NHTSA Complaint #10281697 — 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER

IN 2004 CHRYSLER RECALLED PT CRUISERS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS FOR A FAULT WITH THE POWER STEERING HOSE WHICH CAUSED FIRES IN A FEW CARS. THEY DID NOT HOWEVER COVER 2001 PT CRUISERS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS. *TR LAST WEEK (8-20-09) MY WIFE DROVE TO THE POST OFFICE (2 MILES FROM HOME) AND SMELLED BURNING RUBBER, SHE DROVE THE CAR DIRECTLY BACK HOME. I EXAMINED THE CAR THAT NIGHT AND COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE DRIVE BELTS, TIRES, AND THERE DIDN'T SEEM TO BE ANY LEAKS. I TOOK IT FOR A QUICK TEST DRIVE AND EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE. THE FOLLOWING DAY (8-21-09) MY WIFE AGAIN DROVE THE CAR TO THE POST OFFICE, THIS TIME IT STARTED MAKING GRINDING NOISES AND WAS DIFFICULT TO STEER. SHE DROVE THE CAR STRAIGHT HOME AGAIN. THERE STILL DIDN'T SEEM TO BE ANY LEAKS BUT WHEN I TEST DROVE IT I COULD TELL THE POWER STEERING WAS NON FUNCTIONAL. I OPENED THE FILL CAP FOR THE POWER STEERING FLUID TO CHECK ITS LEVEL AND THE REMAINING FLUID IN THE SYSTEM DRAINED ONTO MY DRIVEWAY. IT SEEMS LIKE THERE HAD BEEN A LEAK IN THE POWER STEERING HOSE THAT WAS BEING BURNT OFF ON THE ENGINE. WE WERE FORTUNATE THAT WE WERE ONLY USING THE CAR FOR LOCAL TRIPS AS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE DANGEROUS IF THE HOSE HAD LET GO WHILE WE WERE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. RECALL 04V268000, NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE04028, SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO THE PT CRUISERS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AS WELL BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. *TR