Fuel System complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I accelerated to get up to highway speed and the gas pedal stuck going 65mph. I put both feet on the brake at full pressure and the car kept accelerating. I put into neutral and braked, then pull the e-brake and pulled over to the shoulder of the highway. Very dangerous, scary malfunction - the mechanic says the accelerator throttle and cable are broken. A search of the internet shows other people have had this happen in different years and models of PT cruisers.
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. …
Just purchased this car 3 days ago. The main fuel line started to leak today near the rear engine firewall, where there is a connection to some kind of valve. Very visible fuel leak at the connector. This is a fire hazard due to the fuel line leak being directly above the exhaust. Chrysler will do nothing about this issue and as I have seen on many forums regarding this vehicle type and this same issue, this is a very common problem that the dealer should make right with these vehicles having a "potential fire issue " and recall this vehicle for the fuel issue and most important, it's potential to destroy the vehicle and contents due to a defective fuel connector before someone burns up in this vehicle. I plead with you to have this vehicle recalled due to it's fuel leaking issue. Thank you. Thge fuel leaks while resting in place or in motion. …
Fuel odor in passenger compartment investigated and fuel leak in the engine compartment was found. The leak is at the connection from the fuel tank to the fuel rail connection. The connection is on the vehicle right/passenger side and against the fire wall. If no recall, at least all registered drivers should be notified of the issue. Leak was discovered on 1st look due to google search of issue. Issue is noticed at start up and disappears (leak continues) with vehicle speed or with air flow dilution. Customers need to fix or face the possibility of a under hood fire. Thanks.
Tl-the contact owned a 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser. Started the vehicle and the vehicle stalled. Fuel odor, vehicle would not start for an additional hour vehicle restarted and caught on fire, fire department stated that the fire started along the firewall manufacturer not contacted, fire report filed, fire extinguished by fire department stated that upon start up the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that there was an abnormal fuel odor. The vehicle was then restarted almost an hour later. The contact then noticed fire coming from under the hood of the vehicle on the passenger's side of the vehicle. The fire department was contacted and was able to extinguish the fire. A fire report was filed. The fire marshall stated that the fire seemed to have originated in a wiring harness installed behind the fuel lines for the fuel injectors. There was no injuries sustained in the fire. …
Tl* the contact owns 2005 Chevrolet PT Cruiser. The contact stated that she could smell smoke inside of the vehicle while driving. The dealer diagnosed that the fuel line was defective. The vehicle was repaired numerous times, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 32,000 and the current mileage was 35,000.
On October 4, 2006, I had noticed that my fuel gauge on the PT Cruiser was still reading full and I knew after driving it for a week it should be reading empty. I also noticed that when I accelerated, the gauge read "full" but when I put on the brakes it would read "empty"; it even read 1/2 full a couple of times. On October 5,2006, I took the car back to dave dennis Chrysler Jeep and Dodge to have it repaired. According to the workorder, the dealer replaced the "fuel sending unit". At that time, I had also asked for their free 16 point check which involves checking fluid levels and tire air pressure, etc. This service was not performed because the next morning we had to stop from our road trip to put air in all 4 tires. The front passenger only had 10psi in it. On October 27, 2006 I had to return the car to the dealer again after I had filled the gas tank to capacity. …
Just under 78,000 miles turbo goes out, took to dealership, replaced turbo (took 6 mos) finally returned the vehicle and within 1 month head gasket goes out (blowing white smoke), while driving at 35 MPH on a side road (dealer says known problem, wants another $2000 for head gasket, local dealer says "the head gaskets for that car are the weak point, when you return the comp ratio to new/normal with a new turbo. It will blow the head gasket out") replaced myself (cant afford dealer) new head gasket (multi layered pos), new bolts (required), new timing belt, now it wont start, tested all sensors, cam, crank, o/p, water, throttle pos, replaced coil, replaced PCM, chased and inspected all wiring, still nothing engine cranks over, but-it will not start. …
Related recalls (2)
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel supply line could contact the air-conditioning tube service port. This can cause chafing of the line resulting in a fuel leakage.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the fuel line for abrasion and install a clip to ensure isolation. In cases with evidence of fuel line abrasion, the fuel line will be replaced. Owner notification began August 12, 2002.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery
On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel pump module mounting flange could leak fuel if the vehicle is involved in a rollover crash.
Remedy: Dealers will install a secondary seal over the fuel pump module. Owner notification began August 12, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the…
Frequently asked questions
Which Chrysler PT Cruiser years have fuel system problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2001 (52), 2002 (20), 2005 (18), 2006 (14) and 2003 (11) model years. Fuel System complaints make up 8% of all complaints for the 2001.
Is there a recall for Chrysler PT Cruiser fuel system problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 02V-214 (hoses, lines/piping, and fittings, Aug 8, 2002); 02V-215 (delivery, Aug 8, 2002). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Chrysler PT Cruiser fuel system problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 62,000 miles; 42% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the delivery › hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (19 mentions), followed by the delivery (17).
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.