NHTSA Complaint #10316168 — 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A SLIGHT OIL LEAK. SHE CHECKED THE ENGINE AND SAW THAT THERE WAS AN ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF OIL INSIDE OF IT. LATER THAT EVENING, THE OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. WHEN SHE CHECKED THE ENGINE, THERE WAS NO OIL ON THE STICK AT ALL. THE NEXT MORNING, SHE PUT FOUR QUARTS OF OIL IN THE ENGINE. BEFORE LEAVING WORK, SHE PUT TWO MORE QUARTS IN THE VEHICLE AS IT SHOWED THAT SHE WAS TWO QUARTS LOW. BY THE TIME SHE REACHED HOME, THE OIL LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AGAIN. SHE PUT FOUR QUARTS OF OIL AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP THE NEXT MORNING. THE MECHANIC TOLD HER THAT CAM SEAL FAILED AND POSSIBLY CAUSED THE OIL LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. WHEN THE MECHANIC RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AFTER IT WAS REPAIRED, ALL OF THE OIL LEAKED ONTO THE GROUND. THE MECHANIC THEN CALLED HER TO SAY THAT THE FAILURE COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE ENGINE PUMP. SHE CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD TO INSTRUCT THE MECHANIC TO INSPECT THE THRUST BEARINGS. THE MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT THE THRUST BEARINGS WERE DEFECTIVE. SHE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT SOMEONE WOULD CALL HER IN 24 TO 48 HOURS (SHE WAS CURRENTLY AWAITING A RESPONSE). THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 66,000.