2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible

Typical pattern

6.5% of complaints about the 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2005 vehicle — around the middle of the 245 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 5.3 yr in service. The most-reported system is electrical system (20 complaints), typically at 5.5 yr or about 50,000 miles.

Complaints: 92
Median age at failure: 5.3 yr
Median mileage: 50,295 n=75
Crash / fire / tow: 10.9% of reports
Safety recalls: 0

In owners’ own words

Electrical system 27,000 mi 11 mo in service

AT FIRST THE ENGINE SURGES AFTER CAR STOPS AT INTERSECTION. SLIGHTLY AT FIRST AND THEN OCCURRENCE INCREASES AT SUBSEQUENT STOPS WITH GREATER SURGE. THEN ENGINE SURGES AND DIES AT STOPS UNTIL ENGINE DIES AND WILL NOT RESTART. THE LAST TIME THE ENGINE DIED AT 45 MPH AND WOULD NOT RESTART UNTIL THE FOLLOWING MORNING. TOOK CAR TO A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR AND DEALER CANNOT LOCATE THE PROBLEM. THE CAR IS A SAFETY HAZARD TO THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS, AS YOU CAN NEVER TELL WHERE OR WHEN THE CAR IS GOING TO QUIT RUNNING.*JB

Electrical system 43,000 mi 3.4 yr in service

I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR MORE THAN ANY OTHER NEW VEHICLE I'VE OWNED. I HAD AC COMPRESSOR PROBLEMS STILL UNDER WARRANTY... I REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY AT 36700 MILES. NOW, BOTH FRONT WHEEL HUB AND BEARING ASSEMBLIES ARE SHOT, AND WILL BE REPLACED AT 43,000 MILES. I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW, AND IT IS MY 3RD AND LAST CHRYSLER PRODUCT. I HAD AN 2002 PT, THIS 2005 CRUISER, AND I'VE GOT AN 2006 CRUISER THAT IS STARTING TO SHOW SIGNS OF WHEEL BEARING ISSUES. *TR

Electrical system 43,000 mi 3.4 yr in service

I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR MORE THAN ANY OTHER NEW VEHICLE I'VE OWNED. I HAD AC COMPRESSOR PROBLEMS STILL UNDER WARRANTY... I REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY AT 36700 MILES. NOW, BOTH FRONT WHEEL HUB AND BEARING ASSEMBLIES ARE SHOT, AND WILL BE REPLACED AT 43,000 MILES. I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW, AND IT IS MY 3RD AND LAST CHRYSLER PRODUCT. I HAD AN 2002 PT, THIS 2005 CRUISER, AND I'VE GOT AN 2006 CRUISER THAT IS STARTING TO SHOW SIGNS OF WHEEL BEARING ISSUES. *TR

Suspension 20,000 mi 3.4 yr in service

RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BEARING IS BAD AFTER ONLY 20,000 MILES ON MY PT CRUISER. I HAVE JUST READ 65 COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM ON HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/AUTOS/CHRYSLER-PT-CRUISER/TIL09OD8D72ERULQA/P2 HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO HAVE THE PROBLEM BEFORE A RECALL IS DONE ON THIS. THIS IS CRAZY! *TR

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

In owners’ own words

How to read this