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2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser Problems and Recalls

Owners filed 115 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser, most often about the electrical (39% of complaints, typically around 57,000 miles). It is 8th of 10 PT Cruiser model years by number of complaints.

Complaints115
Recalls0
Crashes reported11
Fires reported6
Injuries reported14

Most common 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser problems

  1. Electrical

    45 complaints · 39%

    Half of these problems showed up before 57,000 miles. Parts named most often: instrument cluster/panel, horn.

    Fog lights turn on an off by themselves, does not matter weather the car is turned on or off, or even if the key is in the ignition. Came out of work to find my battery was dead because the fog lights were on. If you go to the following link, you will see over 300 postings regarding the exact same issue…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2008, at 58,000 miles
    While driving, the instrument warning lights start flashing off and on, the gauges drop to zero then com back up, and the engine falters sometimes and stops other times. When engine stops, power steering is lost. Car will start up again with starter.
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2014, at 56,246 miles

  2. Air bags

    24 complaints · 21%

    Half of these problems showed up before 72,000 miles.

    The airbag sign for passenger 2 turns on after a while of driving, speeding problem when when trying to accelerate the car takes forever to speed up
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2019, at 72,000 miles
    Passenger airbag lite and sensor goes off with no one sitting in seat and if someone is in seat it goes off. It seams as if there is a short in a wire. Others I have read after have had this same problem.
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2014, at 68,000 miles

  3. Engine

    20 complaints · 17%

    Half of these problems showed up before 81,000 miles. Parts named most often: engine, exhaust system.

    My 2008 PT Cruiser has a bad #3 valve. I had the car tuned up due to a misfire code of the #3 valve. After driving for two days with new spark plugs and wires, the car idled rough and the same code for #3 misfire valve came up on the dash. My mechanic checked the pressure in the valve and #1,2, & 4 had a pressure of…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2011, at 77,135 miles
    I was driving in traffic when all of the dash lights came on and the engine quit running. At that time I lost all steering and braking for the vehicle. It has happened about 10 times since then, twice while I was on the highway.
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2014, at 85,021 miles

  4. Transmission

    10 complaints · 9%

    Half of these problems showed up before 89,000 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission.

    I have been driving this car for a while and on the day this happened I had returned from work parked in my driveway with no problems. When it was time to go back to work I backed out of the driveway and noticed the car handled hard. I stopped shifted it back into park and then went back into drive still the steering…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2014, at 89,000 miles
    Everytime I turn on the AC unit the fan doesn't come on right away and when it does it pops and the car begins to over heat. At the time I turn off the power.
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2014, at 89,954 miles

  5. Brakes

    8 complaints · 7%

    Half of these problems showed up before 72,000 miles.

    The contact owns a 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser. While driving 30 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and traveled to the floorboard. The contact was able to pull the vehicle over on a dirt patch, which stopped the vehicle. The contact turned the vehicle off and smoke entered into the vehicle. The brake pads melted, which…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2016, at 72,000 miles
    The contact owns a 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser. While driving at any speed, the vehicle experienced a complete loss of power and all the warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure intermittently occurred two minutes after the vehicle was restarted. The contact stated that the failure manually needed…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2015, at 70,000 miles

  6. Visibility and wipers

    7 complaints · 6%

    Half of these problems showed up before 49,000 miles. Parts named most often: glass, side/rear, windshield.

    While driving to work in the rain the wipers stopped mid cycle, when I made adjustments on the column control the wipers went into low speed mode and would also work in the high speed mode, however the wipers would not stop working until several tries to turn them off worked. The problem continued to present it's self…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2011, at 50,200 miles
    Dashboard, inside, outside lights stopped working; windshield and back window wipers stopped working. According to dealership service dept. - instrument cluster need to be replaced; it happened again in 2011, and now again in 2012. Per dealership service dept., ca law requires it be replaced - for safety sake.
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2012, at 48,268 miles

  7. Lights

    7 complaints · 6%

    Half of these problems showed up before 47,500 miles. Parts named most often: brake lights.

    The brake lights and tail lights and turn signals all stopped working at an unknown time this year another driver told me they weren't working and the dealer told me it was a problem in the fuse box or part of it and wanted over $800.00 to fix it. My PT Cruiser is a 2008 with apx 48,000 miles on it. The A/C system…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2010, at 47,000 miles
    Dashboard, inside, outside lights stopped working; windshield and back window wipers stopped working. According to dealership service dept. - instrument cluster need to be replaced; it happened again in 2011, and now again in 2012. Per dealership service dept., ca law requires it be replaced - for safety sake.
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2012, at 48,268 miles

  8. Seat belts

    7 complaints · 6%

    Half of these problems showed up before 54,500 miles.

    Air bag warning light and chime activated. Indicates no airbag deployment and possibly no SRS capability. Per lithia dodge Chrysler jeep #4, "witech test codes set, b1b57, b1b55, b1b56, b1b54". "replace pass side front seat belt receiver (buckle), on national backorder no eta at this time". Problem, reduced passenger…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2013, at 54,600 miles
    Re: #10510796, part received friday 24 may 2013 part installed friday 31 may 2013 problem resolved. Thank you.[] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2013, at 55,699 miles

Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.

2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser recalls

NHTSA lists no recalls for this model year.

Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.

Questions about the 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser

What are the most common problems with the 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser?
By NHTSA owner complaints: electrical (45 complaints, typically around 57,000 miles); air bags (24 complaints, typically around 72,000 miles); engine (20 complaints, typically around 81,000 miles).
How many recalls does the 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls in case one is issued later.
Is the 2008 a bad year for the Chrysler PT Cruiser?
It is 8th of 10 PT Cruiser model years by number of complaints, with 115 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.

Other Chrysler PT Cruiser years

Chrysler PT Cruiser problems by year