no report yet
Hydraulic power assist: hose, piping, and connections
Risk. POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
2003 Chrysler PT CruiserProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 258 owner complaints about the 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 28, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser has problems
258 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
45Electrical system6 crash/fire/injury
35Suspension1 crash/fire/injury
35Power train2 crash/fire/injury
34Exterior lighting1 crash/fire/injury
29Steering4 crash/fire/injury
29Engine and engine cooling3 crash/fire/injury
20Air bags14 crash/fire/injury
12Service brakes, hydraulic
12Vehicle speed control
8115 other systems15 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 45 | 6 |
| Suspension | 35 | 1 |
| Power train | 35 | 2 |
| Exterior lighting | 34 | 1 |
| Steering | 29 | 4 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 29 | 3 |
| Air bags | 20 | 14 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 12 | 2 |
| Vehicle speed control | 12 | 1 |
| 15 other systems | 81 | 15 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2 recalls
2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Power train: clutch assembly
Risk. IF THIS OCCURS, THE CLUTCH MAY NOT DISENGAGE WHEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Chrysler.
Mileage at failure
When do electrical system problems start?
45kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 32 electrical system complaints. 75% were reported before 100,000 miles.
13under 30k miles24under 100k miles8100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2003 vs. every other PT Cruiser year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the PT Cruiser median. How we score
'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser safety ratings
2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser, and the recalls they led to.
- SAFETY BELT CINCHING LATCH PLATENo recall
- ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESLed to recall 04V-268
In owners' words
What PT Cruiser owners report
Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
WHen the fog lights are engaged, smoke and burning smell appears to be coming inside the steering wheel on the left side.
I REPLACED MY VEHICLES BATTERY 2 DAYS AGO(NOV 12, 2019)(VERY OLD BATTERY AND WITH THE COLD IN MASSACHUSETTS IT NEEDED TO BE CHANGED). NOW WITH A PROPERLY FUNCTIONING BATTERY THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR IN PCM (NOT ALTERNATOR) IS SIGNALING ALTERNATOR TO RAISE CHARGING VOLTAGE INTERMITTENTLY TO AS HIGH AS…
THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE WHERE THE RADIO CUP HOLDERS AND THE SHIFTER. CAR IS UNDRIVEABLE DUE TO THE DAMAGE. MY CAR WAS STATIONARY AT THE TIME. THE RADIO KEPT TURN ON AND OFF. I HEARD CRACKING WHEN I WENT INTO WORK. WHEN I CAME OUT I SAY THERE WAS A WHOLE LOT OF DAMAGE. I DID GET THE CAR STARTED…
Own a 2003 PT Cruiser?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.