2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser Problems, Recalls & Reliability
291 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 44/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 65,200 miles.
Below average
Where 2004 sits among all PT Cruiser years
What owners report
“While driving the engine will sputter and die. When pulling up to a stop light the check engine light will come on and the engine will immediately die. While driving on the freeway at 65mph the engine will suddenly die.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 PT Cruiser
“I bought this car last year from a private owner i did not know that it had a over heating problem i really have tried everything so i then started looking it up and found out that so many people are having the same problem as me and from what i have read about it the dealership should fix my…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 PT Cruiser
“Power steering leakage on turbo model engine hot possible fire had fixed once and it broke again , there is a recall on the non turbo model already”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 PT Cruiser
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 211 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 55,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 30,000 and 86,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY…
Fix: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
FEDERAL MOGUL IS RECALLING 6,903 AFTERMARKET BALL JOINT ASSEMBLIES SHIPPED BETWEEN NOVEMBER 9, 2007 AND MARCH 26, 2008, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN PACKAGED WITH INCORRECT NUTS. THE PART NUMBERS PACKAGED WITH INCORRECT NUTS ARE: K7147, K7329, K8683, AND 104353.…
Fix: FEDERAL MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE PARTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 22, 2008. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL MOGUL AT 877-489-6659.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.4L NON-TURBOCHARGED ENGINES AND AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES, THE POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE MAY CONTACT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL COVER, POTENTIALLY DAMAGING THE HOSE.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND RELOCATE, OR REPLACE AS NECESSARY, THE POWER STEERING HOSE AND CONFIRM TORQUE OF THE HOSE FASTENER AT THE STEERING GEAR END. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 20, 2004. OWNERS…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 04V268000.
Technical service bulletins
66 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and transmission & drivetrain — are on file for the 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2004 PT Cruiser TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser reliable?
The 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser drew 291 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 44/100, scored against the model's worst year (2002).
What are the most common 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser problems?
The top reported problems for the 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser are electrical (68 complaints), suspension (42), and engine (38).
At what mileage do 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser problems show up?
Owners most often report 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser problems around 55,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 30,000 and 86,000 miles.
Does the 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.