NHTSA Complaint #10023527 — 2002 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER

I PURCHASED MY 2002 PT CRUISER TOURING LIMITED ON 5/20/2002 WITH ONLY 4,780 MILES FROM: FERMAN AUTOMOTIVE, 11025 NORTH FLORIDA AVE., TAMPA, FL UNITED STATES 33612, (813)371-9700, HTTP://WWW.FERMANAUTO.COM, SALESMAN: RICK MARTINO SERVICE REP: ERIC FLANNIGAN; SERVICE MGR: CHRIS WEATLEY; WARRANTY MGR: TOM SAWYER. MY PT CRUISER EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED ABOUT THE TIME OF THE FIRST OIL CHANGE. IT CONSUMED ABOUT ONE QUART OF OIL EVERY 500 MILES. THE FIRST ACTUAL ATTEMPT AT REPAIR FERMAN MADE WAS TO REPLACE THE VALVE COVER GASKET, THIS FAILED. THE SECOND REPAIR ATTEMPT WAS REPLACING THE ENGINE THEY TOLD ME. THEY ONLY REPLACED THE SHORT BLOCK, AND THIS ALSO FAILED. I SENT A VEHICLE DEFECT NOTIFICATION TO THE MANUFACTURE AND ONE TO THE STATE TO START THE LEMON LAW PROCESS. THE CHRYSLER CORPORATE OFFICE SENT THE REGIONAL LEAD TECHNICIAN TO OVERSEE THE LAST REPAIR ATTEMPT. FERMAN TORE DOWN THE ENGINE AND INFORMED ME THAT THEY FOUND NINE BAD VALVE SEALS. FERMAN REPLACED THE ENTIRE HEAD. THEY ALSO REPLACED THE VALVE COVER, THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH SOME 2001 MODEL PT CRUISERS HAVE A DEFECTIVE VALVE COVER THAT CAUSES THE PCV VALVE TO SUCK IN OIL. I DROVE ABOUT 370 MILES AND CHECKED THE OIL TO FIND IT CONSUMED A QUART OF OIL! I LOCATED AND CONTACTED THE PREVIOUS OWNER MR. BENNETT ON 4/13/2003. I FOUND OUT THAT HE HAD PURCHASED THE PT CRUISER AT FERMAN AUTOMOTIVE BRAND NEW. MR. BENNETT HAD THE EXACT SAME OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUES. AFTER SEVERAL FAILED REPAIR ATTEMPTS AND CONTINUED CONTACT WITH THE CHRYSLER CORPORATE OFFICE THE DEALER CONTACTED HIM AND REPLACED HIS VEHICLE WITH A BRAND NEW ONE FROM THE LOT. I CONTACTED FERMAN AND THE CHRYSLER CORPORATE OFFICE INFORMING OF THIS MATTER. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH ONLINE TO FIND THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUES WITH THE PT CRUISER. THERE ARE MANY OTHERS STRUGGLING WITH THEIR CHRYSLER DEALERS ON THIS SAME ISSUE. *NLM