NHTSA Safety Recalls
Chrysler PT Cruiser Recalls by Year
NHTSA's files hold 11 recall campaigns for the Chrysler PT Cruiser, across 6 model years from 2001 to 2006. The 2001 has the most (7); the fewest among years with a recall is 2006 (1).
Chrysler PT Cruiser years to avoid by our method: 2001 (2.4× the median year) and 2002 (2.0× the median year).
- Model years
- 6
- Recall campaigns
- 11
- Most recalls
- 2001
- Owner complaints
- 2,524
2001–2006, with a recall
7 recalls
all model years, NHTSA
Owners have filed 2,524 complaints with NHTSA about the Chrysler PT Cruiser across 10 model years; the most, 618, concern the 2001.
Owners marked a crash on 194 of the Chrysler PT Cruiser complaints (8%) and a fire on 109.
Across all Chrysler PT Cruiser model years, owners name the electrical system most often (at least 560 complaints), then the engine and engine cooling (201).
NHTSA received the most complaints about the Chrysler PT Cruiser in 2007: 245, across all model years.
The component recalled most often on the Chrysler PT Cruiser is exterior lighting, in 5 model-year listings.
The newest Chrysler PT Cruiser recall, 07V149000, was reported on April 4, 2007 and concerns the visibility: glass, side/rear.
Chrysler PT Cruiser years to avoid
The 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser stands out most: 231 complaints between 2000 and 2004, 13% of them naming the electrical system.
The 2001 also carries 7 recalls, against a median of 2 for the ranked Chrysler PT Cruiser years.
The best-measured Chrysler PT Cruiser years are 2010 (0.2×), 2008 (0.4×) and 2007 (0.6×).
The ranking uses owner complaints in each model year's first years on the road, adjusted for NHTSA's complaint volume for that model year. It is not adjusted for sales and is not a reliability rating. Method
Recalls and complaints by model year
First years: complaints received from the year before the model year to three years after it.Chrysler PT Cruiser years without a link have no recall page on this site.
What gets recalled most on the Chrysler PT Cruiser
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING5
- STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS5
- SUSPENSION5
- FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY2
- VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR2
- SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP1
- POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY1
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH1
- FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS1
- CHILD SEAT1
Chrysler PT Cruiser model-year listings per recall component; one campaign can cover several years.
Every Chrysler PT Cruiser recall campaign (11)
| Campaign | Component | Years | Risk named | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07V149000April 4, 2007 | visibility: glass, side/rear | 2005–2006 | injury | 38,447 |
| 04V481000October 8, 2004 | service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip | 2005 | — | 115 |
| 04V268000June 3, 2004 | steering: hydraulic power assist: hose, piping, and connections | 2001–2005 | fire | 438,391 |
| 03V076000March 10, 2003 | power train: clutch assembly | 2003 | — | 816 |
| 02V214000August 8, 2002 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings | 2001 | fire | 97,779 |
| 02V215000August 8, 2002 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery | 2001–2002 | fire | 345,436 |
| 02V162000June 14, 2002 | seats: front assembly: recliner | 2001 | crash | 77,000 |
| 01V288000September 10, 2001 | electrical system: wiring: interior/under dash | 2002 | crash | 43,000 |
| 00V366000November 9, 2000 | child seat | 2001 | crash and injury | 1,211,756 |
| 08E033000 | suspension | 2001–2005 | crash | — |
| 09E012000 | exterior lighting | 2001–2005 | crash | — |
Vehicles: NHTSA's count of potentially affected vehicles in the whole campaign, not only the Chrysler PT Cruiser. Each campaign page has the defect, risk and fix in NHTSA's words.
Newest record on this page: October 2, 2026. Data: NHTSA recall and owner-complaint files. How these figures are counted