Engine complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The engine blew up! Under 70,000 mileage but after 10 years. Mechanics can't figure out what's wrong with it. The try this and that. The catalytic converter, spark plugs... everything you can imagine. Just started to cost more than it was worth.
I drove 15 miles an pulled at 55 MPH into oskaloosa ia reduced speed to 35 down to 25 an thought I smelled something burning like wires an antifreeze ,black smoke rolled out from under neath my hood on passenger side put in park popped hood opened hood flames coming from underneath engine in front of alternator grabbed snow throwing it on flames called 911 got fire extinguisher sprayed got fire out fire dept.showd looked they said smelt like wiring& antifreeze burnt smell .then looked in side of car keys in my hand dash lights all lite up an flashing .fireman said electrical melted the windshield washer fluid container .cause car was off we discounted battery took neg off laid it where nothing touch an went take pos.off sparks shot out of neg.cable end. …
I brought the car on 3/25/14 from a Toyota dealer ship. Complain about a knocking noise coming from the engine at the time of test drive. Toyota promise me it would be fixed pick the car drove it a couple of days and notice the control panel lights started going on and off along with the car shutting down. Took it back to the dealer for service nothing was found. I let my daughter drive the car and while on the fwy at 65mph the lights on the control panel starting going on and off they car shut off on her. Lucky she was able to guide the car over to the emergency lane avoiding from getting hit. I was in the hospital for about 4 months so car really wasn't driven that much. …
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. …
Problems reside in the total integrated power management module. TPIM whereas vehicle will shut off while driving. No indicator lights to give warning before the vehicle shuts off. Has on occasion shut off and recovered power multiple times within a minute This is a very dangerous scenario to conduct a road test or have someone confirm the issue on the road.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser. While driving 30 MPH, the vehicle jerked back and forth as if the brakes were being depressed and released. In addition, the vehicle began to smoke without warning. The contact was an independent mechanic and repaired the vehicle; however, the diagnosis was unknown. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 137,000.
I'm driving along, cruise set to 65. Ac on. Radio on. No sounds or weird feels from the car. Every light on the dash comes on. They went off after two seconds, with the seatbelt light being last to shut off. Then the car hits 113k miles about ten miles later and just... shuts off. All gauges drop to zero. Ac shuts off. Radio still playing. Full tank of gas. Headlights still on, brakes worked, power steering worked, and emergency flashers worked. I managed to get out of traffic and pull over without causing an accident. I turn the radio off and turn the key off for a few minutes. It cranked right back up and ran a little rough for a moment before smoothing out. I drove home without incident, but kept the radio and cruise off. And stayed under 65. Thankfully, traffic was light. The car has not been fixed as of this posting, nor has it been seen by anyone due to the weekend. …
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. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Chrysler PT Cruiser years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2006 (91), 2001 (74), 2002 (60), 2007 (50) and 2005 (45) model years. Engine complaints make up 26% of all complaints for the 2006.
Is there a recall for Chrysler PT Cruiser engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling 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 engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 62,000 miles; 39% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the engine (73 mentions), followed by the cooling system (22).
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.