2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe intermittent electrical faults in which the dashboard lights flicker, the gauges swing or drop to zero, and the engine loses power or stalls, sometimes at highway speed. Complaints also describe stalling without warning and, less often, seat hardware, airbag indicator, and tail-light water issues. Many of these reports came in between roughly 20,000 and 90,000 miles, and several owners say dealers could not reproduce the problem.

1. 1
   Electrical system

   Dashboard lights flicker, gauges swing, engine stalls

   • 50 complaints (52%)
   • median 52,000 mi at 5.0 yrs old (47 state mileage)
   • filed 2011–2020

   Complaints describe all instrument panel warning lights coming on at once, gauge needles dropping to zero or swinging up and down, and the engine losing power or shutting off while driving. Some owners were able to restart the car immediately; others had to pull over and wait. According to the complaints, multiple dealers could not duplicate the failure or find stored codes, and several owners report that replacing the battery, alternator, PCM, or TIPM did not resolve it. Reported across a wide mileage range, often between roughly 20,000 and 90,000 miles, at highway and city speeds and sometimes in cold or snowy weather.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: During a test drive, watch the instrument cluster for flickering lights or moving needles, and ask whether any dealer has already diagnosed or attempted repairs for stalling or electrical faults. A scan for stored codes is worth doing even if the car drives normally.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving on the interstate, my car's dash board started going haywire. All gauges (except fuel and temperature) would drop down to zero for a second, and then go right back up to where they should be. The car never actually stalled, but acted a couple times like it might. I gave it a little extra gas and it kept running. This continued for the entire trip on the interstate. (approximately 100 miles.)”

   NHTSA complaint #10444007, filed 2012-01, 55,498 miles

   “While traveling down the qew highway in ontario, the instrument panel on my pt 2009 cruiser started blinking on and off, the gauges went wild with up and down full-range swings, then blinking on and off on and off; I thought the seatbelt may be the problem since the fasten seatbelt indicator remained on. It happened again a second time right away (less than 2 minutes) accompanied by loss of engine power. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10490481, filed 2012-12, 52,000 miles
2. 2
   Engine

   Engine stalls or shuts off while driving

   Mentioned in 6 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe the engine cutting out without warning at various speeds, sometimes repeatedly, and restarting normally afterward. Some complaints say the dealer could not diagnose the cause; others mention diagnosis of camshaft, alternator, or battery components. Several owners connect the stalling with the same dashboard light and gauge behavior described above. Reported from low mileage up to about 100,000 miles, at both low and highway speeds.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the car has ever stalled and whether the cause was found; check for stored diagnostic codes and confirm that battery and charging-system connections are clean and tight.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I brought the car on 3/25/14 from a toyota dealer ship. Complain about a knocking noise coming from the engine at the time of test drive. Toyota promise me it would be fixed pick the car drove it a couple of days and notice the control panel lights started going on and off along with the car shutting down. Took it back to the dealer for service nothing was found. I let my daughter drive the car and while on the fwy at 65mph the lights on the control panel starting going on and off they car shut off on her. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10689389, filed 2015-02, 74,700 miles

   “My vehicle shuts off randomly while driving 2 MPH and while on the highway going 65 MPH. Very scary, do not feel safe in my own car. Fear for the safety of my family.”

   NHTSA complaint #11021241, filed 2017-09, 85,000 miles
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Tail lights fill with water and bulbs fail

   • 5 complaints (5%)
   • median 42,000 mi at 4.7 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2012–2015

   Owners report water collecting inside the rear tail-light housings, requiring the assembly to be removed and drained and the bulb replaced. Some describe repeated bulb burnouts, with bulbs found shattered inside the lens. One complaint notes the trunk latch also stopped working around the same time. Reported between roughly 11,000 and 80,000 miles, in some cases recurring several times over a few years.

   What to check: Check both tail-light housings for moisture, condensation, or water stains, and confirm all brake and tail bulbs work. Ask whether the gaskets or housings have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My right rear tail keeps filling up with water which could cause a brake light malfunction, or an accident because it short out the bulb. I have the vehicle in the shop now repairing the rear latch that quit working could that be related?”

   NHTSA complaint #10619040, filed 2014-08, 42,000 miles

   “Brake lights continually burning out/blowing up. Have to replace them every few months. Put in correct replacement bulbs,don't know why they keep burning out. When I go to replace them there is shattered glass like they blew up.”

   NHTSA complaint #10469045, filed 2012-08, 11,000 miles
4. 4
   Seats

   Driver seat trim breaks and seat moves unexpectedly

   • 5 complaints (5%)
   • median 47,250 mi at 4.4 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2011–2024

   Owners describe the plastic trim around the power seat controls cracking or detaching, leaving wiring exposed. Others report the driver seat rolling backward on its own while driving, or the seat moving over bumps. Complaints note repair costs and that dealers treated the trim as a paid repair rather than a covered item. Reported from about 25,000 up to roughly 87,000 miles, with several cases soon after the basic warranty ended.

   What to check: Sit in the driver seat and work the power controls through their full range, checking that the seat locks firmly in place and that the switch bezel is intact with no exposed wiring.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Front control arm bushings need to be replaced. Car has only 39,000 miles on it. I purchased this vehicle used as a rental return with only 389 miles on it. Seems that the bushings shouldn't be going out with less than 40,000 miles on a vehicle. Vehicle has had all required maintenance and new tires - I baby this car. Also, panel with controls on left side of drivers seat has detached. I have tried to reattach many times with no success. I will need to bring to the dealership to fix. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10436795, filed 2011-11, 39,000 miles

   “For 2009 Pt Cruiser I called the Chrysler store requiring about recalls on the side plastic piece were your automatic seat adjustments are. They explained to me that there has been over thousands of cars has come in to get that fixed and is dangerous due to while your driving you seat will move cause the plastic will readjust you if you go over a bump or stopping. Its costing over 300 dollars to fix something that should be a recall item due to dangerous driving hazards. If the seat moves even more it can cause an accident or even worse death. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10376869, filed 2011-01, 44,500 miles

Buying note. Look closely at the electrical behavior and stalling history on this model year, since many owners describe intermittent faults that dealers could not reproduce. A pre-purchase scan for stored codes, a highway test drive, and a check of tail-light housings and seat hardware will cover most of what owners report.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.