Acceleration complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
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 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.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser. While driving 40 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the transmission made a loud knocking noise and all the warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to marx auto center (132 rockdale ave, south dartmouth, ma 02748, [phone]), but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 35,000.
I bought this PT Cruiser from a local dealer, the first time it turned off I was at a stop sign and thought it just stalled from not being warmed up. About a week later I was driving down a local road doing 50 miles per hour when I bumped the key in the ignition with my knee. The car turned off. Luckily it was a straight road with no traffic and I was able to guide the car to a stop then restart it. This has happened a few times more, all with bumping my knee against the ignition key. It instantly turns the car off. With the GM recall in the news I wasn't paying attention since I don't have a GM car but decided to look when I heard it involved the ignition turning the car off. I saw that it is similar yet nothing being done about my ignition so I am filing this complaint. I have notified Chrysler of this problem I am experiencing. …
Driving my vehicle on a highway, approaching the city, with cruise control on. Weather clear and sunny. Highway traffic was light. My speed was at around 70 MPH. The driver apparently decided to exit the ramp as it was lined with vehicles. The driver pulled out of ramp and steered to left lane on highway, in front of me. I had to brake suddenly to avoid collision. My car suddenly skidded and spun around once, with rubber burning from tires. My vehicle nearly crashed against the rail as my car skidded for 2nd time to stop. No injuries or property damages. Inspected my car later at gas station. Did not detect any visual problems. Could not figure out why my car skidded and spun around on highway. After the shopping trip, I drove home with no incidents. As I pulled in home, there was smoke coming out of under hood. …
Without warning, the engine turns off and all power is lost. The ignition switch does not move. Once the care is stopped, you have to turn the key to the off position and then turn it back on. When put on the dealer's computer, the computer only says "there was a sudden loss of power." dealer suggests putting in a new ignition but does not guarantee this will fix the problem. The car can no longer be trusted on the highway or interstate. I can only drive it in town at slow speeds so I won't cause a crash if it suddenly dies on me.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser. The contact stated that the transmission would downshift to lower gears while driving approximately 40 MPH. The check engine warning indicator illuminated. In addition, the speedometer, headlights, and power windows failed to function while driving. The vehicle was taken to atlantic Chrysler (130 sunrise highway, west islip, ny 11795, [phone]) where it was diagnosed that the PCM failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred numerous times. The manufacturer advised the contact to take the vehicle back to the dealer. No further assistance was offered. The approximate failure mileage was 39,700.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser. While driving various speeds, the vehicle lost power and multiple warning lights on the instrument cluster illuminated. The accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to accelerate. In addition, the vehicle previously stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer on multiple occasions, but it was unable to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact was unsure if the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000. The VIN was unavailable.
NHTSA investigations
Fuel hose abrasion
Frequently asked questions
Which Chrysler PT Cruiser years have acceleration problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2009 (14), 2001 (13), 2002 (13), 2003 (12) and 2005 (10) model years. Acceleration complaints make up 14% of all complaints for the 2009.
Is there a recall for Chrysler PT Cruiser acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for any Chrysler PT Cruiser model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Chrysler PT Cruiser acceleration problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 64,000 miles; 38% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the accelerator pedal (7 mentions), followed by the cruise control (6).
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.