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2005 Chrysler Pt Cruiser Recalls & Complaints

5

open safety recalls on record

Critical

244 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.62 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical04V268000

Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist:Hose, Piping, And Connections

POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND RELOCATE, OR REPLACE AS NECESSARY, THE POWER STEERING HOSE AND CONFIRM TORQUE OF THE HOSE FASTENER AT THE STEERING GEAR END. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 20, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.4L NON-TURBOCHARGED ENGINES AND AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES, THE POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE MAY CONTACT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER, POTENTIALLY DAMAGING THE HOSE.

Serious08E033000

Suspension

THE NUTS INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGING FOR THESE BALL JOINT ASSEMBLIES ARE MISSING THE INTENDED PREVAILING TORQUE (SELF-LOCKING) FEATURE.

Remedy & full details

FEDERAL MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE PARTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 22, 2008. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL MOGUL AT 877-489-6659.

FEDERAL MOGUL IS RECALLING 6,903 AFTERMARKET BALL JOINT ASSEMBLIES SHIPPED BETWEEN NOVEMBER 9, 2007 AND MARCH 26, 2008, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN PACKAGED WITH INCORRECT NUTS. THE PART NUMBERS PACKAGED WITH INCORRECT NUTS ARE: K7147, K7329, K8683, AND 104353. THESE PARTS WERE MADE FOR USE ON THE VARIOUS VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE.

Serious09E012000

Exterior Lighting

DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & full details

SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Serious07V149000

Visibility:Glass, Side/Rear

IF THE GLASS SEPARATES WHILE DRIVING, IT COULD STRIKE ANOTHER VEHICLE OR INJURE A PEDESTRIAN.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR QUARTER GLASS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 30, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE REAR QUARTER GLASS ATTACHING FASTENERS MAY PULL THROUGH THEIR MOUNTS AND ALLOW THE GLASS TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE.

Serious04V481000

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip

CONTACT BETWEEN THE BRAKE TUBE AND THE TRANSAXLE HOUSING OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME MAY EVENTUALLY LEAD TO PERFORATION OF THE BRAKE TUBE, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A LOSS OF BRAKING FORCE IN THE LEFT FRONT/RIGHT REAR CIRCUIT OF VEHICLE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSTALL REVISED BRAKE TUBES. THE RECALL BEGAN OCTOBER 25, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4-WHEEL ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS), 2.4L HIGH OUTPUT TURBOCHARGED ENGINE, AND 5-SPEED MANUAL TRANSAXLE, MAY EXHIBIT INADEQUATE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE TUBE AND THE TRANSAXLE HOUSING.

Complaint volume

244 this model-year 6 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

12Crashes
17Fires
19Injuries
0Deaths

Across 244 complaints. Severity Index 0.62.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Electrical System25 · 10%Steering15 · 6%Exterior Lighting13 · 5%Engine And Engine Cooling12 · 5%Engine11 · 5%Vehicle Speed Control10 · 4%Suspension9 · 4%Unknown Or Other9 · 4%
  1. Electrical System — 25 reports
  2. Steering — 15 reports
  3. Exterior Lighting — 13 reports
  4. Engine And Engine Cooling — 12 reports
  5. Engine — 11 reports
  6. Vehicle Speed Control — 10 reports
  7. Suspension — 9 reports
  8. Unknown Or Other — 9 reports
  9. Wheels — 9 reports
  10. Power Train — 9 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

2001 (7) · 2002 (5) · 2003 (4) · 2004 (3) · 2005 · 2006 (1) · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.