Your vehicle report
2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 349
- Received Dec 2005 to Apr 2025
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Engine suddenly shuts off while driving24 complaints · 6.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Airbags fail to deploy in crashes21 complaints · 6.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail16 complaints · 4.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #07V149000On certain passenger vehicles, the rear quarter glass attaching fasteners may pull through their mounts and allow the glass to separate from the vehicle.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 35 crashes, 5 fires, 25 people injured, 1 death.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
- Instrument cluster or speedometer fails
- Horn fails with airbag warning light
- Headlights dim or fail at night
1 more problem
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 18 |
| 2007 | 34 |
| 2008 | 21 |
| 2009 | 21 |
| 2010 | 27 |
| 2011 | 27 |
| 2012 | 24 |
| 2013 | 31 |
| 2014 | 41 |
| 2015 | 25 |
| 2016 | 35 |
| 2017 | 14 |
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2019 | 12 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 349 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 24 | 6.9% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 21 | 6.0% | – | |
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 16 | 4.6% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 14 | 4.0% | – | |
| Instrument cluster or speedometer fails | 14 | 4.0% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 12 | 3.4% | – | |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 11 | 3.1% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 11 | 3.1% | – | |
| Horn fails with airbag warning light | 9 | 2.6% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 9 | 2.6% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 9 | 2.6% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 8 | 2.3% | – | |
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 8 | 2.3% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 8 | 2.3% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 6 | 1.7% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 6 | 1.7% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 5 | 1.4% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 5 | 1.4% | – | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 5 | 1.4% | – | |
| Vehicle suddenly loses engine power at speed | 5 | 1.4% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #07V149000April 4, 200738,447 vehicles affected
visibility: glass, side/rear
On certain passenger vehicles, the rear quarter glass attaching fasteners may pull through their mounts and allow the glass to separate from the vehicle.
If the glass separates while driving, it could strike another vehicle or injure a pedestrian.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the rear quarter glass. The recall began on april 30, 2007. Owners may contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN