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. I'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT OF RUMORS GOING ON ABOUT PT CRUISERS LOSING POWER AND LOCKING UP ON PEOPLE AND BAD THINGS HAPPENING I THINK CHRYSLER NEEDS TO GET ON THE BALL AND FIX THESE ISSUES WITH THEIR VEHICLES SINCE WE ARE ONLY THE ONES THAT BUY THEM UNDER FAITH OF SAFETY. I HAD THIS HAPPEN ONE OTHER TIME WHEN I FIRST GOT IT BUT I DIDN'T THINK NOTHING OF IT. THE ISSUE SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING MORE AND MORE OFTEN. IT'S NOT EVEN AT 100,000 MILES YET AND I AM HAVING THIS MANY ISSUES. THIS PT CRUISER NEEDS TO BE RECALLED! ME OR MY CHILDREN BEST NOT GET HURT IT THIS THING DUE TO CHRYSLER'S NEGLECT ON THIS ISSUE. I'VE SEEN MANY PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND NOTHING BEING DONE. WHO HAS TO DIE BEFORE IT'S RESOLVED?!? I WOULD'VE HAD PICTURES BUT THE LIGHTS TURNED OFF AND IT WENT BACK TO NORMAL BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO TAKE A SNAP SHOT OR VIDEO OF IT. BECAUSE IF I LOSE POWER AGAIN AND IT MALFUNCTIONS AND ME OR MY KIDS GET HURT WHEN CHRYSLER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED AND THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING THERE WILL BE A LAW SUIT. IF I HAD KNOWN THIS ISSUE WOULD OCCUR I WOULD HAVE NEVER BOUGHT IT, INFACT I'M STILL PAYING ON IT FOR ANOTHER 2 YRS.
THIS OCCURS ALL THE TIME WETHER I AM DRIVING ON RESIDENTAL ROAD OR ON A HIGHWAY GOING 70 MPH. MY CAR FEELS LIKE IT IS LOSING POWER WHICH IT IS. ALL THE LIGHTS ON MY DASH ARE LIT UP LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE AND I HAVE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD VERY CAREFULLY AS I LOSE STEERING AS WELL. SOMETIMES I CAN JUST RESTART THE CAR AND EVERYTHING IS FINE, SOMETIMES IT IS A FEW MINUTES AND A FEW TIMES IT HAS TAKEN A FEW HOURS. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN TO GET THE CODES READ BUT THEY TELL ME IT IS EITHER THE GAS CAP IS LOOSE OR ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THE FUEL. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND THEY PUT IT ON THEIR COMPUTER AND GOT DIFFERENT READINGS. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A FUEL VACUUM PROBLEM WHICH WAS CORRECTED. I STILL HAVE THE ISSUES. NOW SOMETIMES THE ENGINE JERKS AND PULLS BUT I DON'T LOOSE POWER. MECHANIC IS UNABLE TO FIND PROBLEM. DID NOT TAKE TO DEALERSHIP AFTER READING ALL THE HORROR STORIES ABOUT PAYING DEALERS TONS OF MONEY AND STILL NOT HAVING A WORKING CAR. ALSO IF I HAVE MORE THEN ONE KEY ON MY KEYRING THEN THE IGNITION SWITCH DOESN'T WORK. IF I LIMIT MY KEYRING TO JUST MY CAR KEY AND HOUSE KEY THEN MY CAR STARTS EVERYTIME AND NO CUTTING OUT WHILE AT COMPLETE STOP LIKE IT HAS IN THE PAST. WE BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN JULY 2011 AND IT NOW HAS APROX. 66,000 MILES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHEN THE CONTACT ENTERED THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER'S SEAT SWITCH BEZEL FRACTURED AND RESULTED IN EXPOSED WIRING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE COMPONENT FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.
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