NHTSA Complaint #10169166 — 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER

2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER VEHICLE WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WITH 56,414 MILES ON IT BEGAN LURCHING WHEN ACCELERATING OR SLOWING DOWN ON INTERSTATE. PROBLEM STARTED WITH NO PRIOR WARNING OF TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. VEHICLE LATER DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF A SIDE STREET. COULD NOT GET VEHICLE TO MOVE IN ANY GEAR, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. FINALLY GOT VEHICLE TO LIMP AROUND THE CORNER IN DRIVE, THEN VEHICLE DIED. NO TRANSMISSION FLUID FOUND IN RESERVOIR. FLUID NOTED ON GROUND UNDER VEHICLE. HAD TO TOW VEHICLE 30 MILES TO DEALERSHIP, WHO COULD NOT REPAIR IT AFTER THREE DAYS OF WAITING, DUE TO LACK OF TRANSMISSION SERVICE TECHNICIAN. VEHICLE WAS ULTIMATELY REPAIRED AT AAMCO TRANSMISSION, REQUIRING ANOTHER 20 MILE TOW. VEHICLE HAD TO HAVE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. TOTAL COST OF REPAIRS WAS $2222.73 BETWEEN CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP AND AAMCO TRANSMISSION - NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY WHICH RAN OUT AT 36000 MILES. *JB