2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER Exterior Lighting Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL WAS ACTIVATED AND THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL SWITCH NEAR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FOG LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED AND THE CONTACT HAD TO LIFT THE STEERING WHEEL UPWARDS IN ORDER TO ENGAGE THE HORN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURES RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Mileage: 30,000

THE MULTIFUNCTION TURN SIGNAL SWITCH STARTED TO SMOKE AND WE COULDN'T TURN OFF THE FOG LIGHTS. WE HAD TO PULL THE FUSE SINCE THERE CONTINUED TO COME SMOKE OUT OF THAT SWITCH -- WE HAD TO OPEN THE WINDOWS TO DRIVE HOME IN ORDER TO GET RID OF THE SMELL/SMOKE. OUR CHRYSLER DEALER SAID THAT THIS PART IS IN HIGH DEMAND. THE PART WAS $275 AND A SIMILAR HIGH AMOUNT FOR LABOR THE FIRST TIME. FROM THAT TIME ON I ORDERED ONLINE AND REPLACED THE SWITCH TWO MORE TIMES. TODAY, 10/01/2014, THE SWITCH STARTED TO SMOKE AGAIN. THIS WOULD BE THE FOURTH SWITCH. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE A RECALL SINCE IT CAN CAUSE A FIRE AND DRAIN THE BATTERY. *TR

Mileage: 60,000

THE FOG LIGHTS IN MY 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER STAY ON, EVEN AFTER THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF. I HAVE TO LEAVE THE LEFT BLINKER ON FOR THE FOG LIGHTS TO TURN OFF. AND SOME TIMES THE FOG LIGHTS TURN ON FOR NO APPARENT REASON WITH THE IGNITION OFF. THE FOG LIGHTS STAY ON AND DRAINS THE BATTERY DOWN , DID NOT NOTICE TILL IT WAS PARKED ON THE STREET AND ROOMMATE TOLD ME MY LIGHTS WERE ON. *TR

Mileage: 51,150

FOG LIGHTS WILL NOT TURN OFF. I HAD TO UNPLUG THE LIGHTS IN ORDER FOR THEM NOT TO STAY ON. NOW THEY ARE COMPLETELY OFF. WILL NEVER BUY A CHRYSLER PRODUCT AGAIN. I HAVE 46,000 MILES AND EVERYTHING DESCRIBED IN THESE REPORTS WENT WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE. *TR

Mileage: 41,365

THE FOG LIGHTS IN MY 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER REMAIN ON, EVEN AFTER THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF. I HAVE TO REMEMBER TO LEAVE THE LEFT BLINKER ON FOR THE FOG LIGHTS TO TURN OFF. OTHER TIMES THE FOG LIGHTS COME ON FOR NO APPARENT REASON WITH THE IGNITION OFF. THE FOG LIGHTS STAY ON AND DRAINS THE BATTERY. *TR

Mileage: 113,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE EXAMINING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE MULTI-SWITCH ON THE STEERING WHEEL MALFUNCTIONED AND WAS CAUSING THE FOG LIGHTS TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS CONFIRMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 50,000.

Mileage: 50,000

THE FOG LAMPS WILL NOT TURN OFF. ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO, THE STEERING COLUMN HAD SMOKE COMING FROM IT AND IT SEEMS THAT AS A RESULT, THERE IS A SHORT IN THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH WHICH CAUSED THE FOG LAMPS TO PERMANENTLY STAY ON. IT APPEARS THAT OTHER CHRYSLER PT CRUISER OWNERS HAVE HAD THIS SAME ISSUE. I HAVE INCLUDED A LINK REGARDING OTHER CHRYSLER CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/AUTOS/CHRYSLER-PT-CRUISER/TF81KHBDLDVT92AH2/P6. *TR

Mileage: 95,200

FOG LIGHTS ON MY 2004 PT CRUISER STAY ON ALL THE TIME, DRAINING THE BATTERY. MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH DOES NOT TURN OFF THE FOG LIGHTS. PULLED THE FUSE TO DISABLE THE CIRCUIT AND ATTEMPTING TO FIND A REPLACEMENT PART. *TR

Mileage: 48,100

SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN. FOG LIGHTS WILL NOT TURN OFF. BATTERY WILL RUN DOWN. *TR

Mileage: 56,000

IN MY 2004 PT CRUISER-FIRST WAS UNABLE TO TURN ON LIGHT IN RAIN, THEN ALL OF THE LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING, WHILE I WAS DRIVING. GOT IT FIXED FOR $600, THEN FOG LAMPS WILL NOT TURN OFF. ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE IS SMOKE COMING FROM THE CONSOLE, NOW THE ONLY WAY I CAN KEEP MY FOG LIGHTS FROM DRAINING THE BATTERY IS TO REMOVE THE FUSE EACH DAY. I HAVE HEARD OF BOTH PROBLEMS OCCURRING IN PTS WITH OTHER PEOPLE. *TR

Mileage: 100,000

2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER, THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH FAILED AND THE FOG LIGHTS ON THE CAR REMAIN ON EVEN WITH THE SWITCH OFF AND THE KEY OUT. THIS DRAINS THE BATTERY. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE, THERE ARE OVER 4000 PARTS ON BACK-ORDER SO MANY OTHER PT CRUISERS ARE HAVING THE ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 82,151

LIGHTS WILL NOT SHUT OFF DUE TO DEFECTIVE SWITCH. *TR

Mileage: 55,000

MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH FAILURE - FOG LIGHTS WILL NOT TURN ON - HEADLAMPS FLICKER - DEALERSHIP REPORTS THERE ARE CURRENTLY OVER 3000 OF THESE ON BACKORDER - PART #05073049AB. *TR

Mileage: 62,400

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. HE INVESTIGATED FURTHER AND NOTICED THAT THE SWITCH WAS MELTING AND SMOKING. HE EXITED THE VEHICLE AND PROCEEDED TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY TO STOP A FIRE FROM OCCURRING. THE HEADLIGHTS CANNOT BE USED BECAUSE THE SWITCH FAILED; THEREFORE, HE CANNOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE ISSUE, BUT THERE WERE NO CURRENT REPLACEMENT PARTS TO REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE PART THAT THEY BELIEVE WILL CORRECT THE FAILURE IS ON BACK ORDER. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,600.

Mileage: 75,000

CHRYSLER PT CRUISER MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH MALFUNCTIONS. FOG LIGHTS STAY ON EVEN WHEN KEY REMOVED FROM IGNITION. INTERNET SEARCH REVEALS THIS IS A VERY WELL KNOWN AND WIDESPREAD PROBLEM THAT CAN LEAD TO BURNED WIRES, BATTERY REPLACEMENT, ETC. *TR

Mileage: 68,000

DEFECTIVE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH ON CHRYSLER PT (2004) CAUSES FOG LIGHTS TO STAY ON, EVEN WHEN IGNITION IS TURNED OFF AND KEYS OUT, CAUSING BATTERY TO DRAIN AND DIE. *TR

Mileage: 96,000

IN APRIL 2008, OUR 2004 PT CRUISER TURBO FOG LIGHTS STARTED TO COME ON FOR NO REASON. INTERNET FORUMS CLAIM THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE SWITCH. THE COST IS $70 FOR THE PART PLUS LABOR. FAILURE TO FIX THE PROBLEM WILL CAUSE THE BATTERY TO FAIL. *TR

Mileage: 53,000

IN JULY 2008, OUR 2004 PT CRUISER FOG LIGHTS STARTED TO COME ON FOR NO REASON. INTERNET FORUMS CLAIM THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE SWITCH. THE COST IS $70 FOR THE PART PLUS LABOR. FAILURE TO FIX THE PROBLEM WILL CAUSE THE BATTERY TO FAIL. *TR

Mileage: 55,000

I WAS INFORMED BY MY NEIGHBOR THAT MY FOG LAMPS WERE ON. SINCE I HADN'T USED THEM IN OVER A MONTH THIS CAME AS A SURPRISE. THE SWITCH WAS NOT ON - NOR WOULD THE LIGHTS TURN OFF. A WEB SEARCH DETERMINED THAT THE "FIX" IS TO LEAVE THE TURN INDICATOR AT A LEFT TURN AND/OR REMOVE THE FUSE. THE SAME SEARCH REVEALED THAT FIRES HAVE RESULTED FROM THIS EXACT SAME FAULT HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/AUTOS/CHRYSLER-PT-CRUISER/TF81KHBDLDVT92AH2/P15. *TR

Mileage: 50,318

I OWN A 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER AND CAME CLOSE TO HITTING A JOGGER IN THE PRE-DAWN HOURS. THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE PASSABLE, BUT THE HIGH BEAM IS COMPLETELY USELESS AND CREATES A DEFINITE SAFETY HAZARD! I HAVE HAD THE HEADLIGHTS REAMED AND EVEN CHANGED TO 80 WATT BULBS, BUT THE PROBLEM IS IN THE HEADLAMP HOUSING DESIGN. THE HIGHBEAM PUTS OUT A DIFFUSED, UNFOCUSED LIGHT WHICH DOES NOT ADD ANY INCREASED NIGHT VISION OVER THE LOW BEAM LAMPS, FORTUNATELY THE LOW BEAMS STAY ON WITH THE HIGH BEAMS. I AM NOT AWARE IF THE AUTO MANUFACTURERS MUST MEET MINIMUM HEADLIGHT PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, BUT IF THEY DO EXIST I'M SURE MY PT CRUISER WOULD FAIL. THANK YOU, BRIAN P. MORAN *TR

Mileage: 48,742

THE FOG LIGHT SWITCH ON MY VEHICLE HAS MALFUNCTIONED AND NOW THE FOG LIGHTS WILL NOT TURN OFF, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE NOT EVEN SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO TURN ON WITHOUT THE HEADLIGHTS BEING ON. THIS CAUSES THE BATTERY TO DIE IF NOT CORRECTED PROMPTLY. *JB

Mileage: 60,490

FOG LIGHTS WILL NOT TURN OFF. THEY TURNED ON WHILE CAR WAS PARKED AND OFF. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS I CAME OUT TO MY CAR AFTER CAR WAS PARKED ALL NIGHT AND THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. ONCE THE BATTERYWAS CHARGED AND RETURNED TO CAR FOG LIGHTS WERE STILL ON, THE ONLY WAY TO TURN THEM OFF WAS TO REMOVE THE FUSE. *AK

THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH THAT WAS CAUSING THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO STAY ON ALL THE TIME, RESULTING IN THE BATTERY BEING DEAD. THIS HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES. THE 1ST TIME, THE DEALERSHIP SIMPLY CONNECTED THE SWITCH BACK TOGETHER. THE 2ND TIME, THE DEALERSHIP DID THE SAME THING AND TOLD US THAT WE COULD DISCONNECT THE SWITCH IF IT OCCURRED AGAIN TO KEEP THE LIGHTS FROM STAYING ON. THE 3RD TIME I WAS UNABLE TO DISCONNECT THE WIRES AND HAD TO CUT THEM BECAUSE THE BATTERY WAS DEAD AGAIN AND I WAS ENROUTE TO FL FROM TN. THE DEALERSHIP IN FL WASN'T GOING TO FIX THE PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE I HAD TO CUT THE WIRES MYSELF SO I COULD TRAVEL IN THE CAR. AFTER SOME CONSIDERATION, HOWEVER, THEY DECIDED TO FIX THE CAR UNDER WARRANTY. IT'S A 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER AND HAS LESS THAN 8500 MILES ON IT. WE ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THIS CAR AT ALL! *JB