Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | ||||||||||||||||
| 08E033000 | FEDERAL-MOGUL CHASSIS PRODUCTS | E (Equipment) | 6903 | 05/22/2008 | MFR | CHRYSLER GROUP LLC | 04/14/2008 | 04/17/2008 | ||||||||
| Defect Summary | 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. these parts were made for use on the various vehicles listed above. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | The nuts included in the packaging for these ball joint assemblies are missing the intended prevailing torque (self-locking) feature. if the incorrect nut was to become loose, the joining members may loosen leading to a separation of the ball joint. this may result in loss of vehicle control, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | 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. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | This recall only pertains to aftermarket ball joint assemblies and has no relation to any original equipment installed on vehicles manufactured by the vehicle manufacturers.customers may contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov. | |||||||||||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | |||
| 04/01/2005 | 64690 | ||
| I have had to replace or repair the front and rear wheel bearings several times: front-april of 2005 at 64690 miles, front-april 2006 at 89223 miles, front-may 2006 at 91750 miles, front wheel bearing-july 2009 at 153048 miles, front wheel bearing-april 2011 at 182684 miles, rear wheel bearing-october 2011 at 191072 miles. i have replaced or repaired the suspension parts: front bushing control arm, ball joint lower control arm-march 2006 at 86643 miles, left inner tie rod had excessive play-january 2007 at 107087 miles, two outer tie rods replaced-january 2008 at 127121 miles. | |||
| 09/29/2006 | 35000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chrysler pt crusier. the contact stated that both lower control arms and the bushings failed and had to be replaced every year since the vehicle was purchased in 2005. after each failure, the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for repair. the manufacturer was notified, but offered no assistance and stated that there were no recalls or warranties addressing the failures. the failure mileage was 35,000 and the current mileage was 121,000. | |||
| 09/29/2006 | 35000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2002 chrysler pt crusier. the contact stated that both lower control arms and the bushings failed and had to be replaced every year since the vehicle was purchased in 2005. after each failure, the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for repair. the manufacturer was notified, but offered no assistance and stated that there were no recalls or warranties addressing the failures. the failure mileage was 35,000 and the current mileage was 121,000. sm. | |||
| 09/29/2006 | 35000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2002 chrysler pt crusier. the contact stated both lower control arm and the bushings failed. they have to be replaced every year since the vehicle was purchased in 2005. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaces them at the owners expense of $421 each time. the manufacturer was notified who stated there are no recalls and offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 35,000 and the current mileage was 121,000. mw | |||
| 11/10/2007 | 28000 | 1 | 03/03/2007 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 chrysler pt cruiser. while driving less than 50 mph, the contact heard noises coming from the vehicle. the dealer stated that the struts needed to be replaced and the vehicle was unsafe to drive. the repair would cost $539. the brakes and rotors were also replaced. the system would not accept the vin provided by the contact. the failure mileage was 28,000 and current mileage was 49,000. updated 8/10/09 *cn updated 08/13/09.*jb | |||
| 06/22/2006 | 22299 | 1 | 03/22/2002 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while driving the vehicle there is a chemical smell which gave contact headaches and an occasional sore throat. the dealership inspected the vehicle and determined there was not a defect in the vehicle. *ak the front end of the vehicle was out of alignment. there was excessive wind noise when the windows were rolled up. the speakers made a loud noise. the rear seat backing was replaced. updated 07/25/06. *jb | |||
| 08/01/2005 | 1 | 06/14/2005 | |
| 2002 chrysler pt cruiser developed a noise in which the consumer took the vehicle to have repaired. parts on the vehicle were replaced but the noise remains.*mr *jb | |||
| 08/15/2003 | 1 | ||
| While driving at 60 mph vehicle produces a loud grinding noise. cause unknown. *ak | |||
| 02/09/2003 | 11000 | 1 | |
| The vehicle severely pulled to the right, which resulted in an accident. the driver side air bag deployed, and the module fell out also.*jb | |||
| 12/28/2002 | 10/10/2001 | ||
| Since day one have had a wobble in front end. steering wheel moves back and forth. feel vibration through floor board. this at 35-40 mph. no wobble or vibrations at higher speeds. tires rotated and front end balanced three times. no help. dodge dealer no help. they said it was the goodyear tires and to replace them with michelin. will be looking into front axle or driveline problems next. | |||
| 6 | 10/13/2001 | ||
| Vehicle has significant alignment problems, the dealer has attempted several times to fix vehicle, however can not, the vehicle pulled to the right and then after a front and rear wheel alignment it started pulling to the left, midas did diagnostic measurments which show they are outside the manufacturers specifications, midas also stated that the alignment problem can not be corrected. *slc | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT | |||
| 07/10/2011 | 88000 | ||
| I own a 2002 pt cruiser. it recently almost caused a severe accident due to the sub-frame that holds the front suspension together. the garage that it is being worked on said that it was completely rusted out and he has never seen such a thing. also, when it broke, it also broke the tie rod, the steering rack and the a-arm. i was only going about 40 mph at the time when it happened, had i been going any faster i would have been in a severe accident. i googled this problem and found other complaints from owners with the same problem. i feel that this should be looked into. | |||
| 06/13/2011 | 114000 | ||
| I have a 2002 pt. cruiser i have had to replace the right side front control arm bushings and wheel bearings and now i am having to replace the left side control arm bushing and wheel bearing with in a month of each other. this is for the second time in 3 years i also think this is to often for them to be replaced and the manufacture should do something about this before someone get hurt. | |||
| 01/02/2009 | 45000 | 1 | |
| I own a 02 and 03 pt cruiser. both cars have had to have control arms replaced as well as idler arms. were considered dangerous at less then 50,000 miles. chrysler is aware of this situation-all over the net, refuses to do anything, says it's normal wear. *tr | |||
| 08/31/2006 | 59000 | 2 | 08/09/2002 |
| 2002 pt cruiser, at 59000 miles both lower control arm bushings were replaced under extended warranty. a year later at 75000 miles both lower control arm bushings are gone again and both front wheel bearings are now worn due to this failure, dealer refuses to cover any of the failures. *nm | |||
| 01/27/2006 | 41000 | 1 | 04/10/2002 |
| I have a 2002 pt cruiser and took it in for an oil change and they said: bushings (both lower-front) remove & replace control arm shaft and bushings, lower both control arm. bearing & seals. from what i am reading it seems to be a common problem with pt cruisers. *nm | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM | |||
| 03/08/2008 | 92100 | 2 | |
| My 2002 pt cruiser has had two sets of front control arms replaced at 90,000 miles due to the control arm bushing failing. the first time the bushing came out completely. the second time it was still in place but torn. both repair shops indicate this is a known and very common problem with these vehicles and a safety concern. *tr | |||
| 05/10/2005 | 32000 | 1 | 02/10/2002 |
| The front suspension bushing on all chrysler pt cruisers are designed in such a manner that they can dislodge from their positions without warning, causing the front suspension to lose it's alignment. the bushing failure is covered with chrysler's warranty but the excessive tire wear associated with it, is not. the tire damage happens so fast that the tires cannot be salvaged. this is a common problem with pt cruisers. the dealers refuse to accommodate for the tire wear caused by their problem. *nm | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER ARM | |||
| 01/02/2008 | 48380 | 1 | 09/06/2002 |
| My cruiser was in the shop for regular maintenance, when the mechanic found that the lower control arm bushings were worn. in reading this site, i see that this has become a real problem fleet wide. i had to pay for the front end alignment, plus the $100 deductible on the extended warrant. based on what i read, i think that the cars should be recalled and repaired at no cost to me. *tr | |||
| 11/02/2007 | 38000 | 2 | 11/19/2006 |
| 2002 pt cruiser. the lower control arm bushings are separating from the rubber. this can cause loss of vehicle control, rattles, severe tire vibration or front end vibration. currently mine has 46.000 miles and the problem is occurring on mine. i had them replaced one year ago at 38,000 miles. there is no way that these type of bushings should be having this separation problem at such a low mileage. a recall is in order, before a owner has a vehicle accident due to the vehicle loosing steering control. *tr | |||
| 02/15/2006 | 45009 | 1 | 11/29/2001 |
| Dt*: at 45,000 miles the front lower control arm bushings and link failed and had to be replaced. updated 03/17/06. *jb | |||
| 08/10/2004 | 36000 | 1 | 05/27/2004 |
| Lower control arm bushing seperation: lower control arm bushing failed while driving to work the sudden failure caused the car to drop on passenger side. tech at local wal-mart stated that if it had failed when i was turning the reduced clearnce would have caused my front right corn to dig into the ground. *jb | |||
| 07/15/2004 | 10000 | 1 | 02/27/2002 |
| Based on concerns by other pt cruiser owners, i have checked the condition of the lower control arm bushings on my two year old, 11,000 mile car. the rubber is separating from the metal, due to a poor bond between the two? in any case this is inappropriate for a new car with so little use. i believe damlerchrysler should be directed to be responsible for any costs associated with repairing said bushings: parts, installation, extend warranty, worn tires due said loose parts, and other suspension components. having owned many cars and quite a few new cars, never a problelm with these components starting to disintegrate. please review other complaints and trust that you will provide a fair solution to the many owners of this model car, many of which have had to pay for a repair/replacement from their own pocket!!!!*ak | |||
| 07/01/2004 | 22000 | 1 | 03/03/2003 |
| The lower control arm bushings are separating from the rubber. this can cause loss of vehicle control, rattles, severe tire vibration or front end vibration. some of my members have had this occur as low as 5000 miles. currently mine has 36.000 miles and the problem is occurring on mine. i am a ase certified technician. and there is no way that these type of bushings should be having this separation problem at such a low mileage. a recall is in order, before a owner has a vehicle accident due to the vehicle loosing steering control. *ak | |||
| 07/30/2004 | 18250 | 1 | 08/09/2002 |
| I read several pt related forums and many members have commented about lower control arm bushing failures, weel so have mine. i am experencing viberation from the front end and will make arangments at the dealership where i bought the car. from what i have read on the forums it is not a matter of if they will fail......but when they will fail. i believe this is a matter that should be a recall. this is an obvious safty item, as total loss of these bushings would result in loss of controll of the car causing a crash. thank you 2002 chrysler pt cruiser dream ser 1.*ak | |||
| 07/26/2003 | 29400 | 1 | 04/26/2003 |
| When doing the 30,000 mile oil change/inspection i noticed splits in the lower control arm bushings. this is only noticeable when the suspension is unsupported. the car was dealer serviced for the recalls and was asked for an inspection of the bushings with a written response a this time. dealer mechanic said it was normal wear but response was suspicious in nature and not forthcoming. the car was then taken to an independent auto mechanic and stated that the bushings appeared to be coming apart. the car was then taken to a different dealer with this concern and they then decided to replace the bushings under the original warranty. no parts retained due to dealer policy that no parts under warranty work will be given to the owner. i request an investigation of the lower control arm bushings for inferior rubber and design. it appears that if the bushings fail the control arm will fall off and may result in severe injury. *jb | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER BALL JOINT | |||
| 02/15/2005 | 38500 | 1 | 09/22/2001 |
| Driving down street at 20 mi per hr. right front lower a arm broke off wheel causing wheel to turn right hitting a parked car. is at body shop being repaired. | |||
| 12/16/2002 | |||
| On my 2002 chrysler pt cruiser it appears the grease fitting on both left and right front ball joints have been broken off. i am concerned that a broken grease fitting can act as a path for water and other contaminants to enter the ball joint and cause it to prematurely wear out and fail, potentially causing vehicle handling problems. i heard rumors that the grease fittings are purposely being broken off at the chrysler assembly plant. | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - WHEEL BEARING | |||
| 04/12/2008 | 79000 | 1 | 01/10/2008 |
| Front wheel bearings worn out at 79,000 miles all 4 brake rotors worn out 79,000 miles. *tr | |||
| 04/25/2002 | 13 | 3 | 04/25/2002 |
| While driving, the alignment is off causing the vehicle to swerve. notified the dealer 5 times , dealer said the tire is defective. contacted the tire manufacture, they said it's not the tire. ph *jg | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR | |||
| 03/09/2006 | 44971 | 1 | 11/10/2001 |
| I was informed by service advisor james quinn at brunswick auto mall in brunswick, ohio (330-273-3300) that the rear control arm(rubber bushings on my 2002 chrysler pt cruiser were worn out and need to be replaced at 44,971 miles. i did a web search and found numerous pt cruiser user forums and found references to chrysler changing the supplier of the bushings sometime after my vehicle was built. chrysler changed the bushings supplier due to very early failure and also upgraded the quality of the bushings. my bushings failed due to having the older style bushings. 45k miles is very early for control arm bushings to wear out. i contacted chrylser warranty at 800-992-1997 to complain and was assigned reference number 14736996. after explaining the situation, the chrylser representative informed me that chrysler would offer no customer good-will assistance with paying for the repairs since i was 1 year and 4 months out of warranty. the chrysler service representative also informed me that i should have bought the chrysler extended warranty in anticipation of unanticipated vehicle repair problems like my bushings. the unanticipated early failure of rear control arm bushings on older model pt cruiser bushings is a severe safety threat to consumers who expect quality parts in their vehicles that should normally last at least 100,000 miles. the unanticipated failure of the pt cruiser bushing can easily result in loss of control of the vehicle, accidents, or much worse. thank you for taking the time to read my complaint. best regards. *jb | |||
| 04/02/2005 | 92500 | 3 | 04/18/2002 |
| Hello. i tried copying and pasting my letter into this box however, my letter is too long. therefore, i am completing this online form and then will mail in my entire letter, documentation and the like to your mailing address along with a copy of this online form. the complaint is regarding my 2002 chrysler pt cruiser, vin# 3c8fy68b72t317273 and it is relating to the fact chrysler refuses to repair my vehicle under the current and active nhtsa recall # 01v288000 (instrument cluster problem). today, 8/5/05 i will mail my letter detailing the entire problem but i am submitting this portion online to get the process started. thank you for your time and attention. sincerely, eric calderaro. *nm the vehicle was in motion when a pop noise was heard caused by a spark within the dash above the speedometer. white smoke had come billowing out of the instrument cluster. the overhead lights in the headliner did not work properly. the circuit board was burned. other problems: transmission fluid leaked and squeaks were coming from the rear suspension. the sway bushings had worn out and were replaced. *sc | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR - AXLE - SPINDLE | |||
| 01/24/2007 | 63000 | 1 | 04/01/2006 |
| Tl* -the contact was traveling at approximately 55 mph, hit a bump, and the vehicle started to swrve. the vehicle was a 2002 chrysler pt cruiser. the driver had to slow the vehicle down below 55 mph so that it would not to swerve. the contact stated that the rear passenger tire was loose ,and he believed the wheel might fall off. the contact took the vehicle to a chrysler dealer, and the vehicle was diagnosed as needing a rear axle. the contact stated that when the odometer reached 61,000 miles he began to hear a humming noise and felt vibration. *ak | |||