2007 Chrysler PT Cruiser

Typical pattern

5% of complaints about the 2007 Chrysler PT Cruiser came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2007 vehicle — around the middle of the 268 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 6.4 yr in service. The most-reported system is engine cooling (28 complaints), typically at 3.5 yr or about 41,112 miles.

Complaints: 201
Median age at failure: 6.4 yr
Median mileage: 53,000 n=165
Crash / fire / tow: 12.9% of reports
Safety recalls: 0

In owners’ own words

Power train 15,000 mi 1.8 yr in service

UPON ACCELERATION BETWEEN 0 AND 30 MPH THERE IS A FEEL OF THE ENGINE MISSING OR THE TRANSMISSION/TORQUE CONVERTER CHATTERING. HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TWO TIMES AND THEY ADVISE THERE IS NOTHING ABNORMAL OCCURRING IN THE VEHICLE THAT IT IS A CHARACTERISTIC PROBLEM IN THE VEHICLE. *TR

Power train 10,000 mi 2.2 yr in service

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS AND CONTINUED TO BECOME STUCK IN SECOND GEAR. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURES. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT GEARS AGAIN. THE DEALER REPLACED ALL OF THE ENGINE SOLENOIDS TO REMEDY THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURES PERSISTED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE SHOP. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 10,000.

Power train 18,000 mi 1.6 yr in service

PT CRUISER HYDRAULIC CLUTCH NOT WORKING PROPERLY IN HOT WEATHER. DEALER TRIES TO REPLACE ENTIRE CLUTCH AND SAYS THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE UNTIL THEY DO THE $1400 CLUTCH JOB. PROBLEM LIES IN EITHER SLAVE CYLINDER OR IMPROPER BLEEDING AT FACTORY AND AT DEALER ON MINE WHEN THEY CHANGED CLUTCH, SHIFTER CABLES, TRANSMISSION AND SLAVE CYLINDER AND STILL DOES IT. PROBLEMS MAKES IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SHIFT INTO 1ST AND 2ND GEAR WHEN HOT. WORKS IN EARLY MORNING OR COLD WEATHER. *TR

Engine cooling 1,100 mi 1.0 yr in service

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE ILLUMINATED AND THEN THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE THERMOSTAT WAS STUCK AND THE HEAD GASKET WARPED TO DUE HEAT. THE HEAD GASKET AND THERMOSTAT WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,100 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,258. UPDATED 12/12/2007 *BF MALFUNCTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED, ENGINE VIBRATION PROBABLY CAUSED VACUUM HOSE TO LOOSEN. THE REPAIR OF VACUUM HOSE TO EVAPORATED SYSTEM ON OCTOBER 17, 2007. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR

Other PT Cruiser model years

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.

2007 Chrysler PT Cruiser

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

In owners’ own words

Other PT Cruiser model years

How to read this