2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser Complaints

LET ME START BY SAYING I JUST BOUGHT THIS 2001 LIMITED EDITION PT CRUISER THREE DAYS AGO FROM A PRIVATE DEALER. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY, HEADING HOME FROM WORK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, AND WANTED TO TRY THE CRUISE CONTROL. I TURNED IT ON AND SET IT FOR 67MPH TO SEE IF IT WORKED FIRST. THEN I WENT TO RESET IT TO MY ACTUAL DESIRED SPEED BY TAPPING MY BRAKES, THEN I TRIED THE SWITCH ON THE ARM OF MY STEERING WHEEL BUT THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULDN'T SHUT OFF. I GOT OFF AT THE NEXT EXIT AND WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN TO 40MPH BEFORE MY BRAKES LOCKED UP AND I WAS FORCED TO RUN THE STOP SIGN AT THE END OF THE OFF RAMP. (THANK GOD IT WAS AT 3AM AND MY BABY WASN'T WITH ME!). I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER DOING 20MPH BEFORE THE BRAKES LOCKED UP AGAIN. I QUICKLY SHUT IT OFF, PUT IT IN PARK, AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES TO TURN IT BACK ON. BUT THE ENGINE JUST KEPT REVING, AS IF I WAS HOLDING MY FOOT ON THE GAS BECAUSE THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS STILL ON! I TRIED RESETTING IT BY TURNING THE KEY BACK AND FORTH A FEW TIME...

THE CAR WILL SHUT OFF AND NOT RESTART FOR AT LEAST 10 MINUTES. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL MECHANICS AND WHEN THE TESTER IS APPLIED NO CODE APPEARS AND NONE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TELL US WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I TOOK TO THE INTERNET AND FOUND NUMEROUS INSTANCES OF THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES BUT NO SOLUTION. THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE THERE IS NO WARNING, IT JUST STOPS. DO TO THE HIGHLY DANGEROUS SITUATION WE ONLY TAKE IT ON THE STREET WHERE THE LIKELIHOOD OF COLLATERAL INJURIES CAN BE BETTER CONTROLLED. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR ABOUT (6) MONTHS, THE LAST TIME WAS ABOUT 6 WEEKS AGO

POWER STEERING FLUID IS LEAKING FROM THE HIGH PRESSURE HOSE WHERE IT IS ROUTED UNDER THE ENGINE CASING. THE HIGH PRESSURE HOSE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN WARN THROUGH BY RUBBING AGAINST ONE OF THE CLAMPS WHICH SECURE THE HOSE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE CASING. POWER STEERING PUMP WAS MAKING WHINING NOISES. POWER STEERING FLUID RESERVOIR WAS CHECKED. DIPSTICK WAS DRY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT OBSERVED A HEAVY LEAK FROM THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DETERMINED THAT THE FLUID WAS POWER STEERING FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V268000 (STEERING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,295.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 TO 20 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A BODY SHOP. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.