Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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.
Vehicle was parked. Turned off. Multifunction switch that had been replaced previoulsy malfunctioned again. Fog lights just came on out of nowhere luckily I turned around and noticed it. When I opened my car door I noticed the switch was smoking. After some quick thinking I pulled the fuse. If I had not thought of this I belive it would have caught my car on fire and the ones parked next to it. I have had the fuse pulled for a year. Flash forward to my current state in va and it's inspection time. I failed for a faulty function switch. The guys replaced the switch first stoplight I come to no signal. Took it back to garage they said switch was bad out of the box. After this epidemic this will be the 4th multifunction switch that I know of installed on this car. How in the world has this part not been recalled yet. Please do something!
The wiring harness melted, which caused the multifunction switch to burn out and running tail lights to not work properly. Replaced multifunction switch and burning smell came from steering column. Pulled new multifunction switch and noticed melted connectors.
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. …
1. I generally drive our 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser with the fog lights on during the day, and the headlights at night. This means I was turning the fog light switch on the turn signal unit several times a day. 2. Beginning early in 2009 I experienced times when the fog lights would not turn off with the switch without a lot of cycling, or the fog lights would turn themselves on when the door closed. The vibration of the vehicle made that happen. Then, when trying to get the fog lights to turn off, the switch began to smoke. Turning off the car cleared that, so I stopped using the fog lights. The turn signals and headlight portion of the switch worked fine. 3. I contacted the Chrysler dealership and was told they were out of the switch. I then contacted a local auto maintenance company I have used in the past and trust. …
I replaced my vehicles battery 2 days ago(nov 12, 2019)(very old battery and with the cold in massachusetts it needed to be changed). Now with a properly functioning battery the voltage regulator in PCM (not alternator) is signaling alternator to raise charging voltage intermittently to as high as 17.1volts, but has been frequently bouncing between 14.1v -16.7volts. This increase of voltage to a unsafe level causes all electrical accessories that are in connected to the charging system and are operational to flash/ flicker. Extremely distracting at night with headlights and dashboard flashing/ flickering. After a lot of research I found out the PCM needs to be reprogrammed with the proper updated firmware in order to fix the factory weak parameters. …
I've had this vehicle approx. 2 years. At an earlier time I had used the fog lights twice with no incident. Later and prior to 12/17/13 the fog light indicator appeared on the instrument panel, the fog light switch wasn't even turned on but the light came on by themselves. I jiggled the switch and the lights and indicator went out, after that the fog lights wouldn't work at all. On 12/17/13 I went out to my garage to find the fog lamps on. The headlights were off, the car not running, the keys weren't even in the ignition. The lights just came on by themselves. I managed to turn them off (for the night) only to find when I got to work the next morning I couldn't shut them off. I drove the car home, finally pulled the fuse for the fog lamps and returned to work. I've also had incidences where the headlights will dim slightly and then illuminate fully. …
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. …
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.
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.
Headlight complaints in other PT Cruiser years
Frequently asked questions
How common are headlight problems on the 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser?
NHTSA has 34 complaints about the lights of the 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser, 13% of the model year's 258 complaints. The component named most often is headlights (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser headlight problems?
No. NHTSA lists no lights recall for the 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser headlight problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 71,000 miles, and 29% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 2 injuries to lights problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.