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Chrysler PT Cruiser Transmission Problems

PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Pennsylvania Furnace, PAPosts: 6,092
Discuss PT Cruiser transmission issues here.

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  • I bought a 2004 PT Turbo, automatic, LTD and I love it but it feels like the transmission slips when I take off from a stop, as if stopping at a red light which suddenly turns green.(not a California stop). It also cuts out or "misfires" when pulling a small hill at 45 mph, especially if I down shift. My dealer says their computer indicates my computer is Ok, there is no "adjusting" the transmission, and that others complained about the same thing, yet my salesman has never heard of this. It's embarrassing to take people in a new car which displays this kind of behavior. I have an appointment to take a ride with the service team. If they still tell me this is normal, I'm requesting a test drive a 2004 PT Turbo off of their lot. Before I embarrass myself I wonder if anyone else really has complained about this.
  • jlawyerjlawyer Posts: 12
    Have someone check the wiring to the O2 sensors. There might be a kink in the wiring, that will intermittently kill the sensors, giving the computer faulty air/fuel mixture readings, and cause this exact problem. It affects not just idle, but acceleration. What you described is exactly the problem my 2003 GT was having. Trust me, I replaced the plugs, plug wires, and the dealer still couldn't find the problem (my car spent 7 weeks in 3 months in the shop). I took it to another dealer and they found the problem only after their diagnostics found 2 faulty O2 sensors(what are the odds of that happening?).
  • jconnerjconner Posts: 2
    I have a 2001 Pt Cruiser. It developed a problem that it won't shift into reverse. Acted up for about a week and now won't shift into reverse at all. Any suggestions.
  • jconnerjconner Posts: 2
    Found problem....shifting cable has gone bad.....$153 just for the cable.
  • ericmayericmay Posts: 4
    Can you shift it into reverse when the engine is shut off? If you can't, the shifter linkage needs to be adjusted. If you can . . . transmission repairs.
  • Hi,
    I have a 2001 PT cruiser and I am getting an intermitent shimmy as I drive down the highway. It not a tire or anything. It will shimmy almost as if it is stuttering then it goes away then it happens again. Anyone have this issue?
  • I have a 2001 PT that i got @ 2 months ago and i'm experiencing intermitent shimmy. i have had it to the dealer 3 times and they can't find anything. any suggestions? Also, i have noticed it takes a while to get heat . .
  • the four speed automatic does not work. the car drives on one speed. what could be the problem
  • Does your vehicle have warranty? Even if not I would suggest taking your PT to a mechanic and having them take a look. Riding in first gear can seriously damage the transimssion. Have it looked at ASAP.
  • I think you need to bring the car to outside mechanic shop to find out the problem because the dealer never can help you find out the problem until you have major break down because they can charge more. So don´t waste your money for the dealer .
  • Hi, I bought my 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser used in Oct of 2006 with about 75,000 miles on it. I had no problems with it up until this past week. My fiance drove it to work and he said it drove fine, on the way home,he said he had the cruise control set at 55 mph, and he said all of a sudden,it started losing speed and downshifting. It is an automatic transmission. He pulled over and turned the car off, checked all of the fluids including the transmission fluid and he said all was well. He got back in, started the car back up, and tried to take off. He said it wouldn't go in any gear but first and wouldn't go over 5 mph, so he had to drive it home that way. We DON'T have the money to replace the transmission. We have 2 kids, I am a SAHM, and he doesn't make much at all. This is our only vehicle. Could it be a sensor or the computer or what? I am sure hoping it's not the transmission, we can't afford to replace the transmission and still make the payments,and no, it's not under warranty. Any suggestions would be extremely helpful and valuable to us. Thanks. If you have had similar problems or have any information, please e-mail me at RTuggle@ woh dot rr dot com. Thanks! :cry:
  • I had the same problem with my 2004 PT yesterday....did you find out what the problem was and/or get it repaired?
  • Bad news, I ended up having the transmission rebuilt. One guy wanted to charge me $2200 base price, and maybe more after he got into it. I found another guy who owned his own local shop and he charged me $1400.00. Huge price difference! What did yours do exactly?
  • tedebeartedebear Posts: 832
    Wow, after reading some of these trans problem posts I'm glad I invested in a 100,000 mile extended warranty.

    My wife's 03 turbo Cruiser transmission started slipping recently when she'd take off from a stop. Trust me, she does not drive aggressively. It has around 65,000 miles and I changed the trans fluid and filter myself at around 30,000 miles. This car has not been maintenance neglected or abused and the fluid level was within the normal range.

    Anyway, we dropped it off at the dealer night owl drop late last night. They called today and said the trans needed to be rebuilt because of some undetermined internal problem.

    I'd hate to see the bill for that overhaul from a Chrysler dealership but at least we're covered.
  • I have a 2003 PT Cruiser with 42,000 miles and an automatic transmission. I am having difficulty pushing the silver button on the shifter to get the car out of park and into driver or reverse.

    Any idea what the problem could be? The dealer can't look at it until later this week.
  • My 2002 PT Cruiser has 31,000 miles on it and suddenly a high pitch noise came out of the transission followed shortly by the trasmission falling out of gear. I've had two mechaics look at it and neither can tell me the problem - just that it's definitely the transmission. I've towed the car to the dealer to see if they can figure out but they can't look at it for several days.

    Any one have an idea of what this could be?
  • First check the speed sensors if not them its either the trans. control module or trans. control solenoid. I have one thats giving me the same problem, oh and also check the eatx fuse in the fuse block near the master cylinder, most likely its blown.Oh yea 1 other thing for just a few dollars you can get a code reader thats real easy to use and helps narrow down the problem.If you do get one the most likely codes your going to get are p0750 thru 755 which are shift control codes and or a p0500 thru 503 which are speed sensor codes (thats the easy1 to replace).
  • I have a 2002 pt and has a metal to metal sound in the front of car. I checked the brakes and their like brand new. I jacked the car up in the center with both front wheels off the ground, I put the car in drive at a idle. Stopping th driver side wheel by hand the noise was still there. Stopping the passage side wheel by hand the noise stopped.I removed the wheel, brakes and rotor it still has the noise. It sounds like it's coming from the transmission metal to metal at a high point.The transmission works fine. Help Bill
  • i just got my 2006 pt cruiser not even 2 weeks ago & it has been in the shop for a week of the time. when we first got it i noticed a shimmy whenever it shifted into second gear between 20 & 25 mph. they called us last night to come & pick it up that it had been fixed. when we arrived we drove it off the lot, but took it right back cause it was still doing the same thing. they then told us it had a "learning transmission" & that it would take 150 to a 175 miles for it to straighten out. has anyone ever heard of a "learning transmission"? what would you do in our situation, take it back & try to find something else or let them keep fixing it? :mad:
  • rhtransrhtrans Posts: 84
    Most tranny computers are learning constantly how to keep the vehicle shifting smoothly. Most of them constantly monitor how long the shift takes to complete..and makes adjustments to line pressure accordingly. If the dealer ran a quick learn procedure for the computer and maybe changed the fluid and the problem still exists then there are only 3(lol) explanations. 1. the trans has an internal pressure leak on the 2nd gear circuit, 2. there is a problem with the solenoid block or 3. A crappy computer or crappy computer inputs. Anyway, still give it a few miles for the computer to try and smooth it out ..k, then go from there
  • myohnmyohn Posts: 1
    01 Pt , will not shift out of low gear and speedo doesn't work. Can someone help ? THX
  • ptnurseptnurse Posts: 2
    my car is an '06 and it does that as well - shifting roughly (almost jerking) from 1st to 2nd gear. I took it in about 3 times before they reprogrammed the computer, but the odd time, I still get that jerking and my car only has 48,000 km on it. Oh and today I found out they have to replace the engine cause mine is shot... I am beginning to think I bought a dud.
  • The reverse gear on my 2003 PT Cruiser has failed . It's a 5 speed manual. Is there something I can do to correct it or do I need to take it to the shop?

  • shumphreysshumphreys Posts: 1
    I have a 01 pt, with 84000 miles and the trans needs replaced, any good tips on where in columbus ohio to go?
  • carlarcarlar Posts: 1
    the reverse gear on my 2003 pt cruiser will not work, all the other gears work. I have had no problems or any indication that something was wrong. is there something I can fix or does it need to go to a shop.
  • mauitracimauitraci Posts: 1
    Hi everyone... I've been reading your posts, and I would like to add that if you are considering buying a PT Cruiser... DON'T DO IT! :mad: My mom bought a 2001 PT Cruiser and it has just had problem after problem after problem! :lemon: We have put thousands of dollars of work into that car! Between a leak in the cooling system, multiple problems with the power steering, and now a MAJOR tranny problem, this car is a major disaster. :sick: My mom's car will only go in reverse, but none of her forward gears are operational. It is not a gear shift problem, it is a problem within the transmission that requires a complete rebuild.

    My recommendations to all of you suffering tranny problems (and don't have a warranty that can cover the cost of fixing the problems): if it doesn't make sense for you to spend $3,000 or more on it for a tranny rebuild, you need to sell your car ASAP if the important gears are still working (Drive and Reverse primarily). Otherwise, you will be stuck with a car that will cost you thousands to fix and be a constant headache for you in the future. Again, sell it ASAP... or run the risk of it completely crapping out on you to the point where you can't even drive it! And, that is the worst case scenario, because then you have to pay for towing it somewhere. On top of that, if you can't even drive it, the chance of someone buying it from you is pretty much zero. If for some reason a miracle happens and someone does buy it, pretty much it will only get bought by either #1) a mechanic who is willing to give you a thousand or so bucks to tow it and take it off your hands (and he or she will bebuild the tranny and resell it for a profit) or #2) another owner of a PT Cruiser who is willing to buy it from you for spare parts.

    When considering all of this, you NEED to objectively figure out how much your PT Cruiser is actually worth! And be realistic! Kelley Blue Book is only a good guideline for PT Cruisers that are in Fair to Excellent condition. If you have a transmission problem, your PT Cruiser is in POOR condition! So, you have to figure that your KBB value will drop dramatically. I figured that my mom's 2001 PT Cruiser Limited edition with 77,000 miles on it would be worth about $6,000 if we sold it to a private party in fair condition. It would be worth about $4,000 if we sold it as a trade in. But, that is for a PT Cruiser that DOES NOT have major tranny problems and non-functional gears! Again, these types of problems automatically make the value of your car significantly less. And, as far as fixing it, it really doesn't make sense for us to put $3,000 to $4,000 of work into rebuilding a transmission in a car that is only worth around that much anyway! Besides, that doesn't guarantee that our problems are over! This car is notorious for regular, expensive "issues"!

    The bottom line here is to REMEMBER TO WEIGH YOUR OPTIONS CAREFULLY AND OBJECTIVELY BEFORE DOING ANYTHING with your PT Cruiser if it has transmission problems! Thankfully, we are got an offer from a mechanic friend who said he would buy it for $1,000. It's not much, but then again, there is not much else we can do with a car that can only get to the grocery store in REVERSE! ;) We are going to take that money and apply it to another more reliable car like a Honda or Toyota for my mom! Good luck everyone, and I hope this post helped you!
  • tedebeartedebear Posts: 832

    Good luck with that Honda. They've had their fair share of transmission problems lately as well.

    My wife has an 03 Cruiser turbo and she loves it.
  • ronp3ronp3 Posts: 1
    I was just driving a borrowed 03 PT (5 speed) and shifted from 2nd into 3rd gear but it was not there. No noise just like being in neutral. There were no preceding problems.
  • sateelasateela Posts: 1
    hello everyone i also have the same problems with my 2003 pt cruiser 2.0 limited edition ,the car is stuck at the third gear and sometimes i have difficulties shifting into park,since almost everybody has the same problem with damn car can't we take chrysler to court for selling these cheated cars if not can someone tell me what exact parts are necessay to buy to rebuilt the automatic transmission thank you all
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