NHTSA Complaint #10215431 — 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER

THIS PROBLEM STARTED IN THE SPRING OF 2006. ALTHOUGH I DIDN'T KNOW IT AT THE TIME, THE FOG LIGHTS CAME ON BY THEMSELVES WHILE JUST SITTING IN THE PARKING LOT OR AT HOME. NO WARNING, SO I DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL I WENT TO START THE CAR AND THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. SINCE THIS WAS INTERMITTENT, NO LIGHTS ON THE DASH ADVISING ME THE FOG LIGHTS WERE ON AND DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS, I NEVER NOTICED THAT THE FOG LIGHTS WERE ON. AFTER SEVERAL TIMES OF THIS HAPPENING. THIS CAUSED ME TO REPLACE THE BATTERY. WHILE REPLACING THE BATTERY I NOTICED THAT THE ORIGINAL CABLES HAD INFERIOR BATTERY CONNECTOR LEADS. THE CABLES CONNECTORS WERE MOSTLY EATEN THROUGH CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO REPLACE THEM. (I NOTICED THAT WHEN I GOT THE NEW LEADS THAT THE CONNECTORS WERE OF A BETTER MATERIAL). DUE TO THIS NOT HAVING ANY RIME OR REASON AS TO WHY THE BATTERY KEPT GOING DEAD AND NO ONE HAD ANY IDEA WHY THIS WAS HAPPENING I SIMPLY HAD TO WAIT UNTIL I DISCOVERED THE CAUSE. IN DEC 2007 I WENT TO START THE CAR AND SURE ENOUGH THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. HOWEVER THIS TIME WHEN I JUMPED THE BATTERY THE FOG LIGHT ON THE DASH STAYED ON AND THAT IS WHEN I FOUND THE PROBLEM. I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THEM OFF SINCE THE SWITCH WAS ALREADY IN THE OFF POSITION. MY ONLY RECOURSE WAS TO REMOVE THE FOG LIGHT FUSE. SINCE REMOVING THE FOG LIGHT FUSE I HAVE HAD NO FURTHER ISSUES TO DATE. I STILL DO NOT KNOW THE CAUSE OR THE CURE SO, I LOGGED ON TO THIS SITE TO LOOK FOR A SERVICE BULLETIN OR INFORMATION TO TELL ME THAT AND HERE I AM. THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE WHEN THIS WHOLE STUFF STARTED WAS APPROX 36,000 AND IT NOW HAS 42000 MILES ON IT. *TR