Transmission complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
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. …
After starting and running normally for about 20 minutes, the vehicle will begin to exhibit electrical issues. The gauges will drop to zero and then slowly return, the warning lights will flash, and the warning chime will sound repeatedly. It seems like when this happens the engine goes through a start cycle. Most of the time, this problem is otherwise asymptomatic, but occasionally it results in sudden power loss to the engine. It does not seem to matter if the vehicle is moving or not; it happens if the vehicle is stopped, moving slowly, moving quickly, etc. The engine has lost power more than once at a critical moment (turning left, clearing an intersection) and multiple times in moving traffic.
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser. The contact stated that the accelerator pedal became stuck to the floorboard, while driving at 60 MPH. The contact also stated that the horn activated and the vehicle jerked. The contact attempted to merge to the shoulder of the road and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact also mentioned that the air bag warning light illuminated intermittently. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 103,000.
As with the other identical complaints, regarding manual transmission shifting and, when the temperature is above 80 degrees shifting gears becomes very difficult and at times impossible. The problem occurred years ago and has always been there. It's as if the bushings in the shift mechanism expand when heated and the shifter sticks in its current gear; with great force you can knock it out and with great force you can re-engage. The next morning at 50 degrees the shifter works properly once again. Later in the day above 80 degrees the problem re-occurs; this happens every time the temperature is above 80 degrees. The resulting hazard leaves you stuck in traffic unable to shift gears, which in turn makes you a hazard to other drivers. I have had two near miss (rear end) collisions as a result. …
I was driving on the freeway when the engine light came on (which it never had before), and within less than a minute the car ceased up, lost power and died. I was able to make it to the side of the freeway as it started puttering before ceasing completely. This incident has happened at least four more times since original date. I had the motor tested at the auto body shop and the said the cam sensor needs checked but the engine is burning my oil up and since this happened and has had to have oil put in 3 times since then in order to make it run when it stops. Just last month I spent over 500.00 replacing the radiator and power steering lines which I was informed was part of a recall on this vehicle but was not covered since it didn't apply to my VIN #. …
It accelerates suddenly, most often when braking from a high speed (like in rush hour), but one time it accelerated and I hit the car in front of me. No damage (I guess because the speeds were low). Now I havbe to drive with my hand on the shifter so I can slip it into neutral if it accelerates suddenly. It almost always happens on the freeway, even if I'm parked in rush hour. It almost always happens when braking from a high speed (rush hour again).
When driving on the dash board where it shows your MPH below. All the lights will flash on engine, battery, oil, air bag, seatbelt, gas. All will flash on instant deceleration instant slow down. The dials will go up and down wild. Over 5 years ago this happened the dealer would only replace when the dash board stopped working completely. Finally it stopped working I had it replaced under extended warranty. 3 moths ago it started happening again. Flashing lights, all dials going up, down, and around. Yesterday I had severe deceleration on the freeway. Extremely scary and unsafe. I pulled all the way over and drove in the slow lane. Looking/reading on here there are 4 other people from all over the united states with the same complaints. I wrote a complaint on here over 4 years ago. There is something seriously wrong with this vehicle. It needs to be looked into from a outside party. …
Related recalls (1)
Power train › Clutch assembly
On certain passenger vehicles, manual transmission models only, a welded pin internal to the dual-mass flywheel (dmf) assembly can unseat and become lodged between the flywheel and the clutch disc.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the flywheel and clutch assemblies with the updated design parts. Owner notification began on April 14, 2003.
Frequently asked questions
Which Chrysler PT Cruiser years have transmission problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2001 (47), 2002 (35), 2003 (35), 2006 (28) and 2004 (21) model years. Transmission complaints make up 8% of all complaints for the 2001.
Is there a recall for Chrysler PT Cruiser transmission problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 03V-076 (clutch assembly, Mar 10, 2003). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Chrysler PT Cruiser transmission problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 51,000 miles; 50% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the automatic transmission (67 mentions), followed by the manual transmission (20).
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.