2002 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER Engine And Engine Coolingengine Problems

MY CAR HAS DECIDED TO "SOMETIMES" NOT START AT THE END OF THE DAY. IT RUNS JUST FINE IN THE MORNING, BUT THEN ON MY RETURN TRIP HOME, YOU TURN THE KEY AND NOTHING. THE LIGHTS GO ON, BUT NO IGNITION, NO SOUND OF THE ENGINE TURNING OVER. THREE BATTERY REPLACEMENTS, AND THAT IS NOT THE PROBLEM. CALLED CHRYSLER PERSONALLY AS DIRECTED BY A WEBSITE THAT SITED HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS OVER THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM, BUT THEY DENIED KNOWLEDGE OF ANY SUCH COMPLAINT. COMPLAINTS DATE BACK TO 2002. TRIED HAVING OUR TRUSTED MECHANIC LOOK AT IT, BUT SINCE HE CAN'T RECREATE THE PROBLEM, HE IS AT A LOSS. CAR HAS 100K MILES AND RAN FINE UP UNTIL THE START OF SUMMER. *KB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. SHE THEN NOTICED FLAMES UNDER THE HOOD THROUGH THE DASHBOARD OF THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE TURNED OFF, WHICH FORCED THE CONTACT TO COAST THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. THE PASSENGER OF THE VEHICLE INJURED HER NOSE AND WRIST WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER WAS NOT INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CAUSED BY A VEHICLE DEFECT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 71,300.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED AND SHE HEARD A RATTLING SOUND COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS STATIONARY. SHE FELT THAT A FAILED MOTOR MOUNT CAUSED THE FAILURE. AS OF NOVEMBER 8, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT COMPLETED AN INSPECTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,000. UPDATED 03/13/08. *LJ THE SOLENOID PACK WAS LEAKING. THE FOG LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55MPH, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY BLOWN OUT. UPDATED 09/13/06. *JB

DURING AN INSPECTION, THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD FAILED. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. *AK *SC *JB

UPON PARKING THE VEHICLE ENGINE EXPLODED, BURNING THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION WHICH IS POSTED ON NHTSA WEBSITE REGARDING THE ENGINE.*AK PE04028_CAT

CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE IN A BUSY INTERSECTION. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED, THE CONSUMER WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED. *PH *SCC *JB

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...

I WAS IN MY CAR, PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY, WHEN THE ENTIRE FRONT OF MY CAR BURST INTO FLAMES. THE OCCUPANT COMPARTMENT WAS QUICKLY INVOLVED IN FIRE. I EXITED MY CAR AND ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH A GARDEN HOSE. THE FLAMES SHOT UNDERNEATH MY CAR AND UP THE BACK END. I CALLED 911. I RECEIVED BURNS ON THE TOP OF MY HEAD AND SMOKE INHALATION DAMAGES TO MY LUNGS. *JB

CONSUMER ADVISED THE ENGINE IS CONSUMING EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL DURING NORMAL OPERATION. WITHIN 1K MILES CONSUMED 1.5 QUARTS AND WITHIN 3K MILES CONSUMED 2.5-3 QUARTS. CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT ENGINE MAY SEIZE WHILE DRIVING DUE TO EXCESSIVE CONSUMPTION. DEALER ADVISED CONSUMER VEHICLE HAS NO OIL LEAKS AND THAT CONSUMPTION IS NORMAL. TS *JG

WHEN PULLING DIP STICK THERE WAS NO OIL, VEHICLE WAS BRAND NEW, WITHIN 326 MILE A QUART OF OIL WAS GONE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK